Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Canelés



This is a lovely spongy cake originating in Bordeaux, but it has won hearts across the country and can be found in bake shops almost anywhere in France. They are normally baked in copper molds, but you can also find a silicone version of the canelé mold that can turn out a still delicious product, even if the surface is not as caramelized as with the copper mold. This recipe takes two days of rest in the refrigerator, but from what I have learned, patience is a virtue.

For a dozen copper canelé molds:

2 cups whole milk
40 grams or 4 tablespoons butter
2 large eggs plus 2 large yolks
150 grams of flour
250 grams white granulated sugar
1/2 vanilla bean
2 tablespoons aged rum

- In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until they lighten in color and turn fluffy.
- Split the vanilla bean and scrape the inner seeds out with a knife. Put the seeds and the scraped pod with the milk in a saucepan and bring it to a simmer.
- Remove the milk from the heat and let it cool slightly, remove the pod, then add the vanilla seasoned milk slowly to the egg and sugar mixture.
- Cut the butter into little cubes and add it to the batter. Beat until fully incorporated.
- Add the flour in batches until it is fully incorporated.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator, leaving it alone for 2 full days. When you are ready to bake the cakes, generously butter the insides of the molds with a brush (do not butter silicone molds if you are using them), and fill them about 2/3 of the way full (slightly fuller for silicone). Heat your oven as hot as it will go for 10 minutes, place the cakes on a sheet in the hot oven, and reduce the heat to about 175C/300F, continuing to bake for 40-45 minutes. Turn out from the molds immediately while hot.

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14 Comments:

Blogger Andrea Meyers said...

Oh my gosh, those are beautiful. I like how they are caramelized all around. Can only imagine how good they taste.

1:18 PM, May 05, 2009  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Cannele perfection, if I do say so myself!

Cheers,

*Heather*

4:30 PM, May 05, 2009  
Blogger Roberto N. said...

I miss those a lot from france. Come to think of it, I don't think I ate enough of them while I was there.

6:51 PM, May 05, 2009  
Blogger InALittleMinute said...

my mouth is salivating just looking at them... goodness.. looks like heaven

1:36 AM, May 08, 2009  
Blogger Pink of Perfection said...

lord almighty, those are gorgeous, lucy.

6:33 PM, May 08, 2009  
Blogger ArneSalvesen said...

It almost appears as though there are indentations in the top, suitable for filling with some fresh fruit perhaps? Or is that sacrilege?

8:33 PM, May 08, 2009  
Anonymous Kim (@ Paper Apron) said...

These look scrumptious- so moist and delicious. I'm coming to Paris to spend June and I can't wait to be immersed in your beautiful culture. All I want to do is cook and eat and write and lose myself in all things French. I'll try hard to come somewhere, anywhere close to your stunning photographs. You inspire me!

12:02 AM, May 10, 2009  
Blogger Penny said...

Would love to find some canele molds. Beautiful recipe Lucy.

1:32 PM, May 11, 2009  
Blogger Unknown said...

These look fantastic! I tasted my first canelé this weekend at a restaurant L2O in Chicago. The server said that the molds were brushed with bee's wax before filling them to form a very crispy crust. Is this common in France?

1:02 AM, May 13, 2009  
Blogger L Vanel said...

Thank you for stopping by, friends! I don't know about the beeswax but will ask next time I have a chance.

5:29 AM, May 13, 2009  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

sooo good !

if you are in the boston area, try some of the best @ canto 6

check out this site for more info on the bakery:

http://wheretogoandwhattodo.blogspot.com/2009/04/well-always-have-parisin-boston.html

5:04 PM, May 13, 2009  
Anonymous Nicky said...

I'm sure this picture will haunt me all day ;)

10:46 AM, May 15, 2009  
Blogger Chanterelle said...

Paula Wolfert's recipe among others calls for spraying or brushing the molds with a mixture of vegetable oil and beeswax, called "white oil" in English. Tricky to get a thin even coat but I liked the results.

6:28 PM, May 21, 2009  
Blogger Pille said...

These are pretty!!!! My sweet man K. bakes me these every now and then, using a recipe he got when visiting Bordeaux many years ago. We're coming to Southern France this August, and I hope to sample plenty of caneles there :)

9:04 AM, May 28, 2009  

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