Je Suis Charlie and Canneles de Bordeaux

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A few weeks ago I decided to try making Canneles after having one at a local coffee shop, Crema. I ordered a pan/mold and it has been sitting in my kitchen since. So France, this is my edible ode to you and yours. You have given us so much…the Statue of Liberty, Quiche, Cafe au Lait, Edith Piaf, Art & Style & Panache…inspiration for “An American in Paris”…pastries, pastries and more pastries. Our American lives would be so dull and not nearly so delicious without you. Vive la France.

Canneles are small vanilla pastries that have a custardy sweet inside with a crusty, caramel outside. Due to the cook time they will often be almost burnt looking but this just adds to their deliciousness. You will need a Cannele pan, but they are not expensive and are readily available online or in better cooking shops. A vast store of recipes are just a click away as well. I used as classic recipe from Bordeaux that appealed to me with a few of my own tweaks.

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A well buttered, sugared Cannele mold/pan awaits the batter splashed with vanilla & rum.

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Tres magnifique!

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Once many years ago I had my first Cafe au Lait sitting along the Champs Elysees in a small cafe. It was summer and I was in love with life and that coffee is the one I have remembered each morning as I drink my cup of coffee with milk. That was also my first Cannele and Croissant..both eaten after dipping into the hot creamy coffee. Merci Paris, Merci.

I AM CHARLIE
  I AM CHARLIE

If we cannot make art, make fun, demonstrate peacefully, talk and discuss the good, the bad and the ugly without fear of reprisal from those who disagree….we are all Charlie.

Canneles de Bordeaux

  • Servings: 18-24
  • Difficulty: medium
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Ingredients:

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 split vanilla bean
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons good butter
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 whole eggs + 2 egg yolks
  • 2-4 tablespoon dark rum
  • extra butter for greasing mold
  • granulated sugar for dusting mold

Directions:

  1. The day before you bake the canneles, boil the milk with the vanilla bean, vanilla extract & 2 tbsp butter. Turn off heat right as it boils and let cool for 5 minutes.
  2. In a bowl mix the flour & sugar together. Add the whole eggs and egg yolks to the flour mixture stirring well.
  3. Add the flour-egg mixture to the milk mixture stirring with a whisk until smooth and fluid. Batter will be like pancake batter. Cool batter completely & add the rum. Cover and chill for 24 to 48 hours. I put the batter into a small pitcher so I could pour into the molds easily.
  4. To Bake: Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.
  5. Melt butter for greasing the mold. Using a pastry brush coat inside of molds. Sprinkle each with granulated sugar across the bottoms and sides.
  6. Fill each mold 3/4 full with batter. No more please.
  7. Bake for 5 minutes. Turn heat to 350 degrees & bake 1 hour or until canneles have a dark brown crust and are still a bit moist in the middle. Immediately remove from pan to a rack to cool.
  8. Repeat with any batter that is left over. I made 24 canneles with this recipe, but depending on the size of the pan/molds you purchase you may bake more or less.

Note: These pastries are worth the bit of time it takes. Really one day you make the batter, put in the cooler, pull it out the next and bake. I got lots done while my canneles were baking. Tidied my office, made some calls, read my book and when the first batch was done I made a hot milky coffee and had a couple “dipped”. Bon Apetit

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