Jay Chalam's Kitchen: Baba au Rhum

A close friend of ours turned 60 last month. I came to know recently that his favorite pastry is Baba au Rhum or Rum Baba. It is a French pastry, a small yeast cake saturated with rum, hence the name. It is usually made in individual servings, and served with fresh cream. I made Baba au Rhum and surprised my friend on his birthday. He had a kick out of it ;)

Recipe adapted from food network (Ina Garten)

Ingredients:

1/3 Cup dried currants (raisins)

1 Tablespoon dark rum

5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/2 Cup milk

1 Package dry yeast

2 Tablespoons sugar

2 large eggs

1 2/3 Cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

Rum Syrup

3/4 Cup apricot preserves

1 Tablespoon water

Whipped Cream

For Rum Syrup:

1 Cup sugar

2/3 Cup dark rum

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract

For Whipped Cream:

2 Cups heavy cream

2 Tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Method:

1.Combine raisins and rum in a small bowl and set aside. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and brush a 5 cup tube pan or muffin pan with the melted butter. Be sure to coat every crevice of the pan. Set aside.

2. Heat milk and pour it into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Stir in the yeast and sugar and allow to sit for 5 minutes.

3. With mixer on low speed, first add the eggs, then the flour, salt, and 4 tablespoons of butter. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 5 minutes.

4. 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, 1 hour.

5. Drain the currants, fold them into the dough with a spatula, and spoon into the prepared pan.

6. Smooth the top, cover the pan with a damp towel, and allow to rise until the dough reaches the top of the pan, about 1 hour.

7. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and make the Rum Syrup.

Rum Syrup:

8. Place sugar and 1 1/2 cups water in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until the sugar dissolves. Pour into a cup and allow to cool. Add the rum and vanilla and set aside.

9. Bake the cake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, before removing from pan and onto to a cooling rack.

10. one at a time, dunk the cake in the rum syrup for a few minutes until well soaked, and arrange on a tray.

11. Heat the preserves with 1 tablespoon of water until runny. Press it through a sieve, and brush it on the cake.

Whipped Cream:

12. Whip the cold cream in the bowl of an electric mixer that has been chilled and fitted with the whisk attachment. When it starts to thicken, add the sugar and vanilla and continue to whip until cream forms stiff peaks.