Baba au Rhum Recipe
Looking for an impressive dessert? Check out the Baba au Rhum cake recipe! It's a French classic yeast cake soaked in sweet rum syrup for a moist and flavorful treat, traditionally baked in a cylindrical mold and garnished with whipped cream and fruit.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup dried currants
- 1 tablespoon good dark rum
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 package dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Rum Syrup recipe follows
- 3/4 cup apricot preserves
- 1 tablespoon water
- Whipped Cream, recipe follows
Instructions
- Start by combining currants and rum in a small bowl. While that sits, melt 1 tablespoon of butter and generously coat a 5-cup (6 1/2 by 3 1/2-inch) tube pan or kugelhopf mold. Next, heat the milk to 115°F. Now, pour the warmed milk into the electric mixer's bowl equipped with the paddle attachment. Stir in the yeast and sugar, allowing it to rest for 5 minutes.
- Start by adding eggs, followed by flour, salt, and the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter to the mixer on low speed. Then, increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 5 minutes. Afterward, scrape down the bowl and beater to shape the dough into a soft ball. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let it double in size, approximately 1 hour.
- After draining the currants, gently fold them into the dough using a spatula, and then spoon the mixture into the prepared pan. Ensure the top is smooth, cover the pan with a damp towel, and let it rise until the dough reaches the top of the pan, which should take approximately 50 minutes to 1 hour.
- Begin by preheating the oven to 375°F, then move on to making the Rum Syrup.
- Begin by baking the cake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick emerges clean. After a brief 10-minute cooling period, elegantly transfer it from the pan to a rack. Now, with finesse, drizzle the entire batch of Rum Syrup onto the warm cake, ensuring it permeates every nook and cranny.
- Gently warm the preserves with a tablespoon of water until it's runny. Strain the mixture and delicately brush it onto the cake. Serve the cake with Whipped Cream, piped into the center, and provide an additional bowl on the side for added delight.
- In a small saucepan, place sugar and 1 1/2 cups of water. Cook over high heat until the sugar dissolves. Afterward, pour this mixture into a 4-cup heat-proof measuring cup and let it cool. Finally, add the rum and vanilla, and set it aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cream until it thickens. Then, add sugar and vanilla while continuing to whip until stiff peaks form. Be cautious not to overbeat, as this can result in butter.
