Cannéle De Bordeaux

Many of you have likely not heard of this little french treasure. I know I hadn't until visiting Paris for the first time and I've been hooked ever since!  I'm so in love with these that every time I  go to Paris I'm on a mission to find the best ones, I'll stop in 4 or 5 pâtisseries a day just looking for them...my husband thinks I'm nuts.  

A Cannéle is French pastry flavoured with rum and vanilla. It has a soft and tender custard center and a dark, thick caramelized crust. Originally a specialty of the Bordeaux region of France, today it is widely available in pâtisseries all over France and, as I've now happily discovered, if you look hard enough you may be lucky enough to find them abroad. 

Cannéle are traditionally baked in the prettiest little cylindrical fluted copper molds. There are molds available made of silicone but I personally think the crust wouldn't be of the same quality baked in a silicone mold. Traditionally the moulds are brushed with beeswax, but today butter is often used instead. I've also noticed that the amount of rum used varies greatly from pâtisserie to pâtisserie. At times the rum is very subtle and other times it's so strong I'd be scared to drive after eating one for fear I'd be over the legal limit lol.

Now you may be wondering why I'm not attempting to make these myself. Well, my answer is twofold. First the traditional copper molds used to make them are prohibitively expensive... they start at 20 euros each! It would be silly to make a batch smaller than 12 so not only would the molds cost me a small fortune, but I also have absolutely no self control so I likely would eat the entire batch myself lol. I'm much better off purchasing 4 at a time and thanks to Trader Joe's I can actually do that now. The package says to microwave them but I would recommend baking them in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or until they become rich and dark. Let cool completely before eating. Let me know what you think?!!!! I think cannéles are a beautiful thing.