Canelés are small, caramelized pastries from the Bordeaux region. They have a crisp exterior and a custardy, vanilla- and rum-infused center. They’re a delicious (and simple!) way to bring a taste of Bordeaux to your home!

 

Try the real thing on one of our Bordeaux region tours!

 

Ingredients 

For ~12 canelés

blandinejoannic
  • 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (plus extra for greasing the molds)
  • 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cups (300 g) sugar
  • 2 eggs + 2 egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons dark rum (optional but authentic)
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Heat the milk & butter: In a small saucepan, gently heat milk and butter until the butter melts. Remove from heat; let cool slightly.
  2. Combine dry ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt.
  3. Blend wet & dry: In another bowl, beat eggs and yolks, then whisk in the vanilla extract and rum (if using). Slowly add the warm milk mixture, whisking constantly. Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients until you have a smooth batter.
  4. Chill batter: Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour (even better overnight).
  5. Preheat & pour: Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Butter the canelé molds (traditional copper molds or silicone molds) and fill them about ¾ full with batter.
  6. Bake & reduce heat: Bake for 10 minutes, then lower heat to 350°F (180°C) and continue baking for ~40–50 minutes, until the canelés are deep golden brown and caramelized.
  7. Enjoy: Let them cool slightly before removing from molds. The outside should be crisp, the inside soft and custardy.
  8. Serve them with an espresso or a glass of sweet wine (like Sauternes) for a truly Bordelaise treat!

 

 

Bon Appétit!

Canelé from Bordeaux region
This is how your canelé might look (after taking a bite out of it)
©

Matthias Kabel, CC BY-SA 3.0

France Just For You

Experts in self-drive tours in France

Travelers Reviews

5.0
Jena
Our trip was exactly as expected, planned perfectly with so many amazing tips on where and how to get around like a local. 25 days, with lots of driving and so much to see. Paris, Versailles, Normandy, Loire Valley, Sancerre, Dordogne and Bordeaux. We were warmly welcomed at all B&Bs and felt that we really got a local feel everywhere we went. All …
Elliot
You gave me so many good suggestions that honestly, I just walked everywhere you recommended, with something breathtaking around every corner. The guidebook was great and the suggestion to make an effort to try French was a solid one. I did much better once I got comfortable trying. I will recommend your service to anyone I know thinking at coming …
Linda & Scott
This was our first visit to France to celebrate my 40th birthday. We started in Reims/Champagne region, Burgundy, Loire Valley Normandy and finished in Paris. Our 21 day trip was exceptional in every way! Emilie and her team thought of everything and their service from fist email to our return home could not be faulted. The only way I can describe …
Jeanne & Michael from Australia
A Great Cultural Experience What we loved most about our wonderful trip was the special activities that FJFY hand picked and tailor made for our interests. We did an awesome cooking experience in Provence, a fun food and wine walking tour with in Nice and a very enjoyable and informative walk in Lagrasse with Carlos. We visited many local markets …
John
My wife and I recently engaged Emilie, of France Just For You, to plan a two week trip to Provence in the first two weeks of May. It was mid-March and we found Emilie during a web search of self-driving tours of France. What a find! Emilie responded within twenty-four hours with very specific questions, wanting to know more about us, our interests …
Matt from Australia
A "Pinch Me" Tour. Expertly organised. We just spent the most wonderful month in France on our honeymoon curated by Laura and Emilie in such a way that we felt we experienced the very essence of France. From the Loire Valley, through the Biarritz area, the Basque region and finally to Provence. The itinerary gave us so many "pinch me" moments that …