Rum Baba (Baba au Rhum)

What we know today as rum baba (or baba au rhum) began in the 18th century in Lorraine, France. The original was a large molded yeast cake known as a “Gugelhupf”, often containing dried fruits, that was soaked in alcohol.

The more modern version — developed in Paris, some years later, in the early 19th century — is a yeast cake or bun, soaked in a rum simple syrup and topped with whipped cream. Different versions of the dessert are now served all over the world.

I developed this recipe inspired by these traditional roots — just as you would get in a typical Parisian bakery. I like to add orange juice and zest to my rum syrup to give it an extra punch of flavor.

CHOOSING THE BEST RUM BABA MOLDS

1. Mini Popover Pan (my favorite)

I tested a number of different molds for making babas, and I’ve found my absolute favorite is actually a mini popover pan. This is the one I use, and it makes perfectly sized babas that come out nice and golden brown every time.

2. Individual Baba Molds

It was very challenging to find the more traditional (individual) baba molds. The molds that I did find were often too large, or made from stainless steel. I found the stainless steel molds didn’t give the babas that classic golden-brown color that I was looking for, largely because of the way they conduct heat. Of course, you may have better luck finding individual molds in your area that work well for this recipe — just be sure they are made from a good-quality aluminum, which tends to produce a better result.

3. Silicone Molds

Similar to stainless steel molds, I wasn’t satisfied that there wasn’t enough browning when using silicone molds.

4. Muffin Tins

I did, however, have success using a muffin tin. Though less of a traditional shape, a standard muffin tin still makes beautifully golden-brown babas.

DON’T OVERFILL YOUR MOLDS!

The one important thing to remember – no matter which mold you use — is to not overfill them. You only need to fill each mold 1/3 of the way, as they will undergo a second rising in the molds, and then also puff up in the oven while baking!

WHAT IS THE BEST RUM FOR RUM BABA?

When choosing a rum for rum baba, it’s best to go for a good-quality dark rum, given that the rum lends a lot of its flavor to the final dessert. A lower-quality rum will taste heavily of alcohol, without any depth of flavor. My personal favorite is Mount Gay, though any good-quality Caribbean dark rum would work perfectly.

PREPARING THE BABA DOUGH

In a small bowl, microwave the milk until it is between 100℉ and 110℉. Stir in the sugar and yeast, and allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes. Note that the yeast may not fully dissolve due to the fat content in the milk — this is okay!

To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, add in the yeast mixture, along with the eggs, and mix with a fork until well combined. 

Add in the flour and salt, and mix on a low speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, until the dough comes together. Turn the mixer on high speed and mix for 5 minutes, until smooth.

Turn the mixer back down to a low speed and add in the softened butter, one Tablespoon at a time. Continue mixing and adding in the softened  butter for about 2 to 3 minutes, until it is all incorporated into the dough.

Once all of the butter has been incorporated, turn the mixer back to a high speed and allow it to knead for 5 minutes. (This step takes longer than you might think, so I recommend using a timer). When finished, the dough should be slightly less sticky and fairly elastic. You should be able to pull a good-sized strand of dough without it breaking.

Remove the bowl from the stand mixer, scrape down the sides, cover it with plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise for 60 minutes, or until doubled in volume.

BAKING THE BABAS

When the dough is almost done rising, grease the baba molds with a bit of melted butter using a pastry brush (or your fingers). 

Once the dough has risen, lightly flour your hands and deflate the dough with your fingers (it will still be quite sticky). Empty the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and cut it into pieces that will fill the molds by 1/3.

This recipe yields 16 two-inch baba molds (each about 3 oz). You can use a scale to measure them out exactly, but work quickly so that they all rise evenly. The most important thing here is to be sure that your baba molds (whatever size you are using) are only filled about 1/3 of the way up when pressed down gently. If you have leftover dough, use additional molds or place the dough in the fridge to use later. Do not overfill the molds!

Place the molds on a baking sheet and cover them using a piece of plastic wrap greased with melted butter. (This will prevent the dough from sticking to the plastic wrap.) Allow them to rise a second time, for about 25 to 30 minutes (depending on the temperature of your kitchen), until the dough has reached the rim of the molds.

While your babas are rising, preheat your oven to 375℉.

Once risen, place the baking sheet with your babas in the center of the oven and bake for about 11 to 15 minutes, until they become nicely golden brown. Make sure they are spread out evenly on your baking sheet to allow enough air to circulate around each mold.

Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes still in the molds, before removing them from the molds and allowing them to cool completely on a wire rack.

PREPARING THE RUM SYRUP

In a saucepan, add in the sugar, water, orange zest and juice, and the vanilla bean pod or extract. (Remember, if you are using a vanilla bean, to first remove the seeds and reserve them for the whipped cream).

Place the saucepan over medium heat and swirl the pan until all of the sugar has dissolved. Bring the syrup to a simmer and allow it to simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and place it on a wire rack to cool for 25 to 30 minutes, until it is lukewarm.

Once the syrup is lukewarm, strain it into a large bowl or dish to remove the orange zest and vanilla bean pod.

Finally, stir in the rum.

Place the babas into the syrup, pressing them down and turning them until they absorb the syrup. They will float at first but will become heavy and sink slightly as they absorb the syrup. You can also use a toothpick or wooden skewer to poke holes in each baba so that more syrup reaches the inside.

Place the engorged babas on a wire rack over a sheet pan, spoon any remaining syrup over the top, and then allow them to drip off any excess syrup for 30 minutes. In the meantime, begin preparing the apricot glaze.

PREPARING THE APRICOT GLAZE

In a small saucepan, heat the apricot jam over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until it has loosened.

Pass the heated apricot jam through a sieve to remove any pieces of apricot.

Add in 1 to 2 Tablespoons of sugar (depending on the sweetness of your jam), along with 1 Tablespoon of rum.

Heat the mixture over medium heat until it bubbles and thickens slightly. Remove the glaze from the heat and allow it to cool for about 5 minutes. It should still be warm, but not hot.

Using a pastry brush, brush each baba with the glaze and then place them on a plate. Once all of the babas have been glazed, place them in the fridge for at least an hour.

PREPARING THE WHIPPED CREAM

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the wire whip attachment, add in the cream, reserved vanilla seeds (or ½ tsp vanilla extract), and powdered sugar.

Mix at high speed until soft peaks form. Serve immediately with the finished babas.