Canelés, sometimes spelled as cannelés, are sticky, sweet rum cakes from the French region Bordeaux. That’s why they’re also sometimes referred to as cannelés bordelais. These little custard cakes are truly divine and a rare treat to find in the States.
Canelé | Cannelés
I had the opportunity to visit the Bordeaux region during my last trip to France. My best friend’s mother-in-law lives in that area, so we decided to take a weekend trip to visit her.
On the way to her house, I asked my friend to stop at a patisserie so that I could pick up something as a gift for the hostess. Instead, my friend encouraged me to stop at this tiny shop that sold some of the best canelés (a Bordeaux specialty) she had ever eaten.
I had of course heard of canelés, or cannelés (depending on how you spell it), having been to France before, but I had never come across them in Paris.
It turns out that canelés were even better than I imagined them to be; they were just as addictive as my friend described them to be!
Canelé Recipe
During this weekend visit, my friend’s mother-in-law invited some of her own friends to join us for lunch one day. One of these friends was a sweet woman who shared her recipe for cannelés bordelais.
I told her about my blog and how I had fallen in love with these little rum cakes during my stay, and she kindly emailed me the recipe for this iconic Bordeaux dessert.
And what a recipe…these are divine!
Canelé Mold
Now, normally, I’m not thrilled with the idea of purchasing specialty pans like the one needed for these, but you must have a canelé pan to make true canelés.
Some people use a copper canelé mold, as it’s very iconic and traditional to do such. I honestly love using a silicone mold for three reasons:
- The 100% silicone ones are easy to store (they are flexible and easily bend/fold)
- They’re easy to clean – just pop the pan in the dishwasher
- The silicone, or silicone coated ones, easy to get the canelés out of the pan – you just pop them right out
It was brought to my attention that some canelé recipes call for beeswax as a way of coating the canelé molds, but you really don’t need that. Finding an all-silicone, regular size canelé mold isn’t always easy, which is why I recommend going for a silicone coated one instead if you can’t find it.
And while buying a specialty pan might not typically be the most practical thing, I’m sure you will be getting much use out of your pan as these canelés are scrumptious.
Canelés are made with a generous dose of rum, then the batter is left to rest overnight where the rum flavor can develop even further.
The key to making canelés the addictive treat they are is the baking method.
You see, canelés have this unique quality where they have a sticky, caramelized-looking exterior and soft, custard-y interior. In order to achieve this perfect texture contrast, you have to bake the canelés at different temperatures for various durations.
Not everyone knows how to make a great canelé, and that’s why I was so grateful and excited to receive this authentic canéle recipe from my new French friend. I hope you guys enjoy these just as much as I do!
Ingredients
- 500 ml milk, 2 cups + 2 tbsp
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 125 g all-purpose flour, 1 cup
- 225 g granulated sugar, 1 cup + 2 tbsp
- 150 ml rum, 1/2 cup + 2tbsp
Instructions
- Combine the milk and vanilla extract; temporarily set aside.
- To a large bowl, add the eggs and egg yolk, then whisk until the yolks are broken up. Pour in the milk and vanilla mixture, then whisk again until combined.
- Add the all-purpose flour and sugar, whisking until smooth and lump-free.
- Add the rum and whisk again to combine. Refrigerate the batter for at least 12 hours, or overnight if possible.
- The next day, preheat the oven to 440°F. If using a silicone canelé pan, place the pan on a wire, oven-safe rack (this will make transferring the pan to the oven easier). Give the batter a whisk, then use a small ladle to fill the molds with enough batter to almost reach the top of the molds.
- Bake the canelés at 440°F for 20 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 300°F and bake for another 30 minutes. Finally, increase the heat to 430°F and bake for 5 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let the canelés cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Gently pop the canelés out of their molds and serve.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 21Serving Size: 21 Servings
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 41Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 8mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 1g
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FAQs
In fact, a little rise out of the molds is expected and just fine. I've found rising like this is usually due to insufficient oven heat (and also could be an issue with over-waxed molds, creating too much heat insulation). To alleviate, you could try increasing the temperature of the oven next time.
What is a substitute for rum in canelé? ›
Rum and Vanilla - Rum and vanilla are the two main aromas of the canelé. You can omit or just use one or the other. If you are not using rum, replace it with the same amount of milk.
What does canelé taste like? ›
It tastes gently sweet and milky with a hint of rum. Some cannelés are cakey, but a true one is closer to custard. The cannelé's ingredients are similar to those of a crêpe, but the cooking yields a very different result.
How do you eat canelé? ›
How to enjoy your canelé The best way to enjoy canelés is to eat them when they're a bit warm but not too hot; otherwise, the filling inside will be all gooey, and the shell won't be crispy. You can also enjoy them cold or room temperature; it's more of a matter of preference.
Why did my pastry not rise? ›
Set the oven dial too low, and the pastry is likely to fall flat. Follow this tip: As a rule of thumb, a higher oven temperature (400°F is ideal) results in puff pastry with a higher rise. The higher temperature produces steam, which is the crucial component that makes the puff pastry, well, puff.
Why has my pastry not risen well? ›
Problem: Your Pastry Hasn't Risen
The fat may have been too warm and has blended with the flour instead of remaining in layers. Make sure you rest the pastry sufficiently between rollings.
Can I use whiskey instead of rum? ›
Yes. Whiskey tastes different from rum, but in most recipes, you can substitute one for the other. Of course, if that's what you prefer. They should be fairly interchangeable although it might be a good idea to slightly increase the amount of sugar if you use whiskey.
Can I substitute rum extract for rum in a recipe? ›
Use small amounts of McCormick Culinary Imitation Rum Extract as an exceptional substitute for rum in recipes; 2 teaspoons of rum extract equals 1 tablespoon of dark rum, or 1 tablespoon of rum extract equals 5 tablespoons of light rum. No preparation necessary.
What tastes like rum but no alcohol? ›
Biscane Rum substitute is alcohol-free, and gluten free, too. Cheers! Biscane non-alcoholic Rum has only 1 gram of sugar per serving, gluten free, and vegan. Classic Rum flavors and aromas of sugar-cane and molasses emerge when it's stirred into your favorite Rum co*cktail.
What is canelé in english? ›
The name canelé comes from the French word for “fluted.” According to cookbooks, the cannele Bordelaise could date back to anywhere between the 15th and 18th centuries, and most of the history books concur that the pastry originated in various convents around the winemaking regions of Bordeaux in Southern France.
Served chilled, the combination of Clairette and Muscat will enhance the beautiful sweetness of these little French pastries. It can sometimes be a little intricate when pairing wine with desserts. I personally enjoy a 2012 Pietra Nera, Zibibbo from Marco de Bartoli.
Do canelé need to be refrigerated? ›
How should I store my canelés? Leave them at room temperature, in the box provided, on the day of delivery. If not consumed on this day, move them to an airtight container and store them in the fridge. Let the canelés come to room temperature before eating again.
How long can canelé last? ›
Crunchy, soft and deliciously balanced between the aromas of bourbon vanilla and old rum. The canelé is a fresh product without preservative. Preserve it at room temperature 4 to 5 days after reception. Not recommended: In the refrigerator it will not keep better, on the contrary it will harden and lose its flavor.
Who invented canelé? ›
An emblematic pastry
In spite of its great notoriety, nobody knows the real origins of canelé. Historians suppose that a first recipe was developed in the 18th century by the nuns of the Annonciades convent. They indeed made a small cake cooked on stem and with lard.
What is the traditional size of a canelé? ›
Traditional ⌀ 55 mm
Perfect for all food lovers, those ⌀ 55mm cannelé are traditional size.
How do you keep pastry from rising? ›
When blind baking, you need to weigh down your pie crust with baking beans, rice or baking weights to ensure the layers in your pastry don't bubble or rise, and then bake it in a hot oven for at least 30 minutes.
Why is my pastry rising? ›
The base of my pastry case has risen during baking.
This can happen if self raising flour is used – only plain flour should be used when making pastry. You also need to carefully press the pastry into the tin, making sure that no air is trapped underneath.
Why does pastry expand? ›
Eggs are then beaten into the dough to further enrich it. This high percentage of water causes the pastry to expand into a light, hollow pastry. Initially, the water in the dough turns to steam in the oven and causes the pastry to rise; then the starch in the flour gelatinizes, thereby solidifying the pastry.
What makes pastries rise? ›
Both baking soda and baking powder are leavening agents, which means they are added to baked goods before cooking to produce carbon dioxide and cause them to rise. Baking powder contains baking soda, but the two substances are used under different conditions.
