Canelés in the Air Fryer
Canelés from Bordeaux with a crisp, caramelised crust and a soft, creamy centre flavoured with vanilla and rum. The batter rests overnight, and the cakes are baked in fluted moulds directly in the air fryer basket.
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Small pot
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Brush
- 8 Muffin pans Fluted canelé moulds, approx. 5.5 cm
Ingredients
250 ml whole milk
25 g butter
0.5 pcs vanilla pod
125 g sugar
60 g plain flour
1 pinch salt
1 pcs egg
1 pcs egg yolk- 2 tbsp dark rum
For the moulds
- 20 g butter
- 10 g beeswax Food-grade, can be omitted
Instructions
Preparation (the day before)
- Heat 250 ml whole milk and 25 g butter in a small saucepan. Split 0.5 pcs vanilla pod lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and add both the seeds and the pod to the pan. Take the pan off the heat just before the milk boils, and let it cool slightly.
- Mix 125 g sugar, 60 g plain flour and 1 pinch salt in a bowl.
- Lightly beat 1 pcs egg and 1 pcs egg yolk together with a fork, and stir them into the flour mixture until you have a thick, smooth paste.
- Pour the warm vanilla-infused milk into the bowl in a thin stream while gently stirring with a whisk, and finally add the vanilla pod. Stir only until the batter is smooth and as thin as pancake batter. Don't whisk air into it, or the cakes will rise above the moulds during baking.
- Add 2 tbsp dark rum and stir it in gently. Cover the bowl and leave the batter in the fridge overnight, at least 12 hours and preferably 24.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Remove the vanilla pod from the batter and give the batter a gentle stir, as the flour settles at the bottom during the resting time. Leave the batter on the counter while you get the moulds ready.
- Melt 20 g butter and, if using, 10 g beeswax together in a small saucepan over low heat. Brush 8 fluted canelé moulds (approx. 5.5 cm) thoroughly on the inside with the warm mixture, right down into the grooves. Place the moulds upside down on a piece of kitchen paper so the excess can run off, and then put them in the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Preheat the air fryer to 200 °C fan.
- Fill the cold moulds with the batter to about 1 cm below the rim, stirring the batter gently as you go so it stays smooth. Place the moulds in the basket with a little space between them so the heat can circulate.
- Bake the cakes at 200 °C for 15 minutes, until the crust begins to set. If they rise more than 1 cm above the rim, pull the basket out for 1-2 minutes until they sink back into place, and then continue baking.
- Turn the temperature down to 170 °C and continue baking for 35 minutes, until the cakes are a deep mahogany brown. Don't shake the basket while they bake – the batter needs to stay completely still.
- Check whether they are done by turning one canelé out of its mould: the sides should be dark and crisp. If they are still pale, put it back in the mould and keep baking at 170 °C, 5 minutes at a time.
Serving
- Turn the cakes out of the moulds while they are still warm, and let them cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. The crust turns crisp as they cool, while the centre stays soft and creamy.
- Serve the canelés on the same day, while the crust is crisp – lovely with coffee or as a dessert.
Notes
Tips for a perfect result:
Let the batter rest for at least 12 hours, ideally 24, so the flour has time to hydrate and the air bubbles disappear. This gives you the creamy centre. Copper or metal moulds give the darkest, crispiest crust. Silicone moulds work too, but may need 5-10 minutes extra. Beeswax in the butter gives the classic glossy, crunchy surface. Variation:
Swap the rum for orange liqueur, or use 1 tsp vanilla paste instead of the vanilla pod. For about 16 mini canelés (3.5 cm), bake for 10 minutes at 200 °C and then for 15-20 minutes at 170 °C. Serving:
Serve canelés with coffee, as a dessert with fresh berries or with a glass of dessert wine. Portion size:
The recipe makes 8 canelés, i.e. 2 per serving. If your air fryer is smaller, you can bake them in two batches and keep the rest of the batter chilled in the meantime.
Let the batter rest for at least 12 hours, ideally 24, so the flour has time to hydrate and the air bubbles disappear. This gives you the creamy centre. Copper or metal moulds give the darkest, crispiest crust. Silicone moulds work too, but may need 5-10 minutes extra. Beeswax in the butter gives the classic glossy, crunchy surface. Variation:
Swap the rum for orange liqueur, or use 1 tsp vanilla paste instead of the vanilla pod. For about 16 mini canelés (3.5 cm), bake for 10 minutes at 200 °C and then for 15-20 minutes at 170 °C. Serving:
Serve canelés with coffee, as a dessert with fresh berries or with a glass of dessert wine. Portion size:
The recipe makes 8 canelés, i.e. 2 per serving. If your air fryer is smaller, you can bake them in two batches and keep the rest of the batter chilled in the meantime.
Nutrition
Calories: 320kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 6gFat: 12gSaturated fat: 6.7gPolyunsaturated fat: 0.8gMonounsaturated fat: 3.4gTrans fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 122mgSodium: 120mgPotassium: 142mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 450IUCalcium: 93mgIron: 0.6mgNet carbohydrates: 44.5g
