23/05/2026
PRODUCER PROFILE: Meet Dan from Sunflour Canelé
Q: For those who are not familiar with canelés, can you explain what they are?
A: A canelé is a delightful, sweet delicacy from the Bordeaux region of France, celebrated for its crispy caramelised crust and soft, custardy centre. Think a portable crème brulee cake.
Q: How did you get into making canelés? And why canelés?
A: I’ve loved pastry for as long as I can remember. From baking cinnamon scrolls with my mum as a child to working in some of the world’s best kitchens, I’ve been on a lifelong quest to perfect my craft. This journey brought me to the canelé — a simple yet remarkable pastry.
Q: Where do you source your ingredients and what are some of the challenges you face?
A: We source our ingredients locally, including rich rum from the renowned Winding Road Distillery, and fresh beeswax sourced from Two Busy Bees, a beloved local honey producer in Teven, both at Ballina Farmers & Producers Market.
Q: What does the process involve and what are the benefits of being small-scale and local?
A: We make our canelés the traditional way, using milk, butter, egg yolks, sugar, rice flour, vanilla and rum. The ingredients are mixed and left to infuse for at least 24 hours. Then, we line our copper moulds with a blend of beeswax and ghee before pouring in the batter. They’re baked at a high temperature to get that perfectly caramelised crust, while keeping the centre soft and custardy.
Q: What does your product range include?
A: We offer a range of nine different flavoured canelés, changing often with the seasons – everything from lemon meringue and Dubai chocolate to blueberry cheesecake and macadamia tiramisu.
Q: What do you find most rewarding about what you do?
A: I absolutely love baking, so the fact that I get to do it as a way to make a living is a dream come true. It’s also such a privilege to be able to connect with local producers/growers and cook with the best ingredients Australia has to offer.
📍Ballina Farmers & Producers Market from 7-11am every Sunday in Commemoration Park
