Rum Babàs Recipes

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!

CLASSIC FRENCH RUM BABA (BABA AU RHUM) RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Stir the yeast and the warm water together in a large bowl and allow the yeast to dissolve for 5 minutes. Lightly beat the eggs into the yeast and water.
• In a small bowl, mix the flour, sugar, citrus zests, and salt together. Stir the mixture into the yeast and eggs.
• Work the mixture in the bowl with a spatula until it holds together. On a very lightly floured surface, knead the dough with the softened butter until it becomes soft and elastic, about 5 minutes. The dough will be very sticky.
• Transfer the dough to a large bowl, cover the dough, and allow it to rise until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, soak the raisins or currants in 3 tablespoons of rum.
• Once the dough has doubled, fold the rum-soaked fruit into it.
• Grease the baba molds and divide the dough evenly among them. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400 F. Cover the molds and allow the dough to rise until the dough has just started to rise above the molds' edges, 30 to 45 minutes.
• Uncover the babas and bake them until they turn golden brown and begin to pull away from the sides of the molds, 20 to 25 minutes
• Immediately remove the babas from the molds and allow them to cool on a wire rack while you make the rum syrup.
• Gather the ingredients.
• In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, bring the water and sugar to a boil until the syrup has thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Remove the syrup from the heat and stir the rum and vanilla extract into the mixture.
• Place the babas into the hot rum syrup in batches, turning them several times, allowing them to soak up the syrup. They will swell and absorb most of the syrup. Continue to soak the babas until all the syrup is used.
• Carefully transfer each baba onto a dessert plate and brush with a generous amount of warmed apricot preserves.
• Garnish the babas au rhum with vanilla Chantilly cream to serve.

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.

MAI TAI RUM BABAS

Steps:

• Grease the savarin molds or 8 holes of the muffin tin with oil and set to one side.
• Pour the milk into a small saucepan and add the butter. Heat gently over a low heat until the butter has melted, then remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Place the flour in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and add the sugar and yeast to one side and the salt to the other. Make a well in the center and pour in the lukewarm milk and butter and the beaten eggs. Stir until a soft, sticky dough forms then beat in the orange and lime zest.
• Knead the dough in the bowl for 10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Alternatively, knead the dough using a stand mixer fitted with the dough- hook attachment for 5 minutes. Cover the bowl with cling film or a damp tea towel and leave the dough to rise at room temperature for 1-3 hours until doubled in size.
• When the dough has risen, knock it back in the bowl and divide it into 4 equal sausage shapes or 8 round pieces (depending on which tins you are using). Place the dough in the tins and cover with oiled plastic wrap, then leave to rise at room temperature for 1 hour or until the dough has risen above the top of the tins.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Bake the babas for 20 minutes if using savarin moulds, or 15 minutes if you have used a muffin tin, until golden brown all over.
• While the babas are cooking, make the soaking syrup. Place the caster sugar in a saucepan and pour in the orange and lime juices. Heat over a low heat, stirring all the time, until the sugar has dissolved, then turn up the heat and simmer for 2 minutes until the mixture has thickened slightly. Remove from the heat and stir in the rum.
• When the babas are cooked, remove them from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes then remove from the tins. Pour a small amount of syrup into the bottom of the empty tins, then return the babas to the tins to soak up the syrup. Spoon some of the remaining syrup over the babas and leave to cool.
• When you are ready to serve, turn the babas out on to plates and drizzle over the remaining syrup. Whip the cream into soft peaks and pipe it on to the top of the babas then sprinkle them with lime zest.