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Canelé from France

Canelé

Fluted cake with a caramel crust and custardy centre. · France

📍 Bordeaux ★ 4.5
Last updated Aug 13, 2026 · Reviewed by the WhatWhereVacay editorial team

Fluted cake with a caramel crust and custardy centre.

About Canelé

A rum-and-vanilla batter is baked in fluted copper moulds until the outside caramelises to a dark, crisp shell around a soft, custardy interior. It is the signature little cake of Bordeaux.

🏛️ History & Culture

Canelé is a small pastry from Bordeaux, in southwestern France, where it is famously tied to the city’s wine trade. Its origins are debated—some say it evolved from a medieval recipe using flour and egg yolks left over from wine clarification, while others trace it to 18th-century convent confections. The name itself may come from the Gascon word canelat, meaning “fluted,” referring to the mould’s distinctive ridges.

Traditionally baked in copper moulds coated with beeswax, the canelé’s caramelised exterior and custardy interior depend on a precise balance of rum, vanilla, and timing. Regional variations are minimal, as the recipe is closely guarded by Bordeaux patissiers, but the pastry has spread across France and beyond as a beloved specialty. It remains a cultural symbol of Bordeaux, often served with coffee or dessert wine, and is a proud example of the city’s culinary heritage.

🍳 How to make Canelé

AI-assisted, not kitchen-tested

Canelé de Bordeaux

Bordeaux's signature little cake: a rum-and-vanilla custard batter baked in fluted copper moulds until the outside darkens to a deep, lacquered, caramelised crust and the inside stays soft and almost custardy.

Prep
20 min
Cook
60 min
Total
80 min
Serves
12 canelés
Difficulty
Medium

Recipe ingredients

  • 500 ml (2 cups + 2 tbsp) whole milk
  • 50 g (¼ cup) unsalted butter
  • 1 whole vanilla bean, split and scraped, or 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 250 g (1¼ cups) caster sugar
  • 125 g (1 cup + 1 tbsp) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
  • 2 whole egg yolks, plus 1 whole egg
  • 45 ml (3 tbsp) dark rum, Negrita or other dark rum is traditional
  • 1 tbsp beeswax pearls or soft butter, for greasing moulds; beeswax gives the classic lacquered finish

Steps

  1. 1 Place the milk, butter and split (with scraped seeds) vanilla bean in a small saucepan and bring just to the boil. Remove from the heat, cover and leave to infuse for 15-20 minutes, then discard the bean.
  2. 2 In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and whole egg with the sugar until just pale. Add the sifted flour and whisk gently until smooth; do not overwork.
  3. 3 Temper the vanilla milk into the batter in a thin stream, whisking constantly, until fully incorporated. Stir in the rum.
  4. 4 Cover and chill the batter for at least 24 hours and up to 48 hours; this resting time is essential for the right custardy interior.
  5. 5 When ready to bake, place a rack in the lower-middle of the oven and preheat to 240°C (460°F). Generously coat the inside of each canelé mould (or silicone mould) with melted beeswax or soft butter, reaching up the fluted sides.
  6. 6 Fill each mould about two-thirds full (the batter should sit just below the rim).
  7. 7 Bake at 240°C for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (350°F) and continue baking 40-50 minutes, until the canelés are a deep, dark mahogany and feel firm at the edges.
  8. 8 Unmould immediately onto a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes so the crust crisps. Doneness cue: tap the top - it should sound hollow and feel hard; the interior should read about 70°C (158°F) on an instant-read thermometer.
  9. 9 Best eaten the day they are baked, just warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers loosely covered at room temperature for up to 24 hours - do not seal in a container or the crust will soften.
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Ingredients
Steps

Canelé — frequently asked questions

What is Canelé?

A rum-and-vanilla batter is baked in fluted copper moulds until the outside caramelises to a dark, crisp shell around a soft, custardy interior. It is the signature little cake of Bordeaux.

What is Canelé made of?

Canelé is made with milk, egg yolk, rum, vanilla and sugar.

Where does Canelé come from?

Canelé comes from France, and is especially associated with Bordeaux. Canelé is a small pastry from Bordeaux, in southwestern France, where it is famously tied to the city’s wine trade.

Where can I eat Canelé?

A Bordeaux patisserie, eaten the same day while crisp.

How do you make Canelé?

Making Canelé at home takes about 20 minutes of prep and 60 minutes of cooking. The recipe on this page serves 12 canelés and is rated medium. Full ingredient list and step-by-step method are in the recipe section above.

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