Bordeaux Canelés
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I always come back to recipes that do not pretend. That is exactly what I look for in LaBouffe: a voice that is simple, precise, full of flavour and meaning. Bordeaux canelés speak to me for that reason. They have an understated, almost austere appearance, yet at their centre they hold real depth. I love the idea that a dessert from Nouvelle-Aquitaine can require time, care and a certain tenderness, without ever resorting to showmanship. It is the kind of cooking that speaks to me, because I prefer accuracy to effect, and because I believe in recipes that stand on their own. To make Bordeaux canelés the way I like them, I use 50 cl of milk, 2 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks, 200 g of sugar, 100 g of flour, 50 g of butter, a vanilla pod, a generous splash of dark rum, and a pinch of salt. I begin by heating the milk with the split and scraped vanilla pod, then let it infuse so that the flavour can truly settle in. Meanwhile, I melt the butter gently. In a large bowl, I combine the sugar, flour and salt, then add the eggs before gradually pouring in the lukewarm milk, whisking only as much as needed to make a smooth batter. I then stir in the melted butter and rum. At this stage, I am not looking for immediate perfection: I cover the batter and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least twelve hours. That is where the recipe finds its balance. The following day, I preheat the oven very hot, to around 240 °C, with my canelé moulds buttered if possible. I pour the batter into the moulds without filling them to the top, then bake them first at high heat to set the exterior, before lowering the temperature to around 180 °C so that the inside cooks without drying out. I generally allow about 45 to 55 minutes, depending on the size of the moulds and the power of the oven. I wait until they are deeply caramelised, almost dark brown, because it is this crust that gives the Bordeaux canelé all its charm. Once out of the oven, I let them cool slightly before unmoulding them. I like them crisp on the outside and soft within, with that striking contrast that says something about Nouvelle-Aquitaine: a cuisine of patience, simplicity and character. What I love about this recipe, ultimately, is that it does not ask you to disguise anything. It simply asks you to respect the timing, the gestures and the ingredients. This is also how I most enjoy cooking: by listening to what ingredients already know how to do, without forcing them. And when I serve these Bordeaux canelés, I often feel that I am sharing far more than a dessert. I am sharing a way of being at the table—calm, sincere, somewhat grounded, and very much alive.
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Where: Nouvelle-Aquitaine