Annes Red Wine Savarin Recipes

ANNE'S RED-WINE SAVARIN

Steps:

• Make the savarin: Place 1/2 cup warm water in a small bowl, and sprinkle yeast over water; let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Sift flour, sugar, and salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the center, and pour the foamy yeast and eggs into well. Mix with your hands, gradually drawing in the flour, and work to form a smooth and floppy dough. Cup your hand and beat the dough, lifting it up and letting it drop back into the bowl so it hits with a slap, until it is elastic and very smooth, about 5 minutes. You could also mix and knead the dough in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment.
• Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel, and leave it in a warm place until the dough has doubled in bulk, 45 to 60 minutes.
• Brush a 1 1/4-quart ring mold with the melted butter, and chill it in the freezer. When butter has set, butter it again. When the dough has risen, add butter and work it into the dough with your hand. Alternatively, you can place the dough in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and work the butter in. Transfer the dough to the prepared mold, letting it drop from the spoon so it is evenly distributed around the mold. Place in a warm spot to rise until the mold is full, 30 to 45 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake the savarin until brown and beginning to pull away from the sides of the mold, 20 to 25 minutes. Turn it out onto a rack to cool. The savarin may be baked ahead and stored in a plastic bag for up to 3 days.
• Make the syrup and glaze: In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, heat wine with 1 cup sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Raise heat, and bring the syrup to a boil; simmer for 2 minutes. Place the savarin on a rack over a rimmed baking sheet, and spoon the hot syrup over the top. The savarin should puff up dramatically and lighten as it absorbs the syrup. Reheat the syrup that falls onto the baking sheet, and continue basting until only about 1/2 cup remains. Set this syrup aside, and transfer the savarin to a serving platter.
• Fill the center of the savarin with berries. Combine the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the reserved syrup in a small saucepan over low heat, and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Continue to simmer until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon, 3 to 5 minutes. Let the glaze cool slightly, then brush it over the savarin and the berries. The savarin may be kept for up to 2 hours. Serve at room temperature.

SAVARIN

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, heat 6 tablespoons of milk and 2 tablespoons water until just slightly warm. Pour into a bowl with 1 heaping teaspoon of sugar, whisk to dissolve. Add 1/4 ounce of fresh yeast and whisk to break up and dissolve the yeast. Pour into a standing mixer bowl with the paddle attachment. Turn on low, add 5 tablespoons melted butter. Add the flour and salt and mix just until it comes together. Raise the speed to medium, add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until it becomes elastic and smooth. Turn dough into a bowl, cover with a damp tea towel, and let it rest and proof for 10 minutes. Punch down and allow to rise another 5 minutes. The dough should not proof too long, or the savarins will become crumbly.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Butter each savarin ring. Using your finger, schmear baba dough in the ring to fill it up half way, using about 1 ounce of dough. It will stick to your fingers, but don't dip your fingers in flour to prevent this. Let the dough rise until it reaches the top of the ring, about 30 minutes. Bake the savarins for 15 minutes. Let the cool in their rings then turn them out.
• To prepare the syrup, place all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Dip the savarins in the syrup then place them in a rectangular pan and drizzle more syrup over them. Cover and let them soak overnight. Add more syrup the next day if they'll absorb it.
• To serve, cut up the strawberries and stir the honey into the creme fraiche. Serve the savarin on a plate with a spoonful of strawberries and a large dollop of honey-creme fraiche. You may put the leftover syrup in a decorative bottle and pour more of it over the dessert as you serve it at the table.

SAVARIN WITH STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• Mix the flour, sugar and yeast in a bowl with a pinch of salt. Mix the milk and eggs, then pour in and beat well to make a thick, sticky batter. Dot over the butter, then cover and leave in a warm place for about 30 mins until doubled in size.
• Meanwhile, make the syrup. Heat sugar and zest with 125ml water until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in wine.
• Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. When the batter has risen, beat it with a wooden spoon for about 1 min to mix in the butter, then spoon into a buttered 25cm ring mould. Cover with oiled cling film and leave until it reaches three-quarters of the way up the tin.
• Remove cling film and bake for 15 mins until well risen and golden, then pour over the wine syrup. Cover and leave until ready to serve. You can freeze this or leave it overnight in a cool place. To serve, turn the savarin onto a large serving plate and brush with the jam so it looks nice and sticky. Mix the strawberries with the lemon and sugar and pile into the middle. Decorate with strawberry leaves, if you have them, and serve with cream.