If there is one thing you absolutely must eat when you visit Bordeaux, it is the canelé. This iconic French pastry from Bordeaux is one of the symbols of the city and a source of great local pride. Small, caramelised on the outside, soft and custardy on the inside, the canelé is unlike anything else in French pastry. In this article, we tell you everything you need to know about the famous pastry from Bordeaux, including the original recipe: in French!

The history of the canelé: Bordeaux's famous pastry

The canelé is a little cake whose name comes from the Gascon dialect. It was originally called cannelat until the 20th century. The story of this famous pastry from Bordeaux begins in a convent: the Annonciades convent in Bordeaux.

The nuns of the convent would collect the wheat that fell from bags and boats at the Bordeaux port. They also used the egg yolks that were left over from the wine-making process: Bordeaux winemakers used egg whites to clarify their wine, leaving huge quantities of yolks unused. With flour, egg yolks and a little ingenuity, the nuns created the first canelés.

Because Bordeaux was one of the most important ports in France, the nuns had easy access to exotic ingredients: vanilla from the Caribbean and rum from the sugar colonies. They added these to their recipe to make their famous pastry from Bordeaux even more delicious. The nuns sold their canelés for profit but also gave them to the poor.

Over time, the nuns left the convent but the recipe survived. Around the 20th century, the canelé passed into the hands of professional pastry chefs who refined and perfected it. Today, the canelé is one of the most beloved symbols of Bordeaux and one of the most recognised French pastries in the world.

What makes the canelé special?

Two things make the canelé from Bordeaux truly unique. The first is its distinctive shape, created by a special fluted copper baking tin: le moule à canelé. This tin gives the pastry its characteristic ridged exterior and helps create the caramelised crust. The second is its extraordinary contrast of textures: a dark, crunchy outer shell with a soft, custardy, almost creamy interior flavoured with vanilla and rum. It is this combination that has made the canelé from Bordeaux famous around the world.

The canelé recipe: make the famous pastry from Bordeaux at home

Want to make the famous pastry from Bordeaux at home? Here is the authentic canelé recipe: in French, with English translations so you can practise your French at the same time!

Ingrédients (for about 20 canelés):

• 50 cl de lait: 500ml whole milk
• Une demie gousse de vanille: half a vanilla pod
• Une cuillère à soupe de rhum: 1 tablespoon of rum
• 100 g de farine: 100g plain flour
• 250 g de sucre en poudre: 250g caster sugar
• Une pincée de sel: a pinch of salt
• 2 oeufs entiers: 2 whole eggs
• 2 jaunes d'oeufs: 2 egg yolks
• 50 g de beurre doux + 50 g pour beurrer les moules: 50g butter + 50g for greasing the tins

Étapes: Steps:

1. Faites bouillir le lait avec la vanille (fendue et égrainée) et le beurre.: Bring the milk to the boil with the split vanilla pod and butter.
2. Mélangez la farine avec le sucre dans un saladier.: Mix the flour and sugar in a large bowl.
3. Mettez tous les oeufs d'un seul coup dans le saladier.: Add all the eggs at once to the bowl.
4. Versez le lait bouillant sur la préparation.: Pour the hot milk over the mixture.
5. Mélangez doucement pour avoir une pâte fluide.: Stir gently until you have a smooth batter.
6. Laissez refroidir.: Leave to cool completely.
7. Ajoutez le rhum.: Add the rum. Refrigerate the batter overnight before baking at 200°C for 45 to 60 minutes.

The best place to eat a canelé is in Bordeaux itself, fresh from a local bakery. When you come to study French with us, we will take you to our favourite boulangeries and pâtisseries as part of our cultural activities in Bordeaux. You will taste the real canelé from Bordeaux and learn how to talk about food in French.

You might also enjoy our articles on Lillet Bordeaux and wine from Bordeaux for more local food and drink culture.

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