Baking Baba with Fellow Bloggers

(Baba au Rhum served with honey-whipped cream and backyard blackberries)

I like to think I can rise to the challenge, whatever might come my way in life, but I'm not talking about impending issues, here, merely Baba au Rhum, a dessert I've often admired but never made.

That's why I agreed to accept the Baking Baba with Fellow Bloggers challenge posed by Michele from Veggie Num Nums. Jill from Jill's Blog also accepted the invitation, so head over to their luscious-looking blogs and check out their versions of this classic dessert spiked with rum. While you're there, peruse their repertoire of recipes; these are two amazing cooks!

(The cooked babas are left to soak in a rum syrup for several minutes)

I read somewhere the word "baba" is French for "falling over" or "dizzy," but, thankfully, I remained on my feet during the whole process.

I remember the babas that came in the big pastry box my relatives from the Bronx would bring from Ferrara's in Little Italy when visiting us in the country on Sundays. I never cared for them when I was young, as this is definitely an adult dessert.

Baba is a rich yeasted dough made with lots of eggs and butter. It rose three times before baking, yielding a light, flaky dough, which acts like a sponge when dunked in the rum syrup.

(The third, and final, rising of the baba in the muffin tins)

I fretted a bit about not having the proper pans to make it in, such as brioche molds or popover tins. Standard-sized muffin tins worked like a charm, and it was quite exciting to open the oven door to reveal these puffy pastries in all their golden glory, not to mention their intoxicating scent.

Michele chose Sandy D'Amato's recipe for Baba au Rhum from his weekly column and recipe in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Sunday Entree Section, The Kitchen Technician. The James Beard Award-winner is the chef/co-owner of Sanford Restaurant and Harlequin Bakery in Milwaukee.

Good choice, Michele!

I changed it up a bit by adding a bit of grated lemon and orange zest to the dough and a dash of cinnamon. I entertained the notion of using lemoncello instead of rum in the syrup, but decided to spring for the Myers Rum called for in the recipe. The rum is something I would use again in recipes or when the need for a mojito strikes!

I really liked the brewed tea in the syrup recipe; I used Darjeeling, but if I had some jasmine tea in the house, I would have tried that for its floral notes. Next time I make this luscious recipe, I am going to try the lemoncello in place of the rum along with some freshly squeezed lemon juice.

This is certainly a royal dessert to make for a special occasion or simply to treat yourself and family to something nice — go ahead, you deserve it!

(Remove the baba from the tins and cool before soaking in the syrup)

Baba au Rhum

Makes 10 servings

1. 2 1/2 teaspoons baking yeast
2. 1/4 cup warm whole milk
3. 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour, and 2 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (divided)
4. 2 tablespoons sugar
5. 1 tablespoon salt
6. 4 eggs, room temperature
7. 2 egg yolks, room temperature
8. 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature plus butter to coat pans (divided)
9. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10. 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
11. 1 teaspoon grated orange rind
12. Dash of cinnamon
13. Rum syrup (see recipe)
14. Whipped cream or ice cream and additional rum to garnish
    

(The first rising of the baba yields a silky, sticky dough)

1. Place yeast, milk and the 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour in a mixing bowl fitted with a paddle.
2. Mix until combined, cover with plastic and let rest 10 minutes.
3. Add sugar, salt and half of the remaining flour and mix until combined.
4. Switch from paddle to dough hook.
5. Combine eggs, egg yolks and vanilla and gradually add alternately with remaining flour to form smooth dough.
6. Once incorporated, continue to mix on medium speed for 5 minutes until shiny and elastic.
7. Add the 10 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons at a time with mixer running on medium speed, until butter is evenly incorporated.
8. Continue mixing for 5 minutes, or until dough is elastic.
   

(The dough will be sticky after mixing, but don't be alarmed, it will come together nicely)

1. Scrape dough into a large, buttered mixing bowl; turning once so the butter coats all sides of the dough.
2. Cover dough and set in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
3. Gently punch dough down and divide into 10 equal pieces, about 2 to 3 ounces each.
4. Roll each piece into a loose rough ball and cover and proof for 20 more minutes.
5. Roll pieces into final balls, place into greased individual brioche molds, popover pans or standard size muffin cups, cover and proof another 20 to 30 minutes until almost doubled in size.
6. After dough has doubled, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
7. Bake 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown.
8. Remove from molds and cool on rack.
   

(Let the babas cool on a rack for a few minutes before removing from pan)

While babas bake (don't you love they way that sounds: "while Babas bake"!), make rum syrup.

To assemble: Once both the syrup and the babas are cooled, soak babas in syrup, flipping every couple of minutes until saturated, but not falling apart. Place on a large wire rack and allow excess liquid to drain. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream with remaining syrup strained and poured around) and an additional sprinkling of rum at the end.
Garnish with fresh berries.

Rum syrup:

1. 1 cup brewed black tea
2. 2 cups water
3. 1 pound sugar
4. Juice of half a lemon
5. Juice of half an orange
6. 1/2 cup rum (Myers's Dark Rum)

• Combine all ingredients except rum and bring to a boil.
  
• Remove from heat and cool. Add rum and mix.

This Baba au Rhum is an exotic treat worthy of its tipsy name.

Thanks, Michele and Jill, for being part of this fun, culinary project! It was nice to share a baba together with you in this virtual world.