A Pastry Chef's Top Tips For Perfectly Baked Canelés

Canelés are one of the pastries that intimidate us (even more than French macarons), so we decided to pick an expert's brain to figure out how to bake them perfectly at home. We start with using the Cannelés De Bordeaux recipe by recipe developer Eric Ngo and listening to tips from Leanne Tran, who leads a six-person, all-female pastry chef team at Le Crocodile, Bar Blondeau, and Wythe Hotel. 

"Always use molds that conduct great heat," Tran explains. "Copper works best, aluminum is a runner up." Note that high-quality copper tinned molds that are also non-stick don't run cheap. You can find a set of six Hakart molds for $60 on Amazon. 

Aside from recommending the correct molds to use, Tran mentioned how important it is to bake the canelés at the right temperature. "Make sure the oven temperature is hot enough by using an oven thermometer," she says. "And don't take them out too early." You want the canelés to be dark brown but not black when you remove them from the oven. The treat's color is a good sign to tell if they're ready or not. 

Whether the molds come non-stick or not, it's good to coat the inside of the molds. Tran added, "I also recommend using a mixture of beeswax and butter to coat the molds before putting in the batter to encourage a shiny, darkly caramelized, exterior."

You can see why canelés intimidate us. Luckily, Leanne Tran is here to hold our hands all the way through. She has one final tip for us to ensure we bake perfect canelés at home. Crispy and dark brown on the outside, sweet and soft and custardy with a pleasant chew in the middle. Tran reminded us that practice makes perfect and patience is key. Don't expect to whip up the batter in the morning and enjoy canelés by noontime.

"You'll need to make it at least a few times to get it right, but it's all timing and temperature, as well as making sure the batter is rested overnight," Tran says. "The flavor will be much more complex and satisfying." 

Once you've baked perfect canelés for the first time, we bet you won't be able to stop making them. Be sure to follow Tran's top tips. Of course, you could always settle for store-bought canelés and other French goodies, like these 15 best pastries to eat in Paris, France.