Canelés

• whole milk↗470ml ml
• high‑quality French unsalted butter↗50g g
• vanilla bean↗½

  split lengthwise and scrape out seeds

• granulated sugar↗230g g
• egg (medium)1

  and 2 medium yolks, beaten

• dark rum↗50ml ml
• plain flour↗120g g
• beeswax↗

  (available on amazon.co.uk), melted, for greasing molds (if they are copper)

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the batter a day ahead. Pour 160 ml milk into a medium saucepan, add the butter, vanilla bean and seeds, and 20 g sugar, and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and let cool to about 38 °C or until warm to the touch – too cold and the butter will seize, too hot and the eggs will start to cook.

2. 2

   Whisk the egg mixture with a whisk until combined, then add the rum and the remaining milk.

3. 3

   Combine flour, the remaining sugar and ½ tsp salt in a bowl. Whisk the liquid in thirds, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as you add. Avoid over‑beating: too many air bubbles will produce dry canelés. The batter should have a consistency similar to whipped cream.

4. 4

   Sift the batter through a sieve into an airtight container. Press plastic film directly onto the surface of the batter to prevent a skin forming. Seal tightly and refrigerate overnight to let the batter rest.

5. 5

   Preheat the oven to 230 °C/210 °C with convection/gas 8. Dry the canelé molds (8 or 16, if you have them) of 5 cm diameter in the middle rack of the oven for 5‑10 minutes. This helps achieve a crisp, caramelised crust.

6. 6

   Grease the molds with a thin layer of melted beeswax (too much can cause the batter to leak during baking). Remove the film from the batter remnants, then gently stir to re‑combine ingredients that may have settled overnight. Do not over‑mix, otherwise too much air will be incorporated. The more uniform the batter, the better the final result.

7. 7

   Pour the batter into each mold, leaving about 0.5 cm of free space at the top – the canelés will rise slightly during baking and then settle, so this is important to allow.

8. 8

   Place the molds on a tray and bake on the middle rack for 10‑15 minutes. Turn the tray to 180 °C, lower the oven temperature to 180 °C/160 °C with convection/gas 4 and bake for another 30‑35 minutes. (Baking time may vary with your oven.) Watch the colour of the canelés in the final minutes to avoid over‑ or under‑baking. The bottom should be dark caramel colour, similar to maple syrup.

9. 9

   Remove the canelés from the oven, let them stand for 10 minutes, then invert the molds and gently tap the bottom until the canelés release. Cool completely before serving.