Le Pain Quotidien's Canelés De Bordeaux

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/4 stick unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 vanilla bean, split in half, seeds scraped out
• 2/3 cup superfine sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 egg yolks, very lightly beaten
• 2 tbsp rum
• For the molds:
• 1/4 stick unsalted butter
• 1 oz beeswax

Directions

1. In a small saucepan set over medium heat, add the milk, butter, salt, vanilla bean (pod) and seeds. Bring the mixture to a boil, then take it off the heat right away and allow it to cool a bit.
2. Mix the sugar and flour together in a mixing bowl. Put the egg yolks into another bowl, then slowly pour the warm milk over them. Add that mixture to the flour mixture and stir with a gentle hand until combined, then mix in the rum. Cover the batter and chill it for at least 24 hours and up to 48 hours before baking, with the vanilla bean left in the batter.
3. Heat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). If you are seasoning new copper molds, coat them with melted butter and beeswax and bake them for 1 hour, then allow them to cool. If you are baking in silicone molds, freeze the molds for 1–2 hours before they go into the oven.
4. Raise the oven heat to 425ºF (220ºC).
5. Take the vanilla bean out of the batter, then stir the batter and pour it into a small bowl or jug. Brush copper molds lightly with butter. If you are using silicone, coat them with the melted butter and beeswax mixture.
6. Take the vanilla bean out of the batter, then stir the batter and pour it into a small bowl or jug. Brush copper molds lightly with butter. If you are using silicone, coat them with the melted butter and beeswax mixture.
7. Fill the molds with batter, stopping with a 1/2 inch (1cm) space at the top. Arrange copper molds on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven to 400ºF (200ºC) and continue baking for 15–20 minutes. For silicone molds, set the oven to 475ºF (240ºC). Bake for 25 minutes, then turn the heat down to 400ºF (200ºC) and bake for another 15–20 minutes.
8. Gently tap the molds so the canelés come loose. Cool them fully on a wire rack, then eat them within a few hours of baking.