Preheat the oven to 375. In a medium saucepan heat milk, sugar, vanilla, and butter. I brought it just to a simmer. Let cool completely and remove vanilla pod.

When milk is completely cool add the egg yolks and rum, and then gradually add the flour. Mix until dough is soft and no flour lumps (this is where I strained it).

Butter molds with melted butter and let stand for 2-3 minutes. Spoon batter into molds (I filled them just below the rims).

Cook for about 1 1/2 hours. To check for doneness after about 1:20 - every five or ten minutes I would quickly open the oven, grab one of the molds and slip the cake out of the mold to see if the crust deep inside the mold was browning and done. If it wasnt finished I would quickly pop it back into the mold, and back into the oven. The bases get really dark, so it is hard to tell if the rest of the cake is finished any other way. Resist the urge to pull them out early, they really do need a long time to bake properly.

Makes 12 canneles.