The name "canneles", as Dori Greenspan describes in her fabulous cookbook, Baking Chez Moi, refers to the shape of the small ridged mold used to bake these little gems, meaning "channeled"or "crenelated". Copper molds are traditionally used to produce that flat and slightly indented top and rounded side. As the price of the copper molds are expensive, I chose another route: silicone. This mold,with 8 cups, worked perfectly and I do believe my heart skipped a beat as the cakes fell so easily from the mold when I flipped it over. I found the silicone mold in Seattle at "Sur La Table", costing $20.00.
I made only one change in Dorie's recipe. I turned down the temperature from 450 degrees to 400 degrees. I noticed that my first batch was a little darker on the top and the little cakes had blistered from the intense heat. Simple remedy; I ate most of those, so there are no pictures! These cakes are so sweet, moist and chewy along with their rich, dark caramel color, you can't stop at one!
The recipe can be found on page 222. I found it a very easy recipe to duplicate in my little Florida kitchen, so far away from France.
