Forum

Has anyone tried making cannelés? There are so many dogmatic and contradictory recipes out there; Paula Wolfert and Stephanie Alexander have clearly experimented a lot with these; Anne Willan in French Country cooking has another take; Pim from Chez Pim another version using silicone moulds which others seem to decry in favour of Copper on non-stick metal. Annie Bell just makes the whole thing sound so easy.  Whatever moulds we choose, we then have to decide whether to butter them, or butter and beeswax...the permutations are endless.

Wednesday I am in Paris - I shall buy 6 from Ladurée and a dozen macarons while pondering the problem.....

RayS

I didn't know what a cannelé was, but now I've looked they do sound lovely. Might give Annie Bell's recipe a try - it doesn't look too hard. Roger Pizey also has a nice chocolatey version.  I am so jealous that you are visiting Ladurée where the macaron was invented!

I have not ever attempted cannelé/canelé (there seem to be various different spellings) but I plan it to be one of those time -consuming recipes I will tackle when I retire.  But I have been fascinated by a very long-running thread on ChowHound on the topic.  Several mildly obsessive cooks attempt to make the perfect canelés and post about them - My Canelé Misadventures.  ChowHound also has a video The Perfect Canelé.

There is also a useful eGullet thread, to which Paula Wolfert posted advice.

I think this could be one of those culinary quests that takes you over (at least if you are anything like those posting on ChowHound).

Thanks Jane and Susan F. In the end, I forswore Ladurée this time, and went to E Dehilleren cookware shop near the mess that is les Halles. Incredible shop, hasn't changed much since the 20's I guess. Anyhow, bought 6 copper moulds (€42 - and that was the middle size) so with those and a silicone set as recommended by Pim, time to have a go - or several goes. Watch this space! I won't read any more for the moment - I am confused enough - but will start with Annie Bell and Anne Willan.

RayS

There's a recipe in Ripailles which I've made a couple of times using silicone moulds.  It's quite straightforward and the results were pretty good.  Good Luck with yours.