Cannelés Bordelais

Originally cannelés are baked in special cannelés copper molds. I used a special baking tray for cannelés. It is possible to use silicone molds, but you won't achieve the crunchy outside of these delicious little cakes.

The batter needs to be prepared 48 hours before baking and stored in the refrigerator

2 vanilla beans

500ml (2 cups) full fat milk

250g (1 1/4 cup) cane sugar

100g (1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons) flour

50g (3 1/2 tablespoons) butter, melted

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

50ml (3 tablespoons) brown rum (Try to use a nice tasting rum since the taste will come through)

Butter for the molds

1. cut vanilla beans lengthwise and scrape the seeds out with a knife

2. put seeds, pods and milk in a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Turn off heat and let stand for 2 minutes

3. in a bowl, whisk sugar, eggs, and egg yolks. Add melted butter and continue whisking until well combined

4. remove pods from the milk, and add 1/4 of the milk to the egg mixture whisking continuously. Add flour and continue mixing. Then add rest of milk and continue mixing until all ingredients are mixed well

5. remove pods from batter and sieve. Mix in rum, return pods to batter and refrigerate in an airtight container for 48 hours

6. brush molds with melted butter and fill with batter to about 1/2" away from top

7. Preheat oven to 230°C (450°F) and bake the cannelés for 15 minutes. Open oven door, turn pan 180°, lower oven temperature to 175°C (350°F) and bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Watch well on the last minutes of  baking time to make sure you don't burn the cannelés. They should be very dark brown!

Cannelés taste best on the day they're baked. Crunchy on the outside, custardy on the inside. However, the little cakes will keep well for a couple of days in an airtight container