Making Cannelés

You often hear it said that cannelés are small, eggy “cakes”. Don’t you believe it. Cannelés are custards (with candy-like crusts) and need to be treated as such. I know what you’re thinking: Joe, what kind of custard gets baked at 525 degrees Fahrenheit? That answer is a HIGH HEAT custard, wise guy, and just like a low-heat custard, precautions must be taken to prevent a cannelé from absorbing too much heat too quickly, lest it form lots of bubbles, expand and ultimately break into a grainy, syrupy blob. I’ll explain on the way. Let’s get moving!

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Cannelé Recipe

There are many cannelé recipes out there, and most are very similar. What I’ve found is that the proportions are nowhere near as important as the process, which is detailed in the photo tutorial.

16 ounces (2 cups) milk
1 ounce (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1.5 ounces (3 tablespoons) dark rum
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
pinch salt
8.5 ounces (1 1/4 cups) sugar
1 egg
2 egg yolks
5 ounces (1 cup) all-purpose flour

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