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Cannelés
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Cannelés

Equipment

  • Cannelé mold
  • Instant-read thermometer
  • Oven thermometer
  • Digital scale

Ingredients

  • cups (352g) whole milk
  • 3 Tbsp (42g) unsalted butter
  • tsp (8.5g) vanilla paste
  • 3 large (60g) egg yolks
  • 3 Tbsp (38g) dark rum
  • ½ cup + 2 Tbsp (94g) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup + 2 Tbsp (180g) granulated sugar
  • ½ tsp (1g) kosher salt
  • 1-2 Tbsp (14g-28g) clarified butter or ghee (for preparing cannelé mold)

Instructions

Making the Batter:

  • Combine milk, butter, and vanilla bean paste in a medium pot and bring to a simmer. Remove from stove and cool to 100°F/38°C2, stirring occasionally to avoid a skin forming.
  • While milk mixture is cooling, prepare the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
  • When milk mixture has cooled, temper the egg yolks by pouring a small amount of the milk mixture into the eggs while whisking constantly. Pour the egg mixture into the saucepan and whisk to combine. Pour in the rum and whisk.
  • Add wet mixture to dry ingredients in thirds. Whisk gently (don’t create too many air bubbles in this step) to incorporate all dry ingredients. The finished batter should be the consistency of heavy cream.
  • Strain the batter through a sieve into an airtight container. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the batter. This will help it prevent a skin from forming. Cover the container and refrigerate for 48 hours.

Preparing the Cannelé Mold:

  • Preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C with the rack in the middle. Use an oven thermometer to ensure accurate temperature. Temperature is very important for this recipe.
  • Prepare the cannelé mold 15 minutes before the oven is preheated. Melt a small amount of clarified butter, dip a clean finger into the butter, and rub your finger on the inside of the mold to get a very thin and even layer.
  • After covering each cavity with butter, place the pan in the fridge for 10 minutes to set the butter. Remove the mold from the fridge, bring to room temperature (about 10 minutes), and gently stir the batter to reincorporate all ingredients. Don’t over mix because air bubbles make the cannelés dry. Fill each cannelé depression with 65g of batter (approximately four-fifths full or roughly 4 tablespoons of batter). Don’t fill the mold to the top because the batter will rise while baking.

Baking the Cannelés:

  • Place filled pan in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Rotate the pan (front to back), decrease the oven temperature to 350°F/177°C, and bake for an additional 45-50 minutes. A few minutes can make a big difference for this recipe. The edges will be a dark brown (don’t allow it to burn) and the bottom will be a light golden brown. When the cannelés are in the pan, it is very likely there will be a small depression that forms as it bakes.
  • Remove pan from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes before turning them out. Light tapping on the pan may be necessary to unmold them. Cool the cannelés to room temperature before eating. Cannelés are best the day they are baked as the exterior loses its crunchy texture over time.