Mini chai canelés

Name: Mini chai canelés
Cook time: 45 min
Ingredients: 250 ml whole milk; 1 free-range egg; 1 free-range egg yolk; 50 g plain white fl our; 100 g caster sugar; 25 g butter, plus 1 tbsp for greasing; 1 tbsp rum or brandy; 4 chai tea bags; a pinch of salt

Try this mini chai canelés recipe – delicious little pastries with a soft tender custard centre and a thick crunchy caramelised shell, by James Hillery.

Image credit: James Hillery

Brought to you by Lakeland

Did you know? Canelé, a speciality of the Bordeaux region of France, are delicious little pastries with a soft tender custard centre and a thick crunchy caramelised shell. They’re usually flavoured with vanilla and rum.

TIP! The canelé batter is best made the night before you plan to use it and rested in the fridge overnight.

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45 mins

Cooking Time

Ingredients

250 ml whole milk
1 free-range egg
1 free-range egg yolk
50 g plain white fl our
100 g caster sugar
25 g butter, plus 1 tbsp for greasing
1 tbsp rum or brandy
4 chai tea bags
a pinch of salt

Instructions

Heat the milk, butter and chai tea bags in a saucepan to barely a simmer until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat and allow the teabags to steep for 15-20 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until they are combined and are paler in colour.

Add the flour, salt and the rum or brandy, then whisk to combine.

Strain the tea bags and discard.

Add about one-third of the warm milk to the egg mix and whisk until combined, then add the remainder of the liquid. Whisk until you have a pancake-type batter with no lumps.

Cover the bowl with clingfilm and allow to cool before putting it in the fridge overnight.

The next day, preheat the oven to 220°C/Gas Mark 7.

Melt 1 tbsp butter and brush the canelé moulds lightly. Place in the fridge to set the butter.

Remove the canelé batter from the fridge and gently stir in any lumps that may have settled overnight until it is smooth again. You do not want to whisk and add air bubbles at this stage.

Either using a jug or piping bag, fill the moulds to a little under the rim. They will expand and sink back down.

Bake in the oven at the high temperature for 15 minutes, then lower the heat to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 for a further 30 minutes. The tops should be a dark golden brown.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 15 minutes before removing them from their moulds.

Last updated one year ago