Please help with cannele recipe

[cookman]

The molds (copper), never cleaned, are coated with the beeswax/butter with a dedicated brush that's just barely narrow enough to swipe all the way to the bottom of the mold, then they're set on a sheetpan open side down so that any excess drains out. Seems to work fine for us.

I'm using a beeswax/vegetable oil mix to coat the insides of my cannele copper molds. Following the recommendations of others from this thread, I have not washed the interior of the molds. If there is any residue left after unmolding the cannele, I just burn it off in a hot oven. However, I've noticed that the molds have taken on a slight rancid oil odor to them if I sniff them, and I think I can taste this in the final product. The beeswax/oil mix itself smells fine, so I think it's the residue on the cannele molds that I'm detecting. Washing them in soapy water seems to make no difference. Has anyone else had this problem? Any suggestions on how to fix this?

[Wolfert]

Bordeaux-based Patissier Daniel Antoine told me he boils the molds once a year. I assume he did this to remove that funky odor. Then he said to simply re-season them.

I had the same problem so I boiled them and did the ritual seasoning. It worked but it took baking off one or two canneles to get everything back to normal.

Edited January 27, 2006 by Wolfert (log)

[cookman]

Bordeaux-based  Patissier Daniel Antoine told me he boils the molds once a year. I assume he did this to remove that funky odor. Then he said to simply re-season them.

I had the same problem so I boiled them and did the ritual seasoning. It worked but it took baking off one or two canneles to get everything back to normal.

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Paula, thanks for the great suggestion-- I'll give boiling a try.

Do you think the type of oil that I mix with the beeswax has anything to do with the "funky" smell the molds develop over time? I used canola oil, since it was easy to find, but I wonder if another oil might be preferable.

[Wolfert]

Canola oil does develop an awful smell when heated to a high temperature. I don't know if it leaves a smell in the molds because I've never used it.

What I use is my version of the Bordelais "white oil." This is a combination of grapeseed oil, clarified butter, corn oil and a small amount of beeswax.

[cookman]

Canola oil does develop  an awful smell when heated to a high temperature. I don't know if it leaves a smell in the molds because I've never used it.

What I use is my version of the Bordelais  "white oil." This is a combination of grapeseed oil, clarified  butter, corn oil and a small amount of beeswax.

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That certainly could explain the problem. I was loosely following the recommendations in your cookbook "The Slow Mediterranean Cookbook", which suggests mixing 1 c oil with 1 oz beeswax.

Do you have specific ratios for mixing the white oil from grapeseed oil, clarified butter, corn oil and beeswax? (Sorry if this is already listed somewhere in this thread-- I don't recall reading it.)

Edited January 28, 2006 by cookman (log)

[Wolfert]

I change the proportions of oil and butter to whatever I have on hand.

[Adam Balic]

I was discussing with a friend who's family lives in Bordeaux that I was thinking about making cannele and did he have any tips, which he did, but look what arrived in the mail!

As you can see in the cross-section, lots of vanilla seeds which provides a very pleasant crunch and a great contrast to the custardy interior.

[FoodMan]

These look perfect Adam! How are you going to reheat them?

[whisks]

i am so jealous; i love cannele and looking at your photos brings back fond memories. i realise that you are not able to share the cannele with us, but i would certainly appreciate it if you could share the tips with us.

thanks for tempting us with the photos.

[Adam Balic]

These look perfect Adam! How are you going to reheat them?

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In a very hot oven for 10 minutes, then allowed to rest until cooled. I think that their basic structure means that they are able to go through this process quite well without drying out.

[Adam Balic]

i am so jealous; i love cannele and looking at your photos brings back fond memories. i realise that you are not able to share the cannele with us, but i would certainly appreciate it if you could share the tips with us.

thanks for tempting us with the photos.

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Tips were mostly in the form of "Don't eat the type the Parisian's make as they put jam in them!!!". But also a suggestion indicated above by Paula that you can make batches and take them out at different stages in development, as it creates a range of different products. This seems to be the way they are sold in Bordeaux, and also tiny ones are also made to go with a cup of coffee or chocolate. The story in Bordeaux seems to be that the orginals of these pastries were made by medieval nuns for distribution to the poor. Obviously, the use of vanilla and rum as flavours must be a more modern addition.

[mukki]

Bordeaux-based  Patissier Daniel Antoine told me he boils the molds once a year. I assume he did this to remove that funky odor.

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Interesting... I've noticed over the past 6 months or so that the canneles I've bought from La Brea Bakery have had a bad taste in the crust -- so much so that I've been unable to finish eating them. Maybe it's time for a good boiling.

My favorite canneles so far have been from Bay Bread in SF (my first) and Lemoine in St. Emilion (Bordeaux). Boule Bakery in LA also makes a tasty version. Here is a picture of one of Lemoine's canneles; note that we took this picture after driving 3 hours to our Dordogne destination, which caused the crust to soften. Fresh from the store, it was crunchy-chewy and delicious.

I actually found the cannele at Poujauran (as of last November) not worth eating. Pale, overly chewy, unappetizing flavor... very disappointing.

I've made Gale Gand's recipe before in non-stick tin molds from France very successfully. I picked up 12 copper molds from Lemoine for approx $50, but haven't had a chance to try them out yet.

Hilary

[cookman]

Great photo. When I make these using Paula Wolfert's recipe, the center seems thicker, more concentrated at the bottom of the canele, and more dense and custard-like (although firm). Which is the more "genuine" texture?

[Wolfert]

The custard consistency is what I generally found in Bordeaux. It's the combination of the butter with the flour rather than with the milk that creates that creamy texture.

To avoid the concentration of batter at the bottom, try setting the filled molds out on a preheated baking surface before placing them on the center oven rack. When I learned to make caneles in Bordeaux, Chef Antoine's bakers switched the trays from the top to the bottom racks midway.

[cookman]

To avoid the concentration of batter at the bottom, try setting  the filled molds out on a preheated baking surface before placing them on the center oven rack. When I learned to make caneles in Bordeaux, Chef Antoine's bakers switched the trays from the top to the bottom racks midway.

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Paula, how do you feel about baking caneles in a regular or convection oven? When I use a convection oven, they seem to bake more evenly. I don't usually change the rack position, however, as they are baking. Which oven do you think is preferable?

[Wolfert]

See step 6 for convection oven variation. If you don't have the recipe, bake the caneles for l hour and 15 minutes at 375 F for a deep, deep brown canele.

You don't need to switch racks when baking in a convection oven.

[sleof]

Great thread, a big help. Can anyone advise on the best type of flour to use when baking Canelés? I'm in The UK and have access to wonderful flour from Shipton Mill (www.shipton-mill.com) including Cake & Pastry flour and French Type 55 flour. I can also get French Type 45 as well as Italian Type 00. Thanks....

[sleof]

Is anyone trying variations on the cannele other than rum/vanilla and chocolate? The other night I tried to make a raspberry version by adding some Chambord, and I tried chocolatizing Paula's recipe by pouring the hot milk over 3.5ozs noir gastronomie and then adding the chocolate to the sugar/flour/yolk mixture. Both turned out fairly well, but everyone who's tasted them thinks that the rum/vanilla is best. Paula has been kind enough to direct me to two different "parfums mélangé" recipes that are mixtures anisette, lemon essence, rose water and other ingredients that sound exotic and interesting, but I'm interested to hear what if any other ideas are out there. Alternatively, you tell me that raspberry or lemon canneles are inexcusable affronts to tradition and should not even be considered.

I'd be interested in the recipes for the variations... they sound delicious.

[cookman]

Great thread, a big help. Can anyone advise on the best type of flour to use when baking Canelés? I'm in The UK and have access to wonderful flour from Shipton Mill (www.shipton-mill.com) including Cake & Pastry flour and French Type 55 flour. I can also get French Type 45 as well as Italian Type 00. Thanks....

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You want to use a low protein flour. I find that cake flour gives me the best caneles.

[Bill/SFNM]

What an amazing thread. I had my first cannele recently in the Perigord. I was totally unprepared for the incredible taste and texture. I can't wait to try to make them. Stephanie Alexander has two recipes in her book, Cooking and Travelling in SW France, one from Regis Marcon and the other from Paula.

Quick question if anyone is still following this thread. How do I season new tin-lined copper molds? TIA.

[cookman]

What an amazing thread. I had my first cannele recently in the Perigord. I was totally unprepared for the incredible taste and texture. I can't wait to try to make them. Stephanie Alexander has two recipes in her book, Cooking and Travelling in SW France, one from Regis Marcon and the other from Paula. 

Quick question if anyone is still following this thread. How do I season new tin-lined copper molds? TIA.

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Paula has a chapter on this topic in one of her cookbooks. To paraphrase her: Wash new molds in soapy water, rinse, and dry. Grease interiors heavily with vegetable oil, put molds on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 1 hour. Invert molds on a wire rack and return to oven for 5 minutes. Turn off oven and leave molds until cool.

Before using each time, molds should ideally be seasoned with a beeswax/oil mixture.

[jgarner53]

As I was looking at our cannelés at work today (I work at Bay Bread in SF), I got to thinking about how you might do a savory cannelé. Kind of like a popover, with maybe animal fat in place of some of the butter, less sugar, added herbs and other flavorings. I think it would be a fantastic addition to a plate.

We have some molds at work that need to be reseasoned. Maybe once my own kitchen is functional again, I'll bring them home, clean them out, and give it a try.

And, oh, the beeswax/butter is an absolute must. We tried an experiment with pan spray that was an unmitigated disaster that ultimately required boiling out all our molds, scrubbing them with salt, and reseasoning. The pan spray didn't give the great crust that the beeswax/butter does.

And if your custard is sinking too much, don't whack the molds too hard when you depan them.

Again, FWIW, we use a convection oven and spin the pans and rotate top to bottom halfway through cooking (40 molds per pan).

[alanamoana]

As I was looking at our cannelés at work today (I work at Bay Bread in SF), I got to thinking about how you might do a savory cannelé. Kind of like a popover, with maybe animal fat in place of some of the butter, less sugar, added herbs and other flavorings. I think it would be a fantastic addition to a plate.

We have some molds at work that need to be reseasoned. Maybe once my own kitchen is functional again, I'll bring them home, clean them out, and give it a try.

And, oh, the beeswax/butter is an absolute must. We tried an experiment with pan spray that was an unmitigated disaster that ultimately required boiling out all our molds, scrubbing them with salt, and reseasoning.  The pan spray didn't give the great crust that the beeswax/butter does.

And if your custard is sinking too much, don't whack the molds too hard when you depan them.

Again, FWIW, we use a convection oven and spin the pans and rotate top to bottom halfway through cooking (40 molds per pan).

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can i ask who supplies you with the beeswax? is there someone in sf who carries it? oh and congrats on your promotion!

[cookman]

can i ask who supplies you with the beeswax? is there someone in sf who carries it?

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If you can't find it locally, here's one source:Click

[jgarner53]

can i ask who supplies you with the beeswax? is there someone in sf who carries it?

We get it from Strahl & Pitsch but buy it by the case (50 lbs?) It lasts us quite a while. I believe it comes from NY. It's in little pellets like BB's. We melt it down, then add the butter.