Baba au Rhum

Submitted by CookKelly

"A truly gourmet dessert, suitable for the most special of occasions."

 

• Ready In: 2hrs 40mins
• Ingredients: 10
• Serves: 8-12

ingredients

• 1 package dry yeast
• 1⁄3 cup warm milk
• 2 1⁄2 cups sifted flour, divided
• 8 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 2⁄3 cups sugar, divided
• 6 eggs
• 5 1⁄2 cups water
• 1⁄2 cup dark rum
• candied fruit, for decoration
• whipped cream (to garnish)

directions

1. Dissolve yeast in the milk in a large bowl.
2. Stir in 1/2 cup flour.
3. Cover and set aside in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, beat 7 Tablespoons of the butter in an electric mixer or in a food processor.
5. Beat in 2 Tablespoons sugar and 2 Tablespoons flour.
6. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
7. Beat the remaining flour into the risen yeast mixture, then beat in the butter-egg mixture to make a thick, cake-like batter.
8. Grease an 8-inch Bundt pan with the remaining tablespoon of butter, taking care to leave no part of the pan ungreased, and spoon the batter into the mold.
9. It should fill it halfway.
10. Cover with a cloth and set aside to rise until the dough reaches the top of the mold.
11. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
12. Bake the baba for about 40 min.
13. until nicely browned on top.
14. While the baba is baking, combine the remaining sugar with the water in a saucepan and boil until syrupy and reduced to 3 cups.
15. Remove from heat and stir in rum.
16. Remove baked baba from oven and spoon rum syrup over it, saturating completely.
17. Cool 45 minutes.
18. Unmold.
19. Decorate with candied fruits and whipped cream.

Reviews

[mianbao]

Thank you so much for this recipe for one of my favorite desserts! I followed the recipe for the cake, using a 6-cup half bundt pan, which is a little smaller than the specified 8 inches. The cake rose to the absolute limit, filling in the center at the top, but baked fine. I thought it was lovely. I didn't soak all of the cake in the rum syrup as indicated. With only two people here, I decided to freeze part of the cake without syrup for later. I made only 1/4 of the rum syrup after the cake had cooled, and soaked 1/4 of the cake overnight in the refrigerator. The picture is of the cake the next day. While soaking the entire cake while hot may achieve a better result, this version also proved delicious. I now have frozen cake, which I can defrost and soak in more syrup when I like. Thank you again!