Why Resting Your Canelé Batter Is the Most Important Step You’re Probably Overlooking

If you’ve ever bitten into a canelé—the classic French pastry from Bordeaux—you know that it’s unlike anything else. Crunchy and caramelized on the outside, tender and custard-like on the inside, a good canelé is a contradiction in the best way. Achieving that perfect balance of textures and flavors might feel like magic, but it's actually the result of careful technique. Among all the steps involved, there is one that bakers—especially home bakers—tend to underestimate: resting the batter.

While many pastry recipes ask for quick turnarounds, canelés demand patience. The batter, a mixture of eggs, milk, flour, sugar, butter, vanilla, and rum, must be made in advance and rested—ideally for 24 to 48 hours in the refrigerator. Skipping or shortening this step might still yield something edible, but it won't give you that unmistakable deep caramelization and custardy interior that defines a true canelé. In this post, we’ll explore why resting the batter is so critical, how it works, and how you can make it work for your schedule.

What Happens When You Rest the Batter?

At first glance, the canelé batter resembles something between a crêpe batter and a custard base. It’s thin, smooth, and fairly simple to prepare. But once the ingredients are combined, they need time to "settle" in more ways than one.

Here’s what’s happening while your batter rests in the fridge:

1. Hydration of Flour

Flour might seem like a passive ingredient, but it plays a critical role in texture. When flour is mixed with liquid, it begins to absorb moisture. This is called hydration. In many baked goods, hydration happens relatively quickly, but for a high-liquid batter like that of canelés, it takes time for the flour to fully absorb the surrounding ingredients.

Proper hydration ensures a smoother, more uniform batter. Without adequate rest, you may notice gritty, uneven textures or lumps that lead to irregular baking. Hydrated flour also helps with achieving a more cohesive structure, delicate enough to melt in your mouth but firm enough to hold the signature canelé shape.

2. Relaxation of Gluten

Mixing flour and liquid initiates the formation of gluten, a network of proteins that give structure to baked goods. While gluten is beneficial in bread or pasta, it’s not what you want in a tender custard-filled pastry.

The rest period allows the gluten strands that formed during mixing to relax. This minimizes elasticity and prevents the pastry from becoming tough or chewy. Instead, the interior of the canelé becomes silky and custard-like, just as it should be.

3. Flavor Development

Canelés are deceptively simple, but their flavor is rich and complex—thanks in large part to the rest period. Resting the batter allows the flavors of vanilla and dark rum to infuse and mellow into the dairy and flour base. The result? A more unified and aromatic final product.

Some bakers compare this to letting a soup or stew sit overnight—it just tastes better the next day. The flavors have time to blend and develop depth that’s impossible to achieve right after mixing.

4. Removal of Air Bubbles

A freshly mixed batter will often contain air bubbles, especially if you’ve used a whisk or blender. Those bubbles may seem harmless, but they can wreak havoc during baking. Air pockets expand with heat and can lead to hollow centers or irregular textures.

During the resting period, these bubbles rise to the top and escape. When you bake a well-rested batter, you’re more likely to get the iconic canelé interior: dense yet creamy, without large holes or unevenness.

What Happens If You Don’t Rest the Batter?

You might wonder: what if I’m short on time? Is it really that bad to bake the canelés right after making the batter?

In short: yes, it makes a noticeable difference.

Without rest, your canelés may still bake, but you’ll likely encounter several issues:

• The crust may be paler and less crisp.
• The interior can be rubbery or uneven.
• Flavors won’t be as developed.
• You might see bubbles or gaps inside the pastry.
• Texture overall may feel more like flan than a true canelé.

You’ll essentially be making a shortcut version of the pastry—something that might taste okay, but will fall far short of what makes canelés special.