Canelés - simple but not easy - Part V

[Cynsa]

Segue to warp-speed canelés here. Part V.
The Borg Collective honors its Queen within the Hive Mind. She is the One who is Many. We breach the Unknown with canelé misadventures - without sanction by the "Canelés de Bordeaux" brotherhood. We toy with organic components and appellations beyond geographical restrictions. We search for Drones.

[pdxgastro]

I would not use Magic Eraser on anything that touches food.

[roxlet]

Here's a piece on eater about making canelés that I thought was interesting.

http://sweets.seriouseats.com/2012/01...

[souschef]

Are you considering making them? You COULD beat Buttertart to it :)

[roxlet]

Nope. Not gonna do it! I would eat them all.

[buttertart]

That's the main reason I don't make them.
You canelé makers, does this pretty much sum it up?

[souschef]

It sums it up well, but it does not compute - I always thought bakers were generous people who liked to share the stuff they made.

[buttertart]

I do, but since there are no sharees in the immediate vicinity, the beauty of them hot would be lost.

[Cynsa]

We do devour the less than perfect canelés... I'm wondering if friends shudder to see us arrive with our bag of errors?

How will you experience the joy of that one perfect canelé in the batch without taking the plunge from the rowboat?
There is unspeakable satisfaction when the 'one' is achieved with its crisp mahoghany shell and custard center.
souschef's waits like the Zen master to guide us to know the canelé and I am gleefully embracing you to the cult of the canelé.

note: I have 'baking with buttertart' on my 2014 calendar.

[souschef]

Cynsa, thanks for the chuckle. Me a Zen master? I just muddled my way through, with the aid of you, Pilinut, and TrewQ (who has once again disappeared).

I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of baking canelés. The combination of crisp exterior and custardy interior is wonderful. I should get back at it again soon.

Roxlet, have you ever had one?

[roxlet]

Many years ago in France. Unbelievably delicious! I've pretty much given up baked goods for Weight Watchers, so the likelihood of making/eating canelés any time soon is slim and none!

[buttertart]

Perfect, Cynsa :)

[souschef]

I'm going to be making canelés again within the next few weeks and was wondering: the last time I made some was about two years ago, and per canelé protocol did not wash the molds. Should I wash and season them now before using them?

[pilinut]

Hi, Souschef, unless the molds are dusty or smell a bit odd (both unlikely cases, given your standards), I don't think you need to do more than a quick rinse. I have left my molds, already lined with beeswax, in their box for close to a year, then filled and baked in them with no problem.

I'm still in Manila, but have been unable to get in touch with my vanilla source ;-( I hope to be back soon and canelés are on my list!

[souschef]

Hi Pilinut, thanks for the response and the vote of confidence. The molds have no smell at all, so I'll just rinse them, as you suggested.

Your "sealing" them with beeswax for storage is a great idea; thanks! I will do the same after the next batch.

I have a friend whose curiosity about canelés was piqued by my description, so I'm going to be sending her some with a friend who will be visiting from Vancouver. I think it will be better to put them in a box rather than plastic, so they don't get rubbery. Do you agree?

Bummer, being stuck in Manila with no vanilla ;)

[buttertart]

No vanilla in Manila, or is there a secret conduit to vanilla of which I am not aware? What a thrilla.

[souschef]

That's Pilinut's secret conduit (........ssshhh)! She gave me a rather fine vanilla bean when we met in SFO.

[buttertart]

Jealous...

[cannelecrazy]

Wondering if anyone out there has had the problem of the beeswax smoking up the whole house when it melts up out of the silicone molds 2 in x 1 in? New at posting too. We threw out last nights batch as all the smoke alarms in the house were going off.

[Cynsa]

perhaps, too much beeswax in molds?
my encounter with 'too much wax' left not-delicious coat on the roof of my mouth after biting into the canele

it's good to know that your smoke alarms are operating ;-)

[souschef]

Do you place the molds upside down after coating them, to drain off excess wax? I agree with Cynsa about too much wax.

[pilinut]

Beeswax has some rather odd properties. I know what you mean by the smoke--I was trying to melt some in a jar in the microwave and it was taking forever to liquefy: then very suddenly, everything melted and started to smoke.

Does the beeswax adhere properly to silicone molds? I started out with silicone and never liked the results, though I don't recall ever waxing them. The copper ones are worthwhile if you get serious about canelés.

[Jordansr]

I might just be jumping into the deep end here, because to date this will have been the first post I have ever made on Chowhound.

Currently a student on exchange, I came across these little gems on a tour around Bordeaux and decided that I had to try and make them when I got home. So I looked around some of the stores here for the little molds, and found a shop selling the copper ones for 6€ each, and bought 6... Though, having followed most of this thread and the prior threads about Caneles, it seems I have a really good deal here so I might capitalize on that and get some more... Anyway, I've been paging through your posts, and while I've found a lot of what you've said to be useful, all the information seems fragmented to me... Perhaps there is a summary made by one of you guys that I've overlooked as of yet? Or if there isn't, could one of you guys please post one up? :P Also, I'm not sure if it's already been mentioned yet, but on Paula Wolfert's recipe - she wrote an article about while back specifying that the molds should be ice cold when they go into the oven... Link is here http://www.pastrysampler.com/Question...

Thanks for all the advice you've published so far, and in advance for whatever your reply is... May the god of Caneles shine upon you in the new year to come :)

[souschef]

There isn't a definitive summary as we do not have agreement on one method that works best for all of us. Cynsa and I have both posted our recipes in this thread.

[buttertart]

Check this link out, wahoo! http://fxcuisine.com/default.asp?lang...

I have still not tried to make these, I'm ashamed to say...having been privileged to try the delightful Cynsa's masterworks, I'm still dragging my feet.

[souschef]

I'll say you need to be ashamed......very ashamed :)

[Cynsa]

Who's lurking on the edges? When pilinut returns, I'll celebrate her homecoming with a fresh batch.

[souschef]

Hopefully she'll bring you back a stash of vanilla beans.

[maplesugar]

I found copper Canele molds at Homesense of all places. I may just have to join in.... eventually :)

[souschef]

There's no time like the present.

[sandylc]

I think I read the entire thread for this - correct me if I missed it - have any of you tried a silicone caneles mold?

[Cynsa]

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/723314

[Cynsa]

resurrected for the anticipated arrival of buttertart to the hive. I know for a fact that ms. buttertart is now in possession of six canelé molds and will be returning to her home hive today.
alas, yesterday's batch paled by comparisons and was underbaked due to the time constraint - that was 30 minutes at 450°F and one hour at 375°F. in a rush to meet buttertart for lunch at noon - they were hot from the oven when they were laid before her. The tasting was delayed by lunch and they were sufficiently cooled.

[souschef]

Cynsa, you didn't say how they were, and if herself liked them!

Did Buttertart also get some beeswax? If not, I'll ship her some, just so she does not have another excuse to not join the collective.

Hopefully your resurrecting this thread will also wake up my old friend Q, whom we have not heard from in eons.

[Cynsa]

in my haste to be on time at noon, I didn't taste one. only buttertart knows for sure and she's too polite to say... she said she likes them, even underdone. only one of the eight had the desired coloring of the carmelization (the others were blondies) they did crisp as they cooled.
note: having a properly working oven makes the baking much easier

[souschef]

I'm glad you upgraded from the Easy Bake oven!

[Cynsa]

nearly grown-up. can play with the Big Kids?
baked off the remaining batter and this last batch had the best color... cooled for one hour. now just a fleeting memory. still have whole milk, must stir up another batch. join me in this revival?

[souschef]

For you Cynsa, anything!

I was wondering - the molds have been lying unused and unwashed in a drawer for over a year. Is it safe to use them as is, or should I wash and re-season them (if I can remember how) before use?

[buttertart]

They were divine after lunch and even tasty the next morining. Our dinner company loved them too. Now I see what all the hoohah is about. And yes, I shall make some, at long last. I only have a small lump of beeswax -- about 1/8 cup -- how much will I need? I presume I can get some at honey vendors in the greenmarkets here?
I heart cynsa v much! It was wonderful to meet you.

[Cynsa]

won't require much beeswax, melt and thin with oil or butter. very lightly brush the molds. do read pilinut's posts.
beexwax from a honey vendor will have a lovely note of honey in the nose ... mine comes from a friend's bees.
- kindred spirits. completely comfortable - sharing past lives : )

Rereading these threads is a tale of our community. It's rather charming, don't you think? Certainly an engaging read.

[buttertart]

Yes it is, and I will read as many posts as i can stand before getting going :)

[souschef]

Welcome aboard Buttertart. That certainly is enough wax for starters, but if you get ambitious and need more (and can't find any) please let me know as I have enough to last me a few lifetimes.

[buttertart]

:)

[pilinut]

Welcome, buttertart! We have awaiting your arrival for two lightyears, and are all the happier that you have not forgotten us.

Though I admit to having slacked off on posting, I did manage to make a batch of canelés a couple of months back, after many months of leaving my already lined molds in a drawer. I consulted my notes, reviewed these threads, and got excellent results. I believe the stars are aligned to make 2013 a very good year for canelés!

Cynsa, souschef, trewq, lennyk, Wildtowner, karenfinan, and anyone else in the neighboring galaxies, shall we join buttertart on a renewed quest?

[Cynsa]

tim irvine is waiting in the wings, pilinut, and we are on standby for buttertart.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/8728...

[buttertart]

Those molds are still on my kitchen counter with their price tags on them :)

[souschef]

Our friend Q seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth.

Hey Q, have you made canelés or anything else interesting recently ?

[Cynsa]

Here are the first canelés from the new stove with the convection oven. :^) not perfect, but better than before.... I beat them to submission twice as they mushroomed out of the molds, thus the dented sides. A little sweet talk may be better than brute force.
425°F for 30 minutes - 375°F for 30 minutes - 350°F for 30 minutes; then, Impatient Fool that I am, I could wait no longer...

[souschef]

Very nice Cynsa. I like the look of the insides too - nice and moist, and they look like they do not have a thick crust.

I thought that with a convection oven you would not have to resort to higher temperatures - that 400°F would have been hot enough.

[Cynsa]

next batch, I will try the 400°·F

[Cynsa]

so.... this is simple, easy... and big?
http://www.travelerslunchbox.com/jour...

[buttertart]

You go first. ;-)

[souschef]

I think I prefer the smaller version, with the crunch all around.

[pilinut]

Okay. Here goes my report on this afternoon's batch.

One of the best--if not the best--batch yet. I placed the baking sheet in the preheated 425F oven. Had 3 molds in the freezer, 3 not, and when I filled them, I chickened out and left between 1/3 and 1/4 inch headspace. Placed the filled molds on a piece of foil on the hot sheet (like I always do, to avoid spending half an hour cleaning off beeswax). After 15 minutes, I turned the tray, surprised that the batter had barely come up to the top of the mold. After the next 15 minutes, at 375F, still no popovers, no soufflés (!), so I set the timer for another 25 minutes and left the kitchen. After the total of 55 minutes, I turned the molds out on the rack, somewhat dismayed because the canelés were slightly lower in the molds than when I started. But I was soon consoled when I saw the deep, glossy mahogany and the perfectly level tops. (No crater!) Of course, I had to wait before tasting one, but it was worth the wait. The texture leaned a bit more towards custard than cake than I'd have liked, but that's a tiny quibble. (The other quibble is that I can't find my camera-to-laptop cable to post the pictures!)

So it seems that the preheated baking sheet, and possibly the right quantity of egg (approx.110 g.--5 yolks +1 white), might have done the trick. Incidentally, there was no discernible difference in the results from the 3 frozen and 3 not-frozen molds.

Was this luck, or am I finally getting it right? Let's see what happens with the next batch.

[souschef]

I hope you did not get hives turning the tray around so often !

Glad to know that they worked out so well. Darn, now I'm getting antsy to make some as well.

[Cynsa]

we're not immune - I'll restock the rum and try again.

[Cynsa]

these are pilinut's perfect canelés, I am nibbling as I type this. the best ever.
each nibble makes me want more, pilinut has nailed it with this batch! Success! Kudos to pilinut. :^) ahhh, this is why we do it.
btw, this goes to the top of the list of 'best food today... and of 2011', too.

[souschef]

They do look yummy, but then remember that Pilinut's canelés were judged the best at the first California Canelé Conclave.

[pilinut]

Thank you, Cynsa and souschef, but you are both too kind! Honestly, though these are the best I've made yet, and I'd be happy if I could keep them consistent, those of us on this thread know how fickle canelés can be. More to the point, I'd have given up long, long ago if it hadn't been for the company of you guys and the others on this board, and the absolutely invaluable pointers you have been sharing so generously.

For this batch, in particular, I think the pre-heated baking sheet (trewq's trick) might have been a crucial factor. But we all know that before that, there have been souschef's temperature and turning techiniques (hive-inducing as they can be), Cynsa's flour mixes and cake mold experiments, etc., etc.

One thing that does not seem to make much of a difference is the order in which the batter ingredients are mixed, as long as the milk is not hot enough to cook the eggs, and everything is well-incorporated. What seems to be critical, though, is the baking temperature, though there seems to be some difference in opinion on what, exactly, is the right temperature. In my experience, anything above 425F is too high, while anyting below 375F is too low.

Now to see if I can replicate those results. . . (gulp)

[souschef]

"What seems to be critical, though, is the baking temperature, though there seems to be some difference in opinion on what, exactly, is the right temperature. In my experience, anything above 425F is too high, while anyting below 375F is too low."

If you mentioned this to a statistician they would tell you to go for the average of 375 and 425, i.e. 400, which BTW is what works best for me.

I'm still waiting for buttertart to jump into the fray.....just in case she imagines I've forgotten !

[buttertart]

I'm still dragging my feet...Mauviels or the aluminum ones or the cakelet pan from W-S?

[souschef]

If you have the cakelet pan from W-S give it a whirl. I wish I could avise on aluminium or Mauviels, but I stopped using the aluminium ones before I got the recipe and procedure sorted out. Cynsa seems to be doing really well with the aluminium, which, BTW, are a bit smaller than the Mauviels.

[Cynsa]

Mauviels for perfection; aluminum for the rest of us; cakelets for fun

this batter works well in my oven:
2 cups whole milk
4 Tbl. butter
1 Tbl. vanilla extract
3/4 cup + 1 Tbl. all-purpose flour
2 cups unsifted powdered sugar
1 tsp. sea salt
2 large eggs
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup rum
Stir dry ingredients together: flour, salt, powdered sugar - set aside.
In a small bowl, stir eggs + yolks. Stir lightly beaten eggs into flour mixture with a fork.
Heat milk to 183°F. Add butter pieces to melt; cool to 120°F. Pour into the flour-egg mixture and stir to combine. Strain lumpy batter through fine mesh strainer. Stir in rum + vanilla extract. Refrigerate for 48 hours.
I followed pilinut's instruction for pouring straight melted beeswax into each mold and pouring it out to fill the next mold, then all went into the heated oven on a tray; the excess beeswax collected in a jar for future batches; heated once more and turned upside down to collect excess wax before filling with the batter to bake. This was easy and efficient. My next batch will bake at 400°F for 90 minutes - with 20 minute checks for souffled tops.

[buttertart]

One of these days!

[pilinut]

Perhaps our starship has been a vector in the transmission of a virus. Looks like Pim caught it, too:

http://chezpim.com/

At least she said that our thread was "madness-inducing", not "maddening". (Am I splitting hairs here?

)

Or maybe it's a sign from the heavens (or hell). DH hasn't finished the quart of Clover Organic, and I bought eggs of the same brand earlier this week. . .

[souschef]

I wonder which one of us induced the most madness in her. Please let it be me ! Please let it be me !

[pilinut]

It would have to be you, souschef. I get hives just thinking about turning the tray every 15 minutes :-)

[Cynsa]

I am lol - the canelé batter is in the refrigerator for its 48-hour rest. I am attempting souschef's stir -and-strain in lieu of Paula Wolfert's oh-so-easy food processor recipe. Are we ocd?

[pilinut]

In the spirit of solidarity with my dear friend Cynsa (and because I like having someone to bawl to when I mess up) I, too, have a fresh batch of canelé batter sitting in the fridge. Counting down to Monday afternoon.

Souschef, trewq, roxlet, buttertart, Widltowner-- Anyone and Everyone who has ever contemplated this madness--where are you?

[souschef]

Pilinut, I have been posting here, and you responded to one of my posts as recently as yesterday, so I'm wondering why you are missing me. This is certainly not a case of absence making the heart fonder :)

[trewq]

Pilinut,
Souschef just doesn't realize that every minute he's not posting with us we miss him more and more. After all, it is he who induced the madness in all of us. ;) (well not really but we let him think it, if it makes him happy)

Q

[souschef]

Hey Q,
I really enjoyed your post; had a nice chuckle. Now you know why I say you have a quirky sense of humour.

Seeing all those pictures in Pim's blog made me want to make more canelés, so I plan to do so shortly. Notice that she leaves 1/2 inch free at the top, so soufflé is less of an issue, but it does make a smaller confection, and avoids the problem of the base getting too dark. She does get an even coat of beeswax, so I may just try her method of coating the molds.

I hope my molds have not got moldy since it's been a few months since I last used them.

[pilinut]

Do try the pouring method! I find it much faster and easier to control. Just be sure you start with enough melted wax or white oil to fill one-and-a-half molds. And use molds that are uncomfortably warm. (Like trewq, I use gloves. Tongs don't work for me.) I also like to wax the molds as soon as I pop freshly-baked canelés out, saving me the hassle of heating and waxing the molds all over again before I can bake my next batch. It also means one less clean-up of the mess on my cooling rack.

[pilinut]

The virus was dormant. Souschef activated it and mutated it well beyond the power of Tamiflu. And it obviously recurs every couple of months at least. We shall see if the 2011 virus is less virulent, but it looks like Cynsa's most recent bout has not been so easy. I will post my temperatures (and their results) after tomorrow's battle with the canelé virus.

[souschef]

Hehe ! I activated it, but have not yet come down with it; nice to just be a carrier. So I guess for 2011 we are going to abandon the Star Trek theme and instead adopt a virus theme? This may well madden Pim. She should sign on here so that we can welcome her into the (virus-ridden) fold !

[Cynsa]

It's back to square one; pouring beeswax into warmed molds, chill time in the freezer, stirring down the foamy batter — 85 minutes at 475°-425°-375°F with the predictable popover cap; interior is too flan-like, heavy dense custard. :^(
I'm back in the game. Is it the batter or the oven temperatures? Where do I begin again?

[souschef]

Why did you start at 475°? IIRC you did not do that before.

[pilinut]

Hmmm. . . too flan-y. My guess is too much liquid or your oven temp is off. When I make flan (all yolks, and in a bain marie) I keep the oven temperature at or below 350F to avoid bubbles in the flan. So by doing the opposite things, i.e., add an egg white and use a higher temperature, maybe you can get the canelés a bit more cake-like(?).

[Cynsa]

In spite of its shortcomings, DH proclaimed this batch the best yet, he prefers the soft custardy flan and this rummy sweetness. Mom's oven is temperamental at best, with soaring temperatures and iffy calibrations. I will add the egg white and lower the temp to 350°F for a longer bake this afternoon since I am striving for a more cake-like interior - will add cake flour to the grocery list, too.

[souschef]

Darn, I'm still looking for a rum whose boozy flavour comes through. I have some Screech from Newfoundland; I think I'll try that next. I think I'll also throw in a bit of chestnut flour into the mix, as chestnuts and rum go well together, and I'm nuts about chestnuts. Yes, I know, I should not change two variables at the same time, but it's time to live a little !

Hey Cynsa, I thought you had your own oven now.

[trewq]

"I think I'll also throw in a bit of chestnut flour into the mix"

:0 I thought I was the only one who experimented with flavors. Why not add chestnut paste? or even better chestnut liqueur!

[souschef]

I normally do experiment with flavours, but to date have not done so with canelés; I've been concentrating on getting the technique right. Now that I have it (I'm not doing any more experimenting using tips others have since posted), I'm going to start experimenting with flavours.

I think chestnut paste would perhaps be too dense, but then again I could just leave out some of the flour. I have not come across chestnut liqueur in years. In Ontario and Quebec we have province-controlled liquor stores, so no competition, hence no variety, but I did find a bottle once. I do have a liquor store right across the street from me, so maybe I'll take a walk and ask.

Maybe passion fruit canelés after ?

[Cynsa]

(no oven yet - perhaps by May 2011)
btw, pillinut was so-o-o right. 350°F is too low and today's batch was tough, the innards were better than halfway between flan and cake. unfortunately, they billowed without mercy. I made hot air balloons this afternoon. I am making note of the 5 yolks + 1 white.
Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser makes short work of the cleaning of caramelized bits while the molds are still hot.

[pilinut]

Rum? Pyrat. Myers is ok, but Pyrat gives the aroma of pastry in Paris.

BTW, do you have Francois Payard's "Simply Sensational Desserts"? BEST dessert cookbook I have. But no canelés.

[buttertart]

That is a great book - the chocolate tart...the tart pastry is about the best.

[souschef]

So buttertart, if you had to choose between it and a Malgieri book, which one would you buy. Yes, I know, you would buy both, but just let's say you had to choose just one.

[souschef]

I don't have that book, but I do have a recipe for a fruit tart by M. Payard in an issue of Taunton's Fine Cooking.

[buttertart]

For you? The Payard. Less "home baking" more "patisserie". But it was the Malgieri "Perfect Pastry" that I used for my famous gateau St-Honoré. (By the way, M's mom is a dab hand with the choux paste, she made cream puffs for dessert.)

[pilinut]

Iffy oven? Oh, dear. That's probably it. I have my worst results when the oven acts up. That said, 350F sounds a bit too low. You may end up with tough canelés. I think temperatures between 375F and 425F seem to have worked best for me, and I really do have to watch the oven thermometer to make sure the temps don't stray too far for too long.

BTW, I double checked the melting point of tin (I thought 450F sounded too low), and it is 449.42F. No wonder the makers of tin-lined copper cookware tell one to keep the heat moderate.
http://www.chemicalelements.com/eleme...

[souschef]

In one of our threads Q pointed out that the melting point of tin is 450 F. Pim seems to have missed that as she heats the oven to 475 F, then reduces it to 450 when the little blighters go in. I wonder if in 15 minutes the tin would reach that temperature, but I'd rather not find out the hard way.

[roxlet]

I happened to see that these copper Mauviel canele molds are a pretty good price. What is the ideal number of them to bake with?

http://www.cookware.com/Mauviel-4180%...

[souschef]

You can get them a bit cheaper here (but some places include shipping, whereas JB Prince does not):

http://www.jbprince.com/professional-...

I bake them 6 at a time, but from the pictures I think Trewq (aka Q) bakes them 12 at a time. Besides, I have only 6 molds.

[trewq]

I agree with what Souschef said JB prince is a good place to get your molds. As for the ideal number of molds, there isn't one. It also depends on the recipe, (some recipes make 10 2" cannels) and whether or not you want to bake in batches.

[souschef]

Hey Q, i was thinking about you yesterday when I was in Montreal. No canelé sightings, but I did buy some particularly nice orange cake and chocolates.

[trewq]

As I was thinking of you. Yesterday I was going through some old cookbooks and I came across a recipe for chestnuts in heavy syrup. I know it's not the same as marron glace because of the syrup but it is similar . It was in the gift of southern cooking byEdna Lewis. If you are interested let me know.

I do need to go to Montreal soon.
Q

[souschef]

Yes, please post it. I'm interested to see what she does as she is a very respected cook.

[trewq]

In the book she says she cuts off the outer shell of the chestnuts with a paring knife and boils them in a pot of simmering water for 2 minutes and then peels off the membrane.
Chestnuts in Heavy Syrup, Edna Lewis
2cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 vanilla bean
1/4tsp salt
1lb large peeled chestnuts
3Tbs. rum
Boil sugar, water,vanilla bean and salt until sugar is dissolved.
Brisk simmer for 10 minutes
Add chestnuts
Gently simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove from heat
Cover and cool completely
Strain chestnuts and put them into a 1 quart jar
Boil syrup for 10 minutes or until thick
Skim off scum
Stir in the rum
Pour hot syrup over chestnuts, screw on jar lid tightly and invert jar until cooled

[souschef]

Thanks. I see that she just cooks them and puts them into syrup; no candying incolved.

[trewq]

No, she cooks them for two minutes to remove the membrane and then she simmers them in the syrup to candy them for 15 minutes. I assume that covering them in hot syrup in an enclosed jar also candies them.

[karenfinan]

so I've been lurking on this delightful thread...never in a million years would I attempt Canelas, but so enjoyed these exploits. I had to comment on Edna Lewis though. She is...just the best when it comes to southern cooking with depth of flavor and respect for ingredients. Pretty far removed from canelas, though. I highly recommend checking her out.

[souschef]

Cynsa and Trewq (aka Q) seem to have disappeared off the face of the planet. I hope that they are both well and still baking canelés.......or madeleines.....or.....

Please check in both of you.

[trewq]

Souschef,
"disappeared off the face of the planet"

It's been a while. Which planet? Does a planet really have a face? :)

I made egg nog canneles for the holidays, it came out weird. I used egg nog instead of milk. Tossed the whole batch out.

I tried to make marron glace, didn't like it. Sore finger nails. Also they came out hard and chewy. I assumed they aren't suppose to be like that.
We must find a new challenge that doesn't hurt.

Q

[souschef]

"Does a planet really have a face? :) "

Haven't you heard of "the man in the moon" ? i.e. a face !

I suspect that the egg in the nog thickened the canelés too much.

No, marrons glacés are not supposed to be hard and chewy. If you want to try some, check out the ones at Le Maitre Chocolatier in Montreal. I have not tried them, but imagine they are good; they are imported from France, not made in-house. And yes, peeling chestnuts is hard on the hands, and worse if you have delicate finger nails. Did you follow my recipe exactly?

Re a new challenge, have you tried making madeleines yet? They could be a minor challenge, definitely not as difficult as canelés.

Welcome back Q!

[trewq]

"Haven't you heard of "the man in the moon" ? i.e. a face !"
The moon isn't a planet. That's why they call it a MOON! ;)

"Did you follow my recipe exactly?"
Just the finger hurting part.
After a lot of search on the internet, most of the post directed me to the link that Soupbowl posted so I used that one.

Madeleines. Not really a challenge.

[souschef]

"The moon isn't a planet. That's why they call it a MOON! ;)"

Ah, OK, by MOON you mean cheeks, but not a face !
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"After a lot of search on the internet, most of the post directed me to the link that Soupbowl posted so I used that one." (This sentence makes me think you are Québecoise).

Glad you tried it, proving me right :)
Try my method; someone else did and it worked for them. Get your big, strong hubby to peel the chestnuts for you.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yup, madeleines are not really a challenge. But then nothing is really a challenge for the Q continuum !

[trewq]

"This sentence makes me think you are Québecoise."
I blame the internet. It's the texting and messaging.

"Try my method"
It will have to wait for next year. No chestnuts.

[lennyk]

Its amazing the number of people who have interests in these portable creme brulee's

I've had good success with the Wolfert recipe using 2" tall silicone molds.
The trick is to butter the molds well, freeze them before pouring the batter in, also make sure to stir the batter before pouring.

The other important tip is to not use a sheet, instead put the molds on a grill or rack so the heat can hit the silicone more directly.
With more direct heat the butter and sugar in the batter will caramelize better for the crust.

In my oven I go for 425f for 1 hour 10min or so, they usually deflate to normal height around 40mins
at which point I rotate the rack AND put a piece of foil over the molds so the tops don't overcook, this helps a lot. You can figure out the best time to do this with your oven.
Let them cool carefully so the crust will harden and not crumple.

[Wildtowner]

Thanks, Trewq and Souschef, for your suggestions. I will make notes and incorporate them the next time I make canelés -- which won't be for at LEAST 2-3 weeks, since DH & I have eaten two dozen of them now. That'll kill anyone's canelé cravings for a while!
Trewq, I really suggest that you explore a little in the Parc Lafontaine area, esp the streets to the west of the park. There are some great little neighbourhood restaurants and shops. Ah, Mile End - I used to live there (St. Viateur & Clark) back when it was an up-and-coming place (before mass gentrification). Also, if you've never explored Bernard Ave. in Outremont (specifically west of Park Ave.) - that is kind of a food mecca (including Bilbouquet Ice Cream - Montreal's closest thing to Paris' Berthillion). And Laurier St., east of St. Laurent Blvd, which includes a couple of French bakeries and Chez L'Evecque (a "classic" French bistro, with no attempt to serve "nouvelle" cuisine). There are also some funky new eateries in & around the gay village, and you could always snoop around Little Italy (which could be combined with the Jean Talon market visit). BTW, the 2 markets are not near each other -- that would be too much goodness in too close proximity!!!

[Wildtowner]

Hi, folks! I'd like to add to the canelés discussion. In a moment of madness, I decided that I wanted to try these little beauties. I have just finished my 1st, 2nd, and 3rd batches. Here's what I've done:
Equipment: Cadco professional convection oven; Paderno 1.5" silicone molds sprayed with Pam, ordinary baking pan, Vitamix 5200 for mixing batter.
Recipe: Roux's recipe -- EXCEPT that I used 2.5 cups of fresh whole milk instead of mixing water and milk powder. Filled molds 1/4 inch from the top of the mold (last batch to tops).
Aging of batter: In fridge for 72 hours (I meant to bake after 48 hours, but I was too busy!)
Baking times/temps (turned pan every 15 min):
Batch 1 - 15 min @ 425F, then 60 min @ 350F, then turn oven off and let sit for 15 min.
Batch 2 - 15 min @ 425F, then 45 min @ 325F, then turn oven off and let sit for 15 min.
Batch 3 - 15 min @ 425F, then 45 min @ 300F, then turn oven off and let sit for 10 min.
Results:
Batch 1 -- Colour - slightly too dark, overcooked interiors, thick, tough crust.
Batch 2 -- Colour - good, good but not really creamy interiors, crust thicker than I wanted.
Batch 1 -- Colour - slightly too light, creamy interiors, crust not too thick, but not quite crispy enough.
Details & Questions
No skin formed on my batter.
Popover effect -- I didn't get a lot of it; most were more "domed" than popover-ish. Only the last batch, which I filled all the way to the top (trying to use up the batter!) did the popover thing. Does aging the batter longer cause the eggs to deflate enough to prevent the popover effect?
Problem -- how to get rid of the rounded bottoms so that my little babies will sit up straight?!
NO migration of the batter -- it stayed at the bottom of the molds 100% of the time.
No misshapen ones, some horizontal "channels" in along the exteriors (esp. batches 2 & 3).
End product -- batch 3 was acceptable, if a little tough-skinned. Next time I'll keep everything the same except that I'll cook for less time at a slightly higher temp.
Any thoughts from the group?
BTW, I am a born 'n bred Montrealer (now living in the US West) and I miss my city and the FOOD there EVERY minute of every day!!! How nice to see that some of you appreciate the place!

[trewq]

Welcome, Wildtowner!
I think from what you are saying that you like batch 3 the best except you want it darker and crispier. Maybe if you bake it a little longer that would help. I have baked them for an hour and half to an hour and 45 minutes.
As for the popover effect, it's a mystery, maybe Souschef knows. I think it has to do with the flour egg ratio more then aging.
MONTREAL!!!!!!! What can I say. :)) I will be visiting there soon. Can't wait. Any suggestion?
And it's great to have someone new.

[Wildtowner]

Trewq,
I'll break this into 2 sections (1. Canelés; 2. Montreal), so that canelé-fans won't have to read through travel recommendations ;^ )
1.Canelés
I can't cook them much longer -- at 90 min, the outsides were burnt and the insides were dried out. Ewww. I might need to play with a slightly higher start temp or same start temp, but leave them longer than 15 min before turning down the oven. I wonder if Souschef has any thoughts on this with his engineer-style attention to detail (love it!).
I wonder whether there is only so much I can do, given the use of silicone molds... but at $20+ for each Mauviel, it'll be a cold day in hell before I buy those from one of the pigs flying by...
I also wonder whether my super-short baking times have something to do with weather issues -- I am baking in the desert, with a relative humidity of 10%. Ottawa, where Souschef bakes, has normal humidity around 45% on a sunny day. So I suspect that my batter cooks and dries out MUCH faster -- plus, I am using a Cadco oven, which is normally at LEAST 25% faster than a regular oven.
2. Montreal
Trewq, it sounds like you've been there MANY times before, so I'm sure I don't need to tell you about things like downtown and the "new & hip" restaurants that the NYTimes writes about.
So, I'll try to keep my recommendations on the topic of food, but not limited to restaurants, and I'll try to suggest things that you might not find in the NYTimes.
Just in case, though, IMHO the best French bakeries in Montreal are (in no particular order):
Duc de Lorraine, Compte de Provence, Patisserie Belge, Patisserie de Nancy, Mamie Clafoutis (they're newer and I haven't been), Patisserie de Gascogne, and Le Fromentier for bread. There are also a bunch of new ones (in the last 4 years) that I don't know at all.
Interesting food stores - "real people" stores as opposed to the "Olive and Gourmando"-type places (of which there are many). Try La Vielle Europe on Boul. St. Laurent (browse for E. European foods, jams, etc.), Adonis Lebanese Market on Sauvé Ouest (the ONLY baclava that I have ever enjoyed, olives, fresh nuts, interesting new foods to experiment with), Atwater Market (the Jean Talon market was mentioned earlier, but I'm an Atwater Market girl because it's more French-oriented with many butcher shops and cheese shops, whereas Jean Talon is more Italian-oriented). I also love the choc. chip bagels at Fairmount Bagel Bakery (don't diss 'em 'till you try 'em - not very sweet, just a few bits of semi-sweet chocolate and some chunks of candied orange peel. I eat 'em plain.). Get out and explore a neighbourhood you've never been to (esp on the French side) -- there are remarkably few places in Montreal that are unsafe. That's one of it's greatest attributes. There are many commercial streets in Outremont, and near Parc Lafontaine that one can explore, enabling you to "discover" your own treasures. Sigh. I miss it.

[souschef]

Have you considered placing a tray with water on the bottom of the oven? It would raise the ambient humidity.

Re Montreal, one thing that should be required reading is the Mile End Tour thread in CH submitted by moh, who is sadly no longer with us. Some great recommendations there.

[souschef]

In your descriptions the second Batch 1 is really batch 3, right? Since it is closest to what you are trying to achieve, I suggest that you stay with those temperatures but bake longer at the lower one. Mind you, I have no experience with silicone molds. The copper ones are not $20+ each; they are $17.20 from J.B. Prince in NYC. Once you get to their site do a search on "cannele" to find them.

The horizontal channels tell me that you are getting migration of the batter; this is also confirmed by the pale wells. It is also causing the rounded bottoms. I suggest that you check them after 30 minutes, and if they have risen out of the pan at all take them out and leave them till they settle down; that's what I do.

[trewq]

"Have you considered placing a tray with water on the bottom of the oven? It would raise the ambient humidity."
When I bake bread, I toss in a few ice cube after fifteen minutes or so and close the door quickly to add moisture. Yes, I throw them in. :)

Have you considered start baking them at 400F for 20 mins and the reducing it to 350F? I think your oven bakes like a convection oven where it cooks faster. If so then you need to reduce your temp. by 25F like you would for a convection oven.

Wildtowner and Souschef,
Thank you for the suggestions. Yes, we go there quite often. The kids enjoy it, well, they're not really kids anymore.
We usually stay in the downtown area. But last year we explored the mile end area. It was fun, sort of like soho. I hope to go to both markets, are they near each other?

[pilinut]

Hi, Wildtowner, and a belated welcome to the wonderful world of canelés! I admire your methodical approach and I'm sure you will enjoy this journey.

I've tried baking with the silicone molds, too, and the problem with them really is getting the crunch in the exterior. I had some extra batter that wouldn't fit in my regular molds recently, so I used my old tiny silicone molds. I remember toasting the resulting mini-canelés after they had come out of the molds and cooled and I think that the toasting did help.

[Cynsa]

24-hr batter: Paula Wolfert food processor recipe - makes 42 in the Martha Stewart tea cake pan. crunchy tiny gems with a creamy flan center - a surprise for the Surprise Birthday Party tonight. (no beeswax, just baking spray) 450°F for 15 minutes, 375°F for 30-45 minutes. Simple Easy.
note: I did not strain the batter... smooth as silk.

[souschef]

Really nice-looking Cynsa.

On occasion, after I strain the batter there are a few lumps left in the sieve. If they were not strained out they would end up in a few of the cakes, not in all. That's why I stress straining.

[bushwickgirl]

Cynsa, it looks like you used a variety of molds, including cannelé? Comments on mold variation?

[buttertart]

I was thinking the same thing. That teacake pan could be useful otherwise.

[souschef]

You could use that teacake pan to make Golden Grand Marnier cakelettes.

[Cynsa]

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/7374...

Controlling the temperature in the individual molds on the pan is problematic - some light, some dark. The molds on the outside caramelize before the center can take on color. I can turn the pan from front to back and shift the position of the baking rack but that's about all. When I baked to 'dark' for 45 minutes, even the very darkest of the cakes were still tasty-caramelized without tasting 'burnt'.

[Cynsa]

doh! I can remove the individual babies as they reach the desired color and continue to bake the rest of the batch -

[souschef]

Doh! Indeed! You are in good company; none of the rest of us thought of it either! Mind you, those cakes make be hard to handle in that soft state. Maybe you should borrow Trewq's gloves?

[trewq]

She may borrow my gloves anytime. ;)

Betty has found a new friend. Ketchup!!! I cleaned the outside of the molds with ketchup and now they look brand new. So shiny. :)

[souschef]

I normally use salt and vinegar to clean copper. I guess the acid from the tomatoes in the ketchup accomplished the same thing.

[buttertart]

Salt in it too, good idea.

[souschef]

Works as an abrasive.

[pilinut]

Shouldn't lemon juice work for the outsides, too? But won't cleaning the copper strip the seasoning from the insides?

[trewq]

That's why I used ketchup. No rubbing. I just coat it, let it sit for 20 mins and then rinse.

[buttertart]

Does this work on silver, I wonder...

[trewq]

Apparently yes and you can clean diamonds with vodka!!! Don't you just love google. :)

[buttertart]

Great, I have some really tarnished stuff I'll try it on! (and yes re Google)

[souschef]

Q, how thick a layer of ketchup do you use? Do you put on your artists' smock and beret and delicately paint it in on with a paintbrush, or do you just roll up your sleeves and splash it on, getting right up to your elbows in ketchup ?

[trewq]

Actually, I airbrush them in order not to scratch the finish. So I wear a smock, a painting smock, and protective eye wear. Oh, and I mustn't forget my gloves. ;p

A light coat will do. If it isn't clean enough I just do another coat.

[Cynsa]

lol - made the PW food processor batter at 10 o'clock last night to be baked at 2 o'clock today while I was chilling the glazed Chocolate Fig cake for 30 minutes... this is too easy. It bakes a crisp shell with the rum-spiked eggy flan centers - much to the delight of tonight's dinner guests who proclaimed that they'd never tasted anything like it - as they reached for another. This batch doesn't have the deep caramelization of a proper canelé - but the shell was crisp and sweet (easy because it's wax-free, with just the standard baking spray)
Next batch is for pilinut to taste.

[pilinut]

Such pretty little treats! I await them with baited breath. . . I wonder what the differences in actual results the Wolfert and Hermé-based procedures will yield? Should we do a comparison? (You seem to be getting more consistent results than I get.) I've been planning to get those little molds, too, and it would be interesting to see how the different recipes fare in both the traditional and non-traditional molds.

[souschef]

Pilinut, what is the Hermé-based procedure? Is it the very first one you posted?

[pilinut]

Sorry for the long-delayed response! Between visiting family and re-organizing the motley strips of paper that now compose my canelé files, I had lost sight of your question.

I erred in mentioning the Hermé procedure, which actually has the milk (after scalding/boiling and cooling) poured into the other ingredients which have been combined in the order of butter, sugar, eggs, rum, and flour. (Or is it flour then rum?) I've been using a bâtard version: combining butter and eggs with the milk before pouring the lot over the dry ingredients.

I haven't tried the food processor method yet as I abhor the way liquids leak out of the hollow tube which holds the blade. Do you think the results would be affected if I added half the milk to the processor and poured the rest in after straining the egg mixture?

[souschef]

I have avoided the food processor method as I don't like the concept of pushing the congealed/coagulated egg through the strainer. Also, there is the question of dismantling and cleaning the machine; much easier to use a wooden spoon.

I don't think your propose procedure will make much difference.

[Cynsa]

With the food processor method I haven't needed to strain the batter at all - no coagulated egg and the bowl and blade are easy to clean. I do temper the egg mixture with the hot milk slowly.

[souschef]

Guess I'm compulsive - I would never make the batter without straining it. As I mentioned before, I usually find traces of white "stuff" in the sieve.

Is Trewq still around? I miss her sense of humour :)

[Cynsa]

no "stuff" in batter, white or otherwise. no lumps. no threads. just bubbles and they dissipate after 24 hours
I'm substituting 1/4 cup of Wondra flour in the dry mix - I do it for pie crust, too.

[pilinut]

Why Wondra? What does it do for canelés and for pie crust?

[Cynsa]

Wondra makes my pie crust flaky. It makes gravies lump-free and silky... so I added it into the canelés batter to see if it would smooth out the texture. It does. I never strain the food processor Wolfert recipe.

[souschef]

The batter I make looks perfectly smooth before straining; I don't see any indications of white stuff. However, after straining I do see white particles; they are small particles that are not visible until after the batter is poured through the sieve. These are not lumps.

[trewq]

Have you baked an unstrained batch? To see if it really makes a difference? I tend to think of it more like a pancake type batter.
Or maybe the white particles are bites of butter that has solidified.

[souschef]

No, I have not made an unstrained batch, and I do strain pancake batter. It's no effort to me to strain the batter, so I do.

[trewq]

"It's no effort to me to strain the batter, so I do"

So what you're saying is it isn't a strain for you to strain your batter. ;)
I thought pancake batter was suppose to be lumpy.

What is the purpose of straining? Yes, I know, to get the bites. But does it make a difference.

[souschef]

"So what you're saying is it isn't a strain for you to strain your batter. ;)
I thought pancake batter was suppose to be lumpy."

You got it, ma'am! I always thought that one of the constraints with making pancakes was that they were not supposed to be lumpy. But then, I don't make pancakes, which are usually thick, and so lumps would not show as much; instead I make crèpes, which are thin, and lumps WOULD show.

Does straining make a difference? I haven't a clue, and don't intend to find out - playing with all the permutations of canelé-making has been enough of a strain.

In his "French Laundry Cookbook" Thomas Keller says that in his restaurant no liquid is transferred from one container to another without being strained.

BTW Q, have you been to Montréal recently?

[Cynsa]

yes, lumpy pancake batter is good - I like pancakes light and fluffy.

as to the required straining that I have ignored... I would strain if there were cooked or congealed white threads of egg bits in the batter - but I've seen no evidence in the Wolfert food processor batter - so I don't strain.

— the canelé batter rests for 24-48 hours, what other recipes call for 'resting'? do you rest clafouti batter?

what do you think of this interior? http://www.dailycandy.com/philadelphi...

would freezing the waxed molds before adding the batter make a difference?

[trewq]

Cynsa,
That is what the interior of my canneles looked like. Do your's look different?
I have wondered about the freezing of the molds also. I've tried both and have not noticed any difference.

Souschef,
I will be in Montreal in a few weeks. :) Any recommendations for sushi and other restaurants?

[Cynsa]

perhaps it's the food processor recipe... I'll try the wooden spoon method next. The interior of my canelés are more like flan.

[souschef]

I tried freezing the molds way back when, but after the canelés turned out fine I did not try again.

Q: You should go to the Quebec board for Montreal restaurants as there are people there with much more knowledge than I, but briefly, sushi in Montreal is not that great. The restaurants I would recommend are Europea (go for the table d'hote), Milos (Greek, but specializes in fish), L'Inconnu., and La Montee de Lait. They have all been discussed at length on that board. You should also go to the Jean Talon market.

[trewq]

"I'll try the wooden spoon method next."
I use a whisk.

Souschef,
I've been reading the Montreal board, too many mixed reviews. I was just wondering what you liked. Where is Jean Talon Market? I guess I could google it when I get there.

[souschef]

Q, the first two I recommended I have eaten at many times, and have not been disappointed, but avoid the halibut at Milos. If you go to Milos do not miss the tuna "carpaccio" (can't remember what it's called on the menu), the grilled octopus, and the crabcake (the best I have ever eaten).

[buttertart]

Are they those little white doohickeys that secure the yolk to the white sort of? Maybe those covered in batter? I sieve pots de creme custard to get rid of those, they're quite offputting if cooked in the custard.

[souschef]

I don't know what they are, but they almost look like solid cream. For the little extra effort I prefer to strain them out.

[buttertart]

"Chalazae". I love that everything has a name.

[Cynsa]

aha! from October 29 to December 9: Mission accomplished: 24-hour PW food processor canelé batter for Pilinut's baby cakes.
- baked at 425°F for 20 minutes, then at 375°F for 25 minutes, they puffed and rose 1/4-inch above the mold but settled down again at 375° for the finish - a light bake that is crisp and creamy but not caramelized darkly like the previous batch.

[buttertart]

Is that one of those W-S babycake pans? I really must break down and try these.

[Cynsa]

it's MS, not W-S - instant gratification for one bite and no waxing of the mold!
I was bemoaning the cleaning and waxing process of the canelé molds to pilinut and she advises rewaxing immediately when removing the canelé while the molds are still warm - then set them aside - ready and waiting for the next batch. I like that.

[buttertart]

Oh ho! Must...buy...pan...

[roxlet]

Wait, are you saying that you can make caneles in this pan? And they're good? Where'dya get the pan?

[buttertart]

A Martha S joint, I believe.

[Cynsa]

online - or, Macy's where I found this one.
see October 17 post above for pix of baby cakes (tea cakes)

[roxlet]

And you can make good canele in this pan?

[souschef]

They may be good, but they won't be real ;)

Sorry, just having fun. I'll behave myself now.

[Cynsa]

not even faux - but they are eazy-bake :^)
ho ho ho - Santa will bring you a lump of coal

[pilinut]

As the happy recipient of Cynsa's canelé-teacake hybrids, I can say that they were delicious. And so adorably cute that the 4 other chowhounds meeting for lunch "ooooooh-ed" and "aaaaaaah-ed" in admiration. Since (despite 3 broken toes) she had just baked them that morning, they had a crisp golden exterior lightly edged with brown. Like a biscuit with a mutant cake-shortbread interior.

Were they "real" canelés? No. They didn't have the kind of exterior crunch and aerated interior. Were they delicious, unusual teacakes? Goodness, yes, they certainly were! And I would encourage anyone on the board to try them. You could serve such lovely teacakes with pride anywhere, and to anyone.

Thank you, Cynsa! I'm definitely getting those teacake pans myself.

[buttertart]

Owwwwwwwwwwwwch poor Cynsa, hope all better soon!

[souschef]

Sorry you broke those toes Cynsa ! But you still have 7 more unbroken ones !

[Cynsa]

thanks for the well-wishes, p-b-s... still hobbling about on 7 toes -
the next batch goes in the oven on Saturday the 18th...
note: after the batch for pilinut on Thursday, I baked the remaining batter on Friday for a longer time at 425°F and it caramelized with a crunch. The only difference with the later batch was that I did not add any additional non-stick spray to the tea cake mold - would excess non-stick spray in pilinut's batch retard caramelization?

[buttertart]

It has lecithin in it - it doesn't retard browning (I always spray bread with it when letting it rise), I suppose it could interfere with the sugar.

[souschef]

Cynsa, don't overdo it with those broken toes. The foot has lots of bones, and they take a lot to heal. Forget the baking and rest those feet !

[Cynsa]

oops, too right, souschef, I've overdone it and I'm now down and on rest for now.

[souschef]

Buttertart asked me to post the complete recipe for making canelés, so here it is. I am going to make it as detailed as I can. Pilinut, Trewq, and Cynsa please feel free to point out any errors or omissions.

This recipe will make 12 canelés, using the 2" Mauviel molds.

A conical sieve and a tall plastic jug are not essential, but do make life easy. 

The ingredients are based upon Paula Wolfert's recipe. The method of mixing is what is on the CH video "The Perfect Canelé".

700 ml whole milk
7 large egg yolks
140 gm cake flour 
245 gm superfine sugar
45 gm unsalted butter, cold
Pinch of salt
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup rum

"White oil"
Beeswax
Peanut oil
 
Cut the butter into bits and put it into a mixing bowl. Heat the milk to 183°F and add it to the butter. Whisk till the butter melts. Set aside to cool to tepid. When cool whisk in the egg yolks.

In another mixing bowl sift together the flour, sugar, and salt. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Add the milk/egg mixture, stirring to work out the lumps as you do so. Stir till smooth. Add the vanilla and rum. Stir to combine. Strain through a fine-mesh conical sieve into a tall plastic jug. Cover and refrigerate 48 hrs.

Preheat the oven to 400°F, with a baking sheet on the middle shelf. Cover the baking sheet with foil, to make cleanup easy.

Put a small quantity (2 tbsp) of beeswax into a small metal container and heat over low heat till melted. CAUTION: beeswax is flammable. Add an equal quantity of peanut oil or butter, and swirl to combine till dissolved. Keep on very low heat. 

Put a mold into the oven for 10 seconds. You do not want to heat it up, just take off the chill. Using a silicone brush, apply a thin layer of white oil to the inside of the mold. It should not be a thick layer obliterating everything. Leave upside down on a paper towel. Repeat with the rest of the molds.

Give the batter a good stir with a spoon. A skin may have formed on the top, with sludge on the bottom. Stir well till homogeneous. Pour batter into each mold, leaving 1/8 inch of space on top. 

Remove the baking tray from the oven. Put the filled molds on the baking tray, ensuring that they are spaced well apart, and put the tray back into the oven. Turn the tray through 180° after 30 minutes. Bake for 2 hours total, turning the tray every 30 minutes. The canelés should be very dark in colour.

Take the tray out of the oven. Using tongs pick up a mold and invert it over a rack. The canelé should slide out easily; if it does not, rap it sharply on the counter and invert it again. In extreme cases (indicating that the mold was not waxed sufficiently) you may have to use a toothpick to free the cake. Repeat with all molds. Allow to cool for an hour before eating. 

[buttertart]

Thank you!

[souschef]

Addenda:

1) The conical sieve may not be essential, but the batter does have to be strained through a fine-mesh sieve.

2) If after 30 minutes of baking the canelés have souffléed or formed domes much above the molds, leave the tray out for a minute or two till they deflate to the tops of the molds. This is very dependent on oven temperature.

[buttertart]

Counselor will be reporting for duty as soon as the mold issue is sorted out.

[souschef]

Counselor? You are the Visiting Vulcan Dignitary. The Counselor is Caroline1, whom we seem to have lost, hopefully not in a black hole.

In any case, I'm glad you are coming on board. Yipeee!

[buttertart]

Oops, I forgot....duly noted.

[pilinut]

"Allow to cool for an hour before eating."

One WHOLE hour?!? You wait that long? Such a model of Vulcan self-restraint.

[souschef]

I don't necessarily practice what I preach :)

I do find that they are crunchier if you wait. BTW I was surprised that the ones I made last night (what were left, that is) were still crunchy this morning.

[souschef]

Since Trewq asked me to bake a batch of canelés on a preheated baking sheet, I did so today; I left the sheet in the oven while it was preheating. Trewq is onto something there. The canelés did not soufflée as much as usual; in fact they rose above the molds only very slghtly (about 1/4 inch or so). I baked them at 400 degrees F for 2 hours, turning them every 30 minutes. Thank you. Q !!! I will use a preheated baking sheet in the future. I did not have to futz with leaving them out to deflate after 30 minutes.

In keeping with the vagaries of canelé baking: the first two left the molds smoothly, without any protest, but the third refused to budge, so I banged the mold on the counter and it popped out okay, but uneven on the crown. The bellybutton looked like it jiggled during baking; it was a bit oval rather than round - I have no idea why, and am not going to lose any sleep over it, but put it down to one of those booga-booga mysteries of making these darn things. The rest turned out fine, and were wonderfully custardy.

Picture of the renegade canelé attached.

[pilinut]

Very nice, souschef! I'll try trewq's preheated baking sheet next time, and leave 1/3"--more than 0.5 cm--between batter and rim.

I've noticed that I get better results when the canelés form domes rather than soufflés. When they rise too much, I get nervous: afraid that the cakes are lifting off and won't settle back properly. I think an air pocket in the crown probably caused your canelé to partially lift off, thus stretching the belly button.

[souschef]

Thanks Pilinut. With the heated baking sheet you need to leave less room at the top instead of more room. I left 1/4 inch, but the next time will leave 1/8 inch.

[Cynsa]

The canelé molds nestle nicely in my popover pan - next time I will preheat it. I'm anxious to get back to the next batter batch. Going grocery shopping for whole milk - tomorrow.

[souschef]

I just baked the second batch from the last batter, and for the very first time all six turned out fine. About time too, after over two months of messing around.

[souschef]

A canelé question on another thread, if anyone wants to jump in (I was alerted to it by Buttertart):

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/7391...

[trewq]

Nope, what you said there was perfect since you are really the only person that I know of that has tried both.
Hopefully we will be saying "Welcome, Tim!!!!" soon. :))

[souschef]

Cynsa, looking at the (your) first post in this thread, I was wondering if it makes you the Borger Queen.

[Cynsa]

The Hive?... 1/2 pound of French food-grade beeswax is $12 U.S. at Cookin'.
Judy Kaminsky has just returned from Paris with molds and beeswax.
She says that 1/2 lb. will last anyone a lifetime.

Cookin'
339 Divisadero Street
San Francisco, CA 94117-2208
[phone]

Open Tue-Sat 12pm-6:30pm; Sun 1pm-5pm

[souschef]

So my recently-acquired pound of beeswax will last me two lifetimes. Guess I should bequeath the 1/2 lb I will not use to a budding canelé maker.

[pilinut]

Thanks for the info, Cynsa, I will eventually need more wax and I shall look into Cookin'.

[souschef]

Trewq, I picked up the pound of beeswax yesterday. It's a cylinder 4 inches in diameter and 3 inches high; it should last me a LONG time. Since you mentioned it in the thread, is that what you use to wax your legs, or is that none of my beeswax?

[trewq]

That's like a wickless candle. I have noticed that the wax varies in colors, from white to brownish yellow.
Wax? legs? the two shall never meet. ;)

Happy Thanksgiving
Are we making sweet potato canneles?

[souschef]

"Happy Thanksgiving
Are we making sweet potato canneles?"

Happy Thanksgiving to you too.
I am not making sweet potato canelés. Are you ?

[trewq]

But it's not thanksgiving here.

I think I've experimented enough but it does sound good, no? How about pumpkin canneles?

I was reading the Magic eraser box it says not to use on copper.

[souschef]

"But it's not thanksgiving here."

I was just giving thanks because you are on this site.

I think I have experimented enough too; no sweet potato or pumpkin canelés for me. I might do orange/Grand Marnier or something like that.

The inside of the mold is tin, not copper.

[trewq]

Thank you. Same here!!!!

"The inside of the mold is tin, not copper."
:0

[TrishUntrapped]

These threads are fascinating. But I think I am going to stick with getting the really good caneles at La Tulipe in Mount Kisco, N.Y. I love to bake, but I don't have this kind of patience. Y'all are saints.

[pilinut]

Thanks, TrishUntrapped, whether we're saints is open to debate, but after eating our canelé experiments, some family members feel like martyrs.

[souschef]

I don't know about martyrs - even after that last "Again?" comment my wife enjoyed the batch I baked, and thought they were the best so far.

"Saints" may be stretching it, but you have to agree that we are tenacious. Canelés almost seem like the final frontier.

[souschef]

Q, how did your cocoa canelés turn out ?

[trewq]

AAAAAHHHHHHH
Burnt molds. Maybe they were baked to long. Now how do you get stuff out from the bottom?

[souschef]

How do you get stuff out from the bottom?

You soak them, then scrub them clean - use Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Then, of course, you have to season them again. Isn't this fun ?

[trewq]

Fun doesn't begin to describe it. It's a party!

Article in the NYT
http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/20...

[souschef]

I looked at the article. Not surprisingly, again there is the implication that frozen is just as good.

[Cynsa]

I tried burning off the debris in a hot oven but only succeeded in setting off the smoke alarm. After another overnight soaking, I followed the souschef tip and bought a box of the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser - works just like magic with a final swab of a Q-tip cotton swab.
Now I have clean molds to be seasoned again. The cycle begins anew.

[trewq]

I tried the magic eraser. It didn't work for me.
I baked a batch today and everything was stuck. I have no idea what happened. So now i have them sitting on the counter coated with baking soda paste. I hope that works. The paste is starting to turn brown.

[souschef]

Hey, Q is back from the continuum. Welcome back, Trewq!

I'm surprised the Magic Eraser did not work for you as I've used it to clean lots of stuff, including my stovetop. You did wet it, right?

[trewq]

How did you find out about the Q continuum? ;))

[souschef]

It's common knowledge.

[Cynsa]

I did an overnight soaking to soften the baked on debris (water + dryer softening sheet) before using the Magic Eraser + old-fashioned elbow grease.

[souschef]

Hmmmm......are you planning to make cubical canelés?

[Cynsa]

the hexagonal canelé matrix

[Cynsa]

dear trewq-Q, my canelés were wax-laden most unpleasantly... I will next attempt to pour wax into the mold, swirl it, and pour out the excess, let it rest... then reheat the mold with a second-heat pour for a thinner coat of wax? or, reheat and brush out the excess with a silicone brush? or, perhaps my wax:oil ratio must be adjusted?

[souschef]

Why go through that convoluted process? Why not just apply a layer of wax (using a silicone brush) to a slightly warmed mold (one you can hold in your hand)?

[Cynsa]

holding the mold upside down (crown on top) to prevent wax pooling in the dimple?

[souschef]

You don't have to hold the mold upside-down. Just use a small amount of wax and it will not collect on the dimple.

[trewq]

I agree with Souschef. I have a pastry brush that I only use for waxing (the molds not my legs) a quick brush and I'm done. I don't even heat my molds. Very easy to clean I rub soap into it and rinse with hot water or you can use a silicone brush like Souschef.
What is your wax oil ratio? Mine is 1:1.5

[souschef]

"I have a pastry brush that I only use for waxing (the molds not my legs)"

I'm glad that brush is not multi-purpose :)

[pilinut]

Hi, Cynsa, I pour clear, molten wax into very warm molds (I use cotton work gloves), swirl, pour into the next mold, and so on, inverting each mold after coating. I know the molds are no longer warm enough when I can clearly see a waxy coating on the mold. When this happens, I pop the mold in a warm oven until the wax melts, then swirl and pour out again. The coating should be invisible (or nearly so) except for the droplet hanging from the dimple (I'd agree, a more elegant term than navel).

I do have a couple of silicone brushes, but I'm a really slow brusher, so prefer the pour and swirl method. My wax mixture, to which I just keep adding beeswax as it gets used up, is now mostly beeswax, and I'm not sure why one would need to add oil to the wax, unless it is because beeswax is considerably more expensive than oil. I think the higher beeswax content might keep the canelés crunchy a bit longer.