Got myself a silicon cannelé mold. While the individual copper molds look great and give far better results, they are also way more fiddly than silicon. But the silicon won’t take temperatures higher than 220°C (430°F), which is significantly lower than the optimal starting temperature for cannelés (250°C/480°F). But the copper molds are enormously expensive. I guess it’s a question of whether near enough is good enough… Heck, these can be made in a mini-muffin tin, if that’s all you have! No excuses 😉

This first batch is a traditional recipe, except that I ran out of powdered sugar so I used a mixture. Of the three batches I baked today, the last were the darkest and most “authentic” looking, but they missed the light for the photo! So, yeah – far from perfect but not a bad start, I reckon.

Plans are afoot for more experimentation and for some fun flavours in future!

Makes about 18

Ingredients

500ml (2 cups + 2 scant tbsp) whole milk
50g (3 1/2 tbsp) unsalted butter, diced
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
100g (3/4 cup) all-purpose (plain) flour
150g powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
100g granulated (white) sugar
pinch salt
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
80ml (1/3 cup) good quality rum

Directions

Add milk, butter and vanilla bean to a medium saucepan, bring to a boil, lower heat to minimum and let steep for 10 minutes. Remove vanilla bean from milk and scrape out any remaining seeds into milk.

Whisk together flour, sugars and salt in a mixing bowl.

In another small bowl, gently beat eggs and yolks together.

Take flour mixture and pour eggs in (don’t stir), then pour in milk. Use a spatula to combine everything gently. Add rum and stir to combine.

Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl or jug (pitcher) and allow to cool to room temperature, uncovered. When cool, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for anywhere from 24 to 72 hours.

When ready to bake, butter molds very well if using metal (or go the bees wax route, if you can get your hands on the stuff), and preheat oven to 220°C (430°F) with a baking sheet in centre of oven.

When oven is up to temperature, very gently stir cold batter until smooth (it will have separated a bit) – you don’t want to add air bubbles so use a spatula, not a whisk.

Fill molds almost to the top, place on hot baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Turn temperature down to 200°C (400°F) without opening oven and bake another 45 – 60 minutes, depending on how dark you want them.

If using metal molds, turn out immediately, or if using silicon molds, let rest for 10 minutes before turning out to cool completely on a wire rack.