Rum Baba – Polish Dessert

Prep time: 20 minutes
Proof time: 1 hour
Bake time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour and 40 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients:

Baba dough:

• 120 ml (1/2 cup) warm milk
• 15 g (1 Tbsp) fresh compressed yeast or 5 g dry instant yeast
• 115 g (4 oz) bread flour
• 170 g (6 oz) soft unsalted butter
• 225 g (8 oz) cake flour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt

• 55 g (2 oz) dark raisins
• 40 ml (2 Tbsp + 2 tsp) light rum
• 100 ml (1/4 cup + 3 Tbsp) water

Syrup:

• 960 ml (4 cups) water
• Lemon peels of 1 lemon
• 180 ml (3/4 cup) light rum
• 680 g (1 pound 8 ounces) granulated sugar

Gelatin Glaze:

• 5 g gelatine
• 25 g (1 Tbsp + 2 tsp) water
• 125 g (1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp) sugar
• 50 g (3 Tbsp + 1 tsp) water

Directions:

Baba Dough:

1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk. Stir in the bread flour and mix until you have a smooth, soft sponge. Let rise, covered, in a warm place until the sponge starts to bubble and fall.
2. Mix the eggs, vanilla, salt, and butter into the sponge.
3. Add the cake flour and mix until it becomes a soft, smooth paste. Incorporate the raisins.
4. Pipe the batter into the forms, dividing it evenly; they will be about half full. Let the babas rise until they fill the forms. Make sure they have proofed enough or the baked babas will not be able to absorb enough syrup.
5. Bake at 392°F (200°C) until golden brown and baked through, about 20 minutes. Remove from the forms as soon as possible and let cool.

Baba Syrup:

1. Place the water, sugar, and lemon peels in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for about 2 minutes or until all of the sugar has dissolved.
2. Remove from the heat, strain, and add the rum.
3. Place a few babas at a time in the hot syrup. Push them down and let them soak long enough to absorb as much of the syrup as they can. Soaking can take 20 seconds for a small pastry to 1 or 2 minutes for a large, multiple-serving size.
4. Carefully remove the babas from the syrup and place them inverted on a cooling rack.

Gelatin Glaze:

1. In a small bowl, mix 5 g of gelatin and 25 g of water, leave for 10 minutes.
2. In a small saucepan, combine 50 g of water and 125 g of sugar, cook until the sugar is dissolved.
3. Combine gelatin and hot sugar syrup in a saucepan. Beat with a mixer until thick and desired consistency.