Widely considered Bangkok’s finest French restaurant, Le Beaulieu serves dishes that would be at home in Paris. It also charges prices that are simply beyond my budget. But when I want un petit goût of that French sophistication without landing in the poorhouse, I stop by the Le Beaulieu cafe and purchase a few cannelés.
Cannelés, a pastry from Bordeaux with a dark, richly caramelized crust and a soft, almost custardy center, are painstaking to make. They require copper molds that are lined with beeswax and butter before being filled with a crêpe-like batter that has rested up to 48 hours. The two-step baking process begins with an extremely hot oven that is later lowered to a more reasonable temperature in order to produce the distinctive crust. Done right, the results are heavenly. Done wrong, they resemble either a burned brick or an eggy sponge.
The cannelés at Le Beaulieu have the ideal texture, the right amount of caramelization on the exterior that makes for a complex flavor without tasting burnt. Served with a tasty espresso drink from Malongo, a family-owned coffee firm from Nice, I can afford to have that French cafe experience without having to survive on crumbs alone.
christao408 
Ooooh! That looks delightful!!
Looks yummy, sounds delicious.
Looks and sounds delicious!
I need that in my mouth now.
Lovely with some nice afternoon tea!
Now that not only looks yummy but is also lovely to look at.
agreed with @Grannys_Place – , you could probably make a meal from McDonald’s look amazing 🙂 thank you for sharing your experience though. that food looks yummy!
i think i had those back when i went to visit london last year. at their food market. very addictive. this is another place you better take me to if i return to bangkok 🙂
The dessert looks yummy. Maybe one day, you can afford the entree’…..
hmm… sounds like a challenge! i’m game to try making some, although i guess i would need the right kind of pan.
Beeswax? That sounds intriguing. I’m going to see where I can buy this here.
Must be divine. Can’t help but wonder how much damage it does to the wallet.
I am sure you can give it a try, and make it just perfect. Looks yummy.
@RushmoreJ – @Grannys_Place – Thanks for the recommendations.@ZSA_MD – @kunhuo42 – Getting the correct tins is the problem. The authentic copper ones are about $20 per mold (individual, not a set of 6 or 12!) which is crazy. The silicone molds don’t do as well, from what I’ve read, because you don’t get as nice a caramelization to the crust. Haven’t decided if this is a dish that’s worth the effort to try baking…@Inciteful – They aren’t cheap – about $2 per cake. One of those very special occasion treats.@ElusiveWords – Am sure there are many places selling them in Toronto.@armnatmom – Actually, I went there with friends, unaware of the prices. Ended up having to take a deep breath and plunge in, trying to be as frugal as I could.@rudyhou – “IF” you come back to Bangkok? I thought that was “when”! =D@l0311879l – It’s all in the lighting, right? Ha ha…@Fatcat723 – Yes, but it would need to be a stronger tea, I think. These are pretty rich cakes so the beverage needs to be able to cut through the richness.@Erika_Steele – Quick! Cannelles run!@murisopsis – @CurryPuffy – They really are very pretty, aren’t they?
i want some throw it over the back fence ok?
It looks really pretty – thought it was two walnuts stuck together. I like your attention to detail in your posts – I pretty much ate this canneles as I read your post.