Canelé

Written By Michele Cababe

This has taken me a while to write.. The Bordeaux region is so fascinating, I was watching the Tour de France and wanted to choose something from the Bordeaux region, which was where they had been riding when picking my next topic. Withsummer upon us life has been taking its twists and turns time got a little away from me, but here we go….

Cannelés are a French Pastry flavored with rum and Vanilla that has a custard center and a dark thick caramelized shell or crust. Originally called Cannelé Bordelaise, they originated in the Southwest portion of France in the Bordeaux Region. It is guess that they came about by the nuns at the Convent des Annonciades outside Bordeaux around the 16th century. The winemakers would use egg whites in the wine making process to filter out the impurities. With the leftover egg yolks they would donate them to the nuns in order to make food for the poor.

The name Canelé comes from the French word for Fluted. This describes the classic copper tin that they were baked in, and give the pastry their classic shape. The Cooper Molds are great conductors of heat and allows the pastry to get the crispy shell. The dessert disappeared for several decades. Luckily for us today it came back in the 1920’s and we can enjoy them. They are not well know in the US and hard to find. A trip to the Bordeaux region to get the authentic is worth it.

The Bordeaux region of France is considered one of the Best and most famous Wine producing regions. They are best know for their Merlot’s, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. 90% of the wine produced in the region is Red and the primary grapes are Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Sometimes there is Muscadelle blended.

Bordeaux is also a large culinary region. One of the most famous Caviars in the world, Caviar d’Aquitaine comes from the region. There is also the Confit de Canard, AKA Duck Confit.

CANNELÉS (CANELÉS) DE BORDEAUX RECIPE

COURSE: DESSERT

CUISINE: FRENCH

KEYWORD: CANELE, CANELÉ DE BORDEAUX, CANELES

PREP TIME: 30MINUTES MINUTES

COOK TIME: 1HOUR HOUR

REFRIGERATION TIME: 1DAY DAY

TOTAL TIME: 1HOUR HOUR 30MINUTES MINUTES

SERVINGS: 16 CANELES

CALORIES: 164KCAL

AUTHOR: VICTOR

Recipe and instructions for making canele (canelé) that have a rich, moist and custardy interior which is sealed into a thin, crispy, caramelized shell.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 vanilla beans(preferably Madagascan)

  • 500 ml milk (cold)

  • 200 g cane sugar (250 g if you want more sweetness following traditional recipes; I use 200 g)

  • 100 g all-purpose flour(you can also use bread flour)

  • 50 g butter (melted)

  • 2 eggs (large)

  • 2 egg yolks

  • 60 ml dark rum

FOR THE MOLD COATING:

  • 40 g beeswax

  • 60 g butter

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Slit the vanilla beans lengthwise, and scrape the seeds from them with a small knife. Put the seeds, vanilla pods, and milk in a saucepan and bring them to a gentle simmer, and then turn off the heat and let sit for two minutes.

  • In a separate bowl, whisk sugar, eggs and egg yolks. Add melted butter and whisk more until combined.

  • Remove the pods from the milk. Add 1/4 of the hot milk into egg mixture and mix well. Add flour and continue mixing until combined. Then slowly add the remaining milk while continuing to mix until all ingredients are mixed well. Add rum and mix. This way you will avoid lumps and will end up with the perfect consistency of the batter. (Note: this step is very important. Adding hot milk to egg mixture will temper the eggs and create custard which will ensure perfect consistency of your caneles).

  • Refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours. This is non-negotiable. The texture and flavor improves dramatically by the second day and third day. So, 24 hour rest is mandatory. 48 hours if you want amazing canele. The batter may be kept in a fridge for up to 4 days. Each time you use the batter, stir it well and work it at least 2 minutes with a whisk.

  • For a smooth, shiny surface that accentuates the dark brown color of the caneles coat the molds with a mix of 40 g beeswax and 60 g butter melted together. For this, melt the beeswax and butter together, quickly pour the mix into a mold and then back out into the original container. Turn upside down on a cooling rack with paper towel underneath to catch drippings. Once cooled down, chill in a freezer or a refrigerator until ready to bake.

  • Preheat oven to 550F. Fill the molds with batter to 3/8 inch (1 cm) from the top. Place on a foil lined backing sheet and bake the caneles at 550F for 10 minutes. Without opening the oven, drop the temperature to 375F and continue baking for another 45-50 minutes. Every oven is different, so your baking times may need to be adjusted.

  • Remove caneles from the oven. Quickly remove caneles from the molds and place on a cooling rack upside down. Caneles usually slide right out of their molds, but if they don't, turn the mold upside down and knock on a hard surface, such as a cutting board.

  • Let cool for 2 hours at room temperature. Caneles must be eaten on the day they are baked.

Michele Cababe
Next

Beef Bourguignon