And, as is true with baking bread for me, it's the challenge that makes them all the more rewarding. I have to warn you: this is a long post with lots of information, but if you're like me, you'll find these are absolutely worth the effort. Each a little different in their own way, which is the right way. In fact, just like many products made by hand, they vary slightly from bake to bake - which is part of the charm. Keep in mind that canelé are similar to bread in that they won't be exactly the same each time. After countless attempts, I've finally arrived on a ratio of ingredients and a process that works very well for the home baker. I was first inspired to make these after reading the wonderful Tivoli Road Baker (highly recommended), whose recipe got me started down the rabbit hole of making canelé in my home kitchen. Finally, bake them until dark, very dark. To make these pastries you essentially mix up a batter a few days before you want them ready, let the batter rest a few days in the fridge, then pour it into the copper molds after they've been seasoned with beeswax (to make them nonstick). However, much like baking bread they do require precise measurement, attention to process, and arguably the most important factor: careful oven management. To reiterate, these canelé don't require any fermentation whatsoever. This creates a super crunchy shell with extreme contrast between the shell and the pudding-like interior. You might spot similarities with other French pastries as caramelized sugar with eggs and butter will never steer you wrong, but the ingenious thing about these is how the ultra-conductive copper molds impart intense heat on the thinnest outer layer of the batter. There are several origin stories, all of which sound perfectly plausible, but as is commonly the case, hard to verify. The history of the canelé (also known as the cannelé, canale, cannelé de Bordelais, and canelé de Bordeaux) is conflicted. In other words, when you make them, be sure to make extras. With interest piqued, questions ensue from those unfamiliar, and after trying, a steadfast disciple is born. The enticing look of these little pastries plays all too well to seduce, and their aromatic mix of burnt sugar, rum, and vanilla seals the deal. But the result? A small treat with a deeply caramelized shell and a soft, custard-like interior. They're quite challenging to make, requiring patience, practice, attentiveness, and perseverance. A canelé is a small French pastry containing a mix of vanilla, rum, egg, butter, sugar, and flour. This recipe isn't about bread or sourdough starters, and at first glance, it might seem out of place on a website revolving around natural fermentation-seeing as there's, gasp!, no fermentation at all-but read on and I know you'll see the fit.
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