Ingredients

   
500g milk
75g heavy cream
80g dark chocolate (70%), finely chopped
50g butter
1 vanilla bean (or 8g vanilla extract)
250g granulated sugar
3g fleur de sel
60g whole egg (~1 large)
90g egg yolk (~5 yolks)
60g brandy or cognac (or dark rum)
200g AP flour
30g Dutch cocoa powder
  Beeswax for molds

Steps

  1. In a pot, combine milk, cream, butter, and vanilla. Heat to 175°F — do not boil. Remove from heat.

  2. Add chopped chocolate to the hot milk. Let sit 1 minute, then stir until completely melted and smooth.

  3. In a large bowl, whisk sugar, salt, eggs, and yolks together.

  4. Slowly pour about ¼ of the hot chocolate milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to temper. Sift in flour and cocoa powder together, whisk until smooth.

  5. Gradually add the remaining chocolate milk, whisking until fully combined. Stir in rum.

  6. Strain through a sieve. Refrigerate overnight (24 hours minimum).

  7. Coat canelé molds with beeswax. Stir rested batter gently. Strain again if lumpy.

  8. Preheat oven to 525°F. Fill each mold with 70g of batter.

  9. Bake at 525°F for 10 minutes. Without opening the oven, drop to 375°F and continue baking for 45 minutes.

  10. Unmold immediately onto a cooling rack upside down. Cool 2 hours. Eat the same day.

Analysis

Total batter weight: 1398g (excludes beeswax)

Component Amount %
Structure solids (flour + cocoa powder + cocoa solids) 246g 17.6%
Fat (butter, cream, chocolate, milk, yolk) 157g 11.2%
Sugar (added + chocolate + lactose) 301g 21.5%
Liquid (milk, cream, brandy, egg water) 643g 46.0%
Egg/milk protein 45g 3.2%

This is the “structured” chocolate canelé: structure at 17.6% is high (flour, cocoa powder, and the chocolate’s cocoa solids all pile in), well above the custardy range. That makes it sturdier and easier to unmold — a chocolate-flavored canelé rather than a chocolate custard. Fat is higher than the plain version because chocolate is ~half cocoa butter. Compare the Ferrandi (#94), which strips flour way back for a pudding-like interior.

Notes

  • This is a separate recipe from the plain canelé — the ratios are adjusted to account for the chocolate and cocoa (less flour, less sugar, less butter than the plain version).
  • Use 70%+ dark chocolate for intensity. Milk chocolate will be too sweet and won’t give enough cocoa flavor.
  • The chocolate melts into the hot milk just like butter — no need for a separate melting step.
  • Dutch cocoa powder (alkalized) gives a darker color and smoother flavor than natural cocoa.
  • These are darker than plain canelés so it’s harder to judge doneness by color. Go by time.
  • Same bake schedule as plain canelés — the chocolate doesn’t change the timing.
  • Beeswax or butter for molds — same as plain version.