Canelés De Bordeaux - French Rum And Vanilla Cakes - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/2 liter milk
2 whole eggs, plus
2 egg yolks, beaten
1/2 vanilla beans or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 -4 tablespoons rum
1 cup plain flour
1 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
butter, for greasing
sugar, for sprinkling

Preparation

The day before: boil the milk with the vanilla and butter.
Take off the heat, allow to cool VERY slightly.
Mix the flour and sugar together, then add the eggs and egg yolks, pour this mixture in the hot milk.
Gently mix in order to obtain a fluid and smooth mixture, like a pancake batter, let it cool, then add the rum.
Place it in the refrigerator for 24 hours to 48 hours maximum.
When you are ready to bake the caneles: preheat the oven to 250C/495\u00b0F.
Butter the moulds liberally and then sprinkle some sugar in to the moulds.
Pour the batter in to the buttered and sugared caneles moulds, they should be 3/4 full - NO more.
Place the moulds on a baking sheet, and cook on high for 5 minutes, then lower the temperature to 175C/350F and continue cooking for 1 hour at least. (It depends on your oven, it can take up to 1 and a quarter hours!) The tops will have a brown crust when they are ready, and they should still be moist inside.
Carefully unmould them whilst they are still hot. Allow them to cool.
Serve with tea or coffee for breakfast, or with a glass of wine or cognac in the late afternoon or evening.