Babà Neapolitan Rum Cake Recipes

BABà (NEAPOLITAN RUM CAKE)

Steps:

• Proof the yeast by mixing it with 50g (2 oz) of the flour and the water in a small bowl. Cover the bowl and let it sit in a warm place (like inside of a turned off oven) for about 30 minutes. It'll be ready when it 'bubbles'.
• In the bowl of a standing mixer, using the paddle on low speed, mix together the rest of the flour, mashed potato, butter salt and sugar until it has taken on a grainy consistency. Then start adding the eggs, one by one. Stop the mixer and add the proofed yeast, then continue until you've achieved a uniform, very stick dough.
• Grease a ring mold very well. (NB: Do this even if you're ring mold is supposedly non-stick; trust me, it helps.) Gather up the dough into a ball with a spatula and place it in the mold, evening it out as much as you can. The sticky dough can be hard to handle, but persist; it is easiest to use your hands for the operation.
• Cover the mold with a towel and let is sit for an hour or two, until it has at least doubled in volume, filling up the mold.
• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Place the mold (uncovered) in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes, until the dough has turned golden brown on top and a paring knife or toothpick inserted into it comes out perfectly clean. Remove from the oven and let the cake cool in its mold for about 10-15 minutes.
• While the cake is cooling, make the syrup: Add water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for about a minute, then add a good splash (or two) of rum. Simmer for another minute or so. (NB: If it's more convenient to make the syrup ahead of time, make sure to reheat it before proceeding to the next step.)
• After the cake has cooled off a bit but is still warm, prick the top of the babà all over with a paring knife or other sharp object to perforate the surface. Spoon the rum syrup, little by little, all over the top of the cake and around the edges, too, so it runs down the sides and reaches the bottom of the mold. Continue until you've used up all but a few spoonfuls of the syrup. (If garnishing the babà with mixed berries, save another spoonful for that, too.) Let the cake sit in its mold for another 10-15 minutes to allow the syrup to penetrate it completely.
• Turn the cake over on to a serving platter and unmold it. Spoon the remaining syrup over the top, and fill the center, if you like, with crema pasticcera, whipped cream or mixed berries. And now for my little special chef's secret: if you want some extra oomph, drizzle more rum over the top of the cake, as much as you like...
• When the cake has completely cooled, slice, serve and enjoy!

BABA AU RHUM CAKES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, yeast and salt. In a small saucepan, heat the butter, milk and water to 120°-130°. Gradually add to dry ingredients; beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add eggs, egg yolk and 3/4 cup flour; beat on high for 2 minutes., Stir in the fruit and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky). Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours., Stir dough down. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight., Punch dough down; turn onto a lightly floured surface. Shape dough into 24 balls and place in well-greased muffin cups. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Meanwhile, bring water and sugar to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved and mixture is syrupy, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. Stir in rum., Bake cakes at 375° for 10-14 minutes or until golden brown. Poke holes in cakes with a fork; slowly pour 1 tablespoon rum syrup over each cake. Top each with a cherry half. Let stand for 10 minutes before removing from pans. Serve warm.

RUM BABàS

Steps:

• FOR THE BABÀS: Gently beat the eggs and combine half of the beaten eggs with half of the butter. In a bowl, mix the brewer's yeast with the flour. Add the egg-and-butter mixture, the remaining beaten eggs, honey and salt. Knead until the dough is smooth.
• Cover with a tea towel and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, then transfer to a pastry bag.
• Grease a dozen babà molds (2" diameter) with butter and fill halfway with the batter. Place molds on a tray, with 1-2" between each, and let rise for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake babà for 25 minutes.
• FOR THE GLAZE: Heat sugar, 3 1⁄3 cups water and lemon peel in a saucepan, cooking gently until the mixture boils. Add rum then remove from heat.
• FOR THE SYRUP: Pass apricot jam through a sieve. Heat in a pan with 1⁄3 cup warm water.
• Place a cooling rack on a baking tray. Using a slotted spoon, dip the babàs in the hot syrup until coated evenly, then place on a cooling rack set to drain. Let cool, then brush with the glaze.

BABà CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, crumbled yeast and 1 heaping Tbsp. sugar. Mix well. Lightly beat the eggs and chop the butter into 1/4" cubes. Add the milk, the lightly beaten eggs, the salt and the softened butter to the dry ingredients and combine to form a soft, almost creamy dough. Mix for 4-5 minutes or until the mixture is perfectly smooth. Place in a pastry bag and pipe it into a buttered 9" bundt cake pan (we use one made of silicon, which doesn't need to be buttered). Cover the pan with a damp cloth and plastic wrap and let it rise at 82°F for 1 hour and 30 minutes: the dough should double in volume.
• Preheat the oven to 320°F and bake the cake for 40-45 minutes. Remove and let sit for 5 minutes. Turn the cake out onto a rack and bake it on the rack for another 5 minutes, then let it cool.
• For the syrup: Bring 2 1/2 cups water, the grape juice, 1 3/4 cups sugar, 3 star anise seeds, 3 cardamom pods and a cinnamon stick to a boil in a saucepan. Boil for 3-4 minutes. Add the rum (to taste) when the liquid begins to cool.
• To assemble the cake: put a cooling rack over a tray and place the cake on it. Slowly pour the rum syrup over it, dampening it throughly. Take the rum syrup that collected in the tray and pour it over the cake again. Let it drain.
• Heat 3-4 ladles rum syrup in a saucepan until it becomes dense like liquid honey. Brush it on the surface of the cake.
• Whip the cream with 1 Tbsp. powdered sugar until stiff. Decorate the cake with it as you like and serve.

BABA AU RHUM

Steps:

• Combine the currants and rum in a small bowl and set aside. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and brush a 5-cup (6 1/2 by 3 1/2-inch) tube pan or kugelhopf mold with the melted butter. Be sure to coat every crevice of the pan. Heat the milk to 115 degrees F and then pour it into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Stir in the yeast and sugar and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
• With the mixer on low speed, first add the eggs, then the flour, salt, and remaining 4 tablespoons of butter. Raise the speed to medium-high and beat for 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and beater to form the dough into a ball. It will be very soft. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and allow it to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Drain the currants, fold them into the dough with a spatula, and spoon into the prepared pan. Smooth the top, cover the pan with a damp towel, and allow to rise until the dough reaches the top of the pan, 50 minutes to 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and make the Rum Syrup.
• Bake the cake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then tap it out of the cake pan onto a baking rack set over a sheet pan. Pour all of the Rum Syrup very slowly onto the warm cake, allowing it all to soak in thoroughly. Amazingly, the liquid will be absorbed into the cake, so be sure to use all of the syrup.
• Heat the preserves with 1 tablespoon of water until runny, press it through a sieve, and brush it on the cake. Serve with Whipped Cream piped into the middle of the cake plus an extra bowl on the side.
• Place the sugar and 1 1/2 cups water in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until the sugar dissolves. Pour into a 4-cup heat-proof measuring cup and allow to cool. Add the rum and vanilla and set aside.
• Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. When it starts to thicken, add the sugar and vanilla and continue to whip until the cream forms stiff peaks. Don't overbeat, or you'll end up with butter!