Cannelés: The traditional dessert from Bordeaux

We've had a lot of requests for this one, so here is one of the most famous recipes from the southwestern corner of France.  They're rather long to make, but cannelés are well worth the wait!  An amazing, unique dessert sure to win over family and friends, coworkers, etc.

Le Cannelé Bordelais

50 cl milk

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

1 vanilla pod

1 tablespoon brown rum

100g flour

250g sugar

50g butter

1 pinch of salt

1.  Bring to a boil the milk, butter, and emptied vanilla pod split in two.  Let cool.

2.  In a bowl, mix the flour and the sugar.  Make a hollow in the middle and add the eggs, the egg yolks, and the rum.  Mix well.

3.  Add the filtered milk.  Mix delicately in order to obtain a smooth, homogenous mix, without lumps.  (Think crêpe batter).

4. Cover, place in the fridge and let sit at least 24 hours. 

5.  The next day, preheat the oven to 210°C.  Mix the batter one last time, then disperse it evenly among the cannelé moulds.*  Leave a 5mm space at the top.  Place them in the oven for an hour.  (About 45 minutes if you're making mini-cannelés).

6.  Remove the cannelés from the mould.  Let cool.  Best eaten the same day, at about room temperature.

* If you are using a silicone mould, it is easiest to place it directly on the oven tray, fill it, then put all in the oven at the same time.

One last tip: 

In Bordeaux, they say "when it's black, it's done".  What makes the cannelé exceptional is the contrast between the dark, crunchy exterieur and the pale, spongy interieur.

-excerpt from toute la cuisine, 1000 recettes 1000 photos

For all those of you with the know-how to make excellent cannelé, go ahead and add your thoughts below!