The cannele de Bordeaux is the city's edible signature, a small fluted pastry with a deeply caramelised crust and a soft, custardy interior scented with rum and vanilla, baked in copper moulds.
Where to eat it: 3 restaurants across 1 city.
The cannele has its origins in the 16th-century Convent of the Annonciades in Bordeaux, where the nuns used the egg whites discarded by Bordeaux winemakers (used to fine wines) and the leftover yolks were spun into pastries. The recipe with rum and vanilla emerged in the 18th century via the triangular trade through Bordeaux's port. The cannele was officially recognised as a Bordeaux specialty in 1985. Baillardran, La Toque Cuivree and Cassonade are the three modern Bordeaux producers.
Common allergens: Gluten, Egg, Dairy
Tip from the editors. Beeswax-coated copper moulds give the best caramelisation; silicone moulds will give a pale crust. The 24-hour rest is non-negotiable.
Baillardran in Bordeaux's Golden Triangle is the canele specialist on Cours de l'Intendance since 1988, with the city's most-quoted version.
Tip: Buy two sizes, the small and the regular; eat the regular the day of purchase and freeze the small for later.
Worth the queue: Cannele de Bordeaux
La Toque Cuivree in Bordeaux is the Place Gambetta canele house with multiple boutiques across the city, the most enduring head-to-head competitor.
Tip: The minis are great for sharing; the gluten-free version is a serious effort and stocks early on Saturdays.
Worth the queue: Cannele de Bordeaux
Cassonade in Bordeaux's Saint-Pierre is the canele shop under the Grosse Cloche on Rue Saint-James, the third major canele house alongside Baillardran and La.
Tip: Open daily 10:00-19:00 at the Grosse Cloche; the chocolate variations are not traditional but worth trying once.
Worth the queue: Cannele de Bordeaux
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