Canneles de Bordeaux (French Caramelized Custard Cakes)

About This Recipe

Canneles are a specialty of Bordeaux, small fluted cakes with a strikingly dark, almost burnt-looking caramelized exterior that gives way to a soft, custard-like interior scented with rum and vanilla. Traditionally baked in copper molds lined with beeswax, canneles are one of French pastry's more technically demanding small treats, requiring a batter that rests for at least a day before baking and an oven hot enough to properly caramelize the exterior without overcooking the custardy center. The technique that defines canneles is the extended batter rest -- at least 24 hours, ideally 48 -- which allows the flour to fully hydrate and the flavors to develop, resulting in the characteristic dense, custardy crumb rather than a cakey one. Baking at a very high initial temperature, then reducing it partway through, is what caramelizes the exterior deeply dark without burning it before the interior has time to set into its distinctive soft, slightly chewy texture. Served as a small treat alongside coffee, canneles are meant to be eaten the day they're baked for the best contrast between the crackling, deeply caramelized shell and the soft, eggy interior.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 2 cupswhole milk
• 2 tbspbutter
• 1vanilla bean(split, or 1 tbsp vanilla extract)
• 1 cupsugar
• 0.5 cupall-purpose flour
• 2 largeeggs
• 2egg yolks
• 2 tbspdark rum
• 1 pinchsalt
• 2 tbspbutter(melted, for molds)

Instructions

1. 1

   Infuse the milk

   Warm milk, butter, and vanilla bean (or extract) in a saucepan over medium heat until just steaming. Remove from heat and let steep 15 minutes.

2. 2

   Mix dry ingredients

   Whisk sugar, flour, and salt together in a large bowl.

3. 3

   Combine

   Whisk eggs and egg yolks into the dry ingredients until smooth. Gradually whisk in the warm milk mixture.

4. 4

   Add rum

   Stir in rum. Strain the batter through a fine sieve to remove any lumps or the vanilla bean pod.

5. 5

   Rest

   Cover and refrigerate the batter at least 24 hours, ideally 48 hours.

6. 6

   Prepare molds

   Brush cannele molds generously with melted butter.

7. 7

   Fill and bake

   Preheat oven to 230C/450F. Fill molds about 3/4 full with the rested batter. Bake 15 minutes at high heat, then reduce to 175C/350F and bake 45-50 minutes more until deeply dark brown.

8. 8

   Cool and serve

   Let cool in the molds 5 minutes, then unmold onto a rack. Serve the same day for the best texture.

Variations

• •

  Use a different spirit like brandy or Grand Marnier instead of rum for a different flavor profile.

• •

  Make a rum-free version for a more child-friendly variation, though the classic flavor relies on the rum's aromatic depth.

• •

  If you don't have traditional cannele molds, a mini muffin tin gives a similar (though less classically shaped) result.

Storage

Best eaten the day they're baked, as the crisp shell softens within a day. If needed, store at room temperature up to 2 days in an airtight container, though texture will decline noticeably.

Frequently Asked Questions