Canelés, Another Dessert Inspired by Nuns

Ingredients

• 2 cups milk
• 3 tablespoons salted butter, diced
• 1 vanilla pod or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup good-quality rum

Directions

1. Add the milk, butter, and vanilla to a medium saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil. While that heats, stir together the flour and sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Crack the eggs into a separate smaller bowl.
2. As soon as the milk mixture boils, take the pan off the heat and remove the vanilla pod, if you used one. Tip the eggs into the flour mixture all at once, but hold off on stirring.
3. Pour the hot milk mixture into the bowl and whisk until the batter is smooth, combined, and lightly foamy. Add the rum, then whisk once more.
4. Cool the batter on the counter until it reaches room temperature, then cover it and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 3 days. When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 480 degrees F.
5. Butter the canele molds, coat them with sugar, and chill them. Take the batter out of the refrigerator; it will have separated slightly, so whisk it back together until smooth. Fill the prepared molds nearly to the top.
6. Transfer the molds to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 400 degrees F and continue baking for 40 to 60 minutes, depending on your oven and your preferred canele texture. They are done when the bottoms are very dark brown.