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Babà al rum
Rum-soaked yeast cakes
Babà: Naples' feather-light yeast cakes soaked in rum syrup
ItalianNaples took the babà from French and Polish pastry cooks in the nineteenth century and made it its own: small mushroom-shaped yeast cakes so light and airy that they drink up a warm, rum-laced syrup and still hold their shape. Neapolitans pick them up from the pastry counter after Sunday mass, and they are often served with whipped cream or custard. The traditional syrup contains rum; for an alcohol-free version, use the orange and vanilla syrup given in the ingredient notes, which is just as soaking and fragrant. Chef's tip: let the baked babà dry out for a few hours, or overnight; a slightly stale cake soaks up syrup evenly without collapsing.
- Total time
- 180 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
For the dough
- ⅞ oz caster sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 4 eggsat room temperature, beaten
- 2 ⅞ oz unsalted buttervery soft, plus extra for the moulds
For the syrup
- 2 cups water
- 9 oz granulated sugar
- 2 strips lemon peelpared with a peeler
- ½ cup dark rumfor alcohol-free: leave out and add 100 ml orange juice, 2 strips orange peel and 1 tsp vanilla extract
To serve
- 3 tbsp apricot jamwarmed with 1 tbsp water, for glazing
- ¾ cup whipped cream (optional)
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Method
0/14 doneStep 1: Mix 9 oz strong white bread flour, ¼ oz fast-action dried yeast, ⅞ oz caster sugar and ½ tsp salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Step 2: With the dough hook running on low, add 4 eggs a little at a time, letting each addition be absorbed. The dough will be very soft and sticky.
Step 3: Turn the speed up to medium and knead until the dough is elastic, slaps against the sides of the bowl and comes away from them cleanly.
10 minStep 4: Add 2 ⅞ oz unsalted butter a spoonful at a time and knead until fully absorbed and the dough is shiny and stretchy. Common mistake: adding cold butter or too much at once; the dough breaks into greasy lumps and won't rise light.
6 minStep 5: Cover and leave in a warm place until doubled.
60 minStep 6: Butter 10 dariole or babà moulds (about 120 ml each). Knock back the dough, then with buttered hands fill each mould a third full.
Step 7: Leave the moulds uncovered in a warm place until the dough has risen just above the rims like little mushroom caps.
50 minStep 8: Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan).
Step 9: Bake until deep golden brown and hollow-sounding, and a skewer comes out clean.
20 minStep 10: Turn out onto a rack and leave to cool and dry out for at least 3 hours, or overnight, uncovered.
Step 11: For the syrup, simmer 2 cups water, 9 oz granulated sugar and 2 strips lemon peel until the sugar dissolves.
5 minStep 12: Take the pan off the heat and stir in ½ cup dark rum (or the alcohol-free orange juice, orange peel and vanilla). Let the syrup cool until warm, not hot.
Step 13: Dip the babà one at a time in the warm syrup, pressing them under gently and turning, until heavy and soaked right through, then lift them onto a rack set over a tray to drain.
5 minStep 14: Brush with 3 tbsp apricot jam for a glossy finish. Serve with ¾ cup whipped cream, and spoon over a little extra syrup.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 49 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does babà al rum take?
- About 180 minutes in total: 150 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of strong white bread flour?
- Plain flour, same amount (the dough will be softer and rise a little less).
- What can I use instead of fast-action dried yeast?
- Fresh yeast, three times the weight.
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