Makes: Twelve 2 in [5 cm] canelés

Canelés are unlike any other pastry, in a class of their own. They were originally a specialty of the Bordeaux region of France, where you still see stores devoted to selling only these unique pastries. They are made in a mould that looks like a miniature 2 in [5 cm] Bundt form that is coated in a mixture of beeswax and butter, creating a pastry with a caramelised crust and a soft, almost pudding-like interior.  

They can also be terribly challenging even for the most skilled baker, so it is with a slight amount of caution but with a very trusty recipe that Lynn has developed that we offer you the canelé. If you have patience and love a baking challenge, this is your recipe. 


Ingredients

  • Confectioners’ sugar 200g  
  • All-purpose flour 100g  
  • Salt ¼ tsp  
  • Milk 400ml  
  • Unsalted butter 2 Tbsp + 2 tsp  
  • Vanilla bean, split and scraped 1  
  • Large eggs 2  
  • Large egg yolk 1  
  • Dark rum 2 Tbsp  

For the beeswax coating for canelé molds

  • Unsalted butter 170g  
  • Food-grade beeswax (organic, if possible) 115g  

Directions

1In a large bowl, sift together the confectioners’ sugar, flour and salt. Set aside. Combine the milk and butter in a medium, heavy saucepan and place over medium heat. As soon as the butter is melted, remove the saucepan from the heat and add the vanilla bean seeds. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and yolk. Pour the egg mixture and the rum into the warmed milk and stir. Gently pour the milk mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over the sifted dry ingredients. Whisk gently to combine. Pass the batter through the sieve two more times. Add the vanilla pod and refrigerate the batter in a covered container for 48 hours before baking.

2To prepare the mould coating, clarify the butter by placing it in a small, heavy saucepan and melting it slowly over medium-low heat. The foamy white milk solids will rise to the surface; using a spoon, skim the milk solids from the top of the melted butter. Slowly pour the hot butter through a cheesecloth-lined strainer. Some of the milk solids may remain in the pot. Take care not to let them mix into the clarified butter. You should have 115 g. Store, well wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

3To prepare the canelé moulds for baking, preheat the oven to 180°C. Place a wire rack over a foil-lined baking sheet. Have oven mitts or heat-resistant baking gloves ready to protect your hands. In a small, heavy saucepan, heat the clarified butter and beeswax together until completely melted and hot. Arrange the canelé moulds on the wire rack. Very carefully, one at a time, pour the hot beeswax mixture into each mould, filling it completely before tipping the hot mixture back into the pot. Flip and place the empty mould onto the wire rack to allow any excess beeswax to drip out onto the foil-lined sheet, and set upright before the wax sets. Continue this process until all of the moulds are filled, flipped, and drained. If the beeswax mixture begins to cool and set in the pot, place over low heat to melt thoroughly before continuing. There should be a very thin coat of beeswax lining each mould. Line the baking sheet with a fresh sheet of foil. Place the moulds directly on the pan, evenly spaced in three rows of four.

4Remove the vanilla pod from the canelé batter and gently stir to combine. Some flour may have settled to the bottom of the container. Carefully fill each mould three-fourths of the way. Bake until the batter has risen slightly and is a very dark mahogany colour, about 45 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking. Test for doneness: if the crown of the canelé is still light in colour, replace the mould and continue cooking in 5minute increments, checking after each round. They should be evenly coloured. Some canelés may be ready before others; continue baking the lighter ones. Turn the canelés out of their moulds immediately. Cool for 20 minutes before serving. They are best eaten the day they are baked.

5Matcha Canelé Variation: When making the batter, omit the vanilla bean and add 1 tsp sifted matcha powder to the milk mixture. Bake as directed.

6Citrus Canelé Variation: When making the batter, omit the vanilla bean. Substitute orange liqueur, such as Grand Marnier, for the rum. Add the finely grated zest of half an orange and half a lemon when pouring the batter into the storage container. Bake as directed.


Want more mouth-watering recipes? Order this wonderful book by clicking the link below!

Tartine: A Classic Revisited: 68 All-New Recipes + 55 Updated Favorites
By Elisabeth Prueitt and Chad Robertson
Published by Chronicle
Books Photography by Gentl + Hyers

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