I have tried making many of the pastries and breads that we enjoyed in France in my own kitchen…usually without much success. I don’t have any professional training for such things, know that ingredients found in French patisseries and boulangeries are different that what is available here, and also know that a big part of the enjoyment of these delectable baked goods is that they are consumed in France…not in my kitchen.
I have found several recipes that are close to what I remember…I’ve made macarons many times and will occasionally turn out a batch that is at least respectable…and this recipe for Baba au Rhum from Ina Garten’s cookbook,”Barefoot in Paris.” Ina and her husband Jeffrey visit Paris often and her book contains wonderful little stories and tips about the city in addition to her always excellent, never fail recipes.
If you aren’t familiar with Baba au Rhum it is a small yeast cake saturated in liquor, usually rum. It was invented in the rue Montorgueil in Paris around 1835 by Nicolas Stohrer who was said to have revived a stale cake by soaking it in rum. It is a common practice today to let the Baba dry a little so that it soaks up the syrup better. Later the recipe was refined by mixing the rum with a sugar syrup. Ina’s recipe for this classic French dessert calls for an apricot syrup to be brushed on the cake over the rum syrup. This step may be “gilding the lily” but it does add a delicious fruity sweetness to the finished cake.
Stohrer, opened in 1730, is the oldest pastry shop in Paris and is still located at 51 rue Montorgueil in the second arrondissement.
Ina’s recipe makes a very soft dough, too soft to handle, and is spooned into the well buttered mold. I tapped the mold on the counter top several times to bring any air bubbles to the surface. There were several big ones that I pierced with a fork. You don’t want big holes in the cake. I used King Arthur Pastry Flour instead of the all-purpose flour listed in the recipe, and made the rum syrup with Meyer’s Dark Rum. The apricot glaze was made with homemade APRICOT PINEAPPLE JAM, a recipe from A Feast for the Eyes.
My friend Linda, at CIAO CHOW LINDA, made the excellent suggestion in her Baba au Rhum recipe to pour half the rum syrup over the cake while it is still in the pan and then turn it out right side up and glaze the rest of the cake. There is a lot of syrup and the cake should absorb all of it. I have made the rum soaked cake the day before I want to serve it and brushed it with the warm apricot preserves just before serving. Isn’t that glaze beautiful? Don’t you just want to take a big bite out of it right now? If you get the urge to try a famous French pastry at home I hope you will try this beautiful Baba. It’s so delicious and very impressive and I think your family will love it.
This post is linked to FOODIE FRIDAY at Rattlebridge Farm.
- ⅓ cup dried currants
- 1 tablespoon good dark rum
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup milk
- 1 package dry yeast (2-1/4 teaspoon or 8g)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
- 1-2/3 cup all-purpose flour (I used King Arthur Pastry Flour)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar
- ⅔ cup good rum
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup apricot preserves
- Combine the currants and rum in a small bowl and set aside. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and brush a 5-cup (6-1/2 inch X 3-1/2 inch) tube pan or kugelhopf mold with the melted butter. Be sure to coat every crevice of the pan.
- Heat the milk to 114 degrees and then pout it into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Stir in the yeast and sugar and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
- With the mixer on low speed, first add the eggs, then the flour, salt, and remaining 4 tablespoons of butter. Raise the speed to medium-high and beat for 5 minutes. 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, about 1 hour.
- Drain the currants, fold them into the dough with a spatula, and spoon into the prepared pan. Smooth the top, cover the pan with a damp towel, and allow to rise until the dough reaches the top of the pan, about 50 minutes to 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and make the rum syrup.
- Bake the cake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then tap it out of the mold onto a baking rack set over a sheet pan. Pour all of the rum syrup very slowly onto the warm cake, allowing it all to soak in thoroughly. Amazingly, the liquid will be absorbed into the cake, so be sure to use all of the syrup. After the syrup has been absorbed into it, brush the cake with the apricot preserves.
- Place the sugar and 1-1/2 cups water in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until the sugar dissolves. Pour into a 4-cup heat-proof measuring cup and allow to cool. Add the rum and vanilla and set aside.
- Heat the preserves with 1 tablespoon of water until runny, press it through a sieve, and brush it on the cake after the cake has been soaked in the rum syrup.
- Served with whipped cream or pastry cream if desired.
Cathy, you have a crowning achievement there. I usually partake of the miniature molded Baba’s in France. Very rich, but very nice. Your photos are excellent as well.
Susan recently posted..This is our Rachel
Thanks, Susan. I used this mold because I really like it, but the small cakes are delicious too and absorb the syrups from all sides. I’ll do another post one of these days and use the little copper molds I bought at Dehillerin last spring. It’s a delicious and fun dessert to make.
Cathy recently posted..Baba au Rhum
Oh my Cathy. This looks delicious. I need to go buy a baba mold to make this. Your photos are wonderful. Great job!
Penny recently posted..Tomato, Sweet Corn and Basil Risotto Cakes
That looks beautiful. And it also looks like it would be worth every bite to eat each calorie!!!!
Hi Cathy, I love the look of this beautiful Baba au Rhum, first time I am seeing this!
Jeannie Tay recently posted..Mandarin Orange spongecake
Gorgeous recipe Cathy! I won’t rest until I make this. Can’t wait.
Karen Harris recently posted..Smashburger Review and Giveaway
Beautiful! What a great job you have done. I know hat Ina Garten’s recipe is wonderful, and doubtless well tested, but your talent and skill are what put this one over the top. Well done! I’d like a big slice, please!
Thank you, Adri. This really was easy to make. I wish I could bring you a big slice of this cake.
Cathy recently posted..Baba au Rhum
I usually avoid eating things I can’t pronounce, but I would sure make an exception in this case – it looks awesome.
Larry recently posted..2013 Florida Trip – Cedar Key & Tony’s
This is so good, Larry. I bet you would really enjoy it. Thanks for your comment.
Cathy recently posted..Baba au Rhum
Had to Pin..for the ebauty of the baba and the photos:)
I picked the one with the book and glasses:)
This looks magnifique Cathy
Monique recently posted..Pain Du Jour~
Cathy, this is just awesome and looks as if it came from a famous Paris patisserie. I am VERY impressed and I know it must taste fabulous after it soaked in all of the rum. Myers dark rum is fabulous with such a deep rich flavor. It’s also good as a floater on an orange juice 🙂
Sam
Sam @ My Carolina Kitchen recently posted..A Quick French Cassoulet / Sausages and White Beans Cassoulet-Style
The weird thing is, I’m not a big fan of liquor soaked baked goods, though I love pouring into my braised recipes. With that said, this recipe is a whole different animal! I love the idea of the apricon jam– and thank you for the shout out on my apricot-pineapple jam recipe, Cathy! I have this cookbook, and need to revisit it. Ina’s recipes are always excellent. One day… I WILL make it to Paris. You make me want to go there in a big way. Gorgeous!
Foodiewife recently posted..Sauerbraten (German Beef Pot Roast with Gingersnap Sauce)
Thanks for the shout-out Cathy. You have created one gorgeous babà. I’ve seen Ina make it on an episode of her show and you have done her justice and more. I think I’ll adapt that marmalade glaze next time I make babà too. Now you’ve got me hankering for a big slice.
ciaochowlinda recently posted..Banana Cake with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
I just know I would love this one. It looks totally amazing and delicious.
My husband cannot have any alcohol and if I went to all the work I would
want to share with him. Hummm? Wondering about a substitute?
Marilyn recently posted..Fragrance
What a beautiful cake! I have seen Ina make this and I even have the same book, but I love your extra comments. Your photos are excellent.
This is a great showy cake and I know it’s delicious! This is a must try after I purchase the mold, thanks for the recipe!
Ooh Cathy, your Baba ah Rhum is simply a gorgeous creation! Ina’s recipes are winners and I’m sure she would be impressed with this beauty.
Kittys recently posted..Hello Kitty Cookies
Impressive, Cathy! I have watched Ina prepare the cake and have always thought it would be nice to make one…I love the idea of brushing it with the apricot glaze.
Kate recently posted..Cremated Chicken
Such a gorgeous cake, Cathy! I love that it’s glazed twice! And I have just the pan for this beauty 🙂
What a beautiful baba. Since I’m not heading to Paris anytime soon I will just have to resort to this recipe. And it looks like that will be a great resort!
Abbe@This is How I Cook recently posted..It Doesn’t Get Much Better than Fudge Brownies with Cookie Dough Filling
Never heard of this before, sounds heavenly. I do love that about Ina’s recipes they are almost always fail proof. Thanks for sharing.
cheri recently posted..Dark Chocolate Cake Doughnuts with Chocolate Ganache Topping
This looks beyond delicious, Cathy.
Angie@Angie’s Recipes recently posted..Shirataki Spaghetti Stir-fry with Shrimp
And here I sit with a nice strong cup of coffee… but no cake. It looks beautiful Cathy, I’m sure it tastes even better-enjoy:@)
This sounds delicious.
I saw Ina do this as a possible wedding rehearsal dinner dessert. It looks delicious and I am inspired to put one on our dessert table!!
Best,
Bonnie
Bonnie recently posted..Remembrance of Things Past* Redux
That’s one WOW dessert, Cathy! I’ve seen Ina make it, but still haven’t tried it myself. The dark rum is a great idea. Just a gorgeous cake and such a lovely presentation. Kudos!
Cathy, you should be so very proud of that cake. It’s beautiful. And something weird happened when I looked at that fifth photo, I actually thought I smelled rum. 🙂
Lea Ann (Cooking On The Ranch) recently posted..Tequila Fish Tacos
Just beautiful! It does look delicious! The glaze is the cherry on top!
Kathleen recently posted..St. Patrick’s Day Food Ideas~ Not Always so Traditional!
I think your baba au rhum looks as good as any you would find in France.
Karen (Back Road Journal) recently posted..Deconstructed Chicken Pot Pie
It is indeed impressive, Cathy! It seems you just can’t go wrong with Ina’s recipes and here is another beautiful example. I may be looking for another cake mold soon 🙂
Susan recently posted..Delicious Salmon Cakes
Ahh, I wish I would have read your post before my Food ‘n Flix posting this month. 🙂
What a wonderful creation! I love Ina Garten’s recipes and your baba au rhum would definitely get her approval, Cathy!
Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti recently posted..Eagles in Cherry Creek State Park
It looks beautiful and delicious Cathy!
Pam recently posted..Slow Simmered Meat Sauce with Ground Turkey and Italian Sausage
I made your tasty baba au rum & it was super delicious !!!! My husband thought so too! Divine, my friend. X
Sophie recently posted..My Dad’s wholemeal spelt apple tart!
This recipe was a big hit at our mother’s day brunch 🙂 For my husband and I, it wasn’t sentimental enough to be a repeat, but the extended family loved it!