Is the canele the next big dessert?

The small canele pastry may well become the new 'lusted after' dessert

Heads up! A pint-sized dessert from the world of gastronomy is making a splash in patisseries and boulangeries abroad, that are selling it out like... well, hotcakes! It's the canele — a light French pastry that looks like a little bundt cake. The world has hardly gotten over the craze that the cronut created with long queues to buy it. So popular was the treat that supermodel Heidi Klum reportedly hired a private jet to fly her cronuts home. Will this one gather as much hype? Here's more on the canele...

What it is
From the Bordeaux region of France, the canele is a dome-like fluted pastry, barely two inches off the table, with a custardy filling and a thick crust. It is simple, not as fancy as the macaron or cupcake, and set in cylindrical mould that, with its many grooves that looks like a mini bundt pan. The canele is made from a crepe-like batter and baked for an hour or two, until it develops a dark, caramelised crust. It is then poured into its cylindrical moulds.

These little cakes with their caramelised crust and moist centre come flavoured with vanilla and a hint of rum and they get their name from the shape of the copper mould in which they are baked. The dessert gets nuances from the culinary heritage of Bordeaux and the surrounding region.

Have it with
The canele can be had a breakfast too, accompanied by fruits; otherwise it's perfect for tea time, sharing space with your cup of coffee or tea. You may also have caneles for dessert, with a dash of vanilla ice-cream.

Li'l history
It's said that citizens living near shipyards got hold of flour spilled on loading docks and used it to make the cakes for the poor.