Photo: Baba au Rhum Recipe
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
Directions
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.
Rum Syrup:
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup good dark rum
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
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.
Whipped Cream:
2 cups (1 pint) cold heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
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!
Yield: 4 cups
Review This Recipe
You must be logged in to review this recipe.
or Sign Up to Review
Newest Ratings and Reviews
Read all 33 reviews
By sndtaw_5743963
Sacramento, CA
on February 20, 2012
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
I make baba for special occasions. It usually turns out perfectly but she indeed can be a bit of a temptress, especially if the weather is humid. I like Ina's recipe in that she adheres to its original roots, however I do several things a little different. For one, I don't use a mixer, I blend everything with a wooden spoon and I find I get a better feel for the batter's elastic consistency that you need to look for. You sacrifice a little in leavening action as not as much air is introduced, but this cake was made long before mixers were invented. Also, no gilding the lily with whipped cream or apricot jam (I put up my own preserves but not to be used on this cake. I do, however, flambé with 151 rum just before serving. It makes a nice presentation, but be sure to blow out before singeing the top of the cake. This is an adult dessert of the highest order. If you have refined palate, you will love this bread cake.
By fdelaigue
on August 20, 2011
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
I'm French and I remember the taste of baba au rhum from when I was a kid. I'm also a late bloomer as far as cooking so that's my first cake... And despite poor cooking skills, it turned out great!
WOW this was good. I loved it. My partner loved it - and she's hard to impress when it comes to food.
Absolutely recommend it. This is awesomeness on a plate! Subtle mix of flavors ranging from little dry raisins (definitely recommend you get the dry current as they'll absorb the rhum better than regular raisins, to vanilla, to apricot, to... rhum of course!
the rhum can be a bit overpowering. Depending on how much you crave rhum, I'd recommend a lighter version - I used 3/4 of the rhum syrup and my partner found it overpowering at first.
Also.... EXPECT A "WET" CAKE! It shouldnt be soggy (or for the most part of it but it will be DRENCHED. That's how baba au rhum is supposed to be. Drenched in rhum syrup, which is runny and yummy the way it is :
By dali62179_12637690
cerritos, 43
on August 20, 2011
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
love it, so good!
Read all 33 reviews