Do you know what baba au rhum is? Know more about this French dessert recipe easy to make

Baba au Rhum, sometimes simply referred to as Baba, is a classic French dessert that dates back to the 18th century. This yeasted cake, soaked in rum, is known for its rich taste and also an equally rich origin story. Baba au Rhum is typically cylindrical shaped, and is made for individual servings. It’s so indulgent and luxurious because it’s also sometimes filled with cream that just one is enough to satiate you for a while. So make this french dessert recipes easy to make and enjoy it right in your home.

History of Baba Au Rhum

The story of this cake is credited to Stanislaus I, the exiled king of Poland and father in law to Louis XV of France. While in exile in Lorraine, Stanislaus was served a gugelhopf, which is similar to Bundt cake and leavened with baker’s yeast. Finding it too dry, the exiled king decided to soak it in rum. As for the name of the dessert, it comes from the Polish word “baba”, which means “grandmother” or “old woman”. Although some sources believe that the dish is named after the Eastern European bread “babka”.

The recipe for the baba au rhum was refined to what it is now by French bakers, who added their own ideas and innovation. One of them was the exiled king’s personal baker Nicolas Stohrer, who decided to add Malaga wine (later replaced with rum), saffron, raisins, and crème patisserie (custard). Stohrer eventually moved to Versailles with Stanislaus’s daughter Marie Leszczyńska when she married Louis XV. In Paris, he founded his bakery in 1730, which is still functional today. Stohrer can also be credited with other French bakery classics like the Chiboust cream tart, and the puits d’amour.

The Contemporary Baba Au Rhum

The baba au rhum has obviously gone through some modifications and changes over the years, however, it still remains a popular dessert in French patisseries and gourmet restaurants. The contemporary baba au rhum is now cylindrical or ring-shaped, and can be soaked in not just rum but also Grand Marnier and kirsch. You don’t have to fly all the way down to France for a bite of this delectable dessert. You can make it right at home with Cadbury Dessert Corner!

Recipe for Baba Au Rhum

Ingredients:

For the babas:

• 240 ml boiling water
• 247 g flour
• 115 g softened butter
• 71 g raisins
• 4 eggs
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 ½ tsp active dry yeast
• ½ tsp salt

For the rum syrup:

• 420 ml water
• 170 g granulated sugar
• 213 g honey
• Zest of an orange
• 3 cloves
• 180 ml rum
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Whipped cream, for serving

Instructions:

• First rinse the raisins thoroughly, then soak them in boiling water for half an hour so they plump up.
• Then drain the water and retain about 60 ml of it.
• Crack all of the eggs and whisk in the soaking liquid into them. Set aside.
• In a large and wide vessel, sift the flour, then add sugar, yeast and salt.
• Then mix in the softened butter into the flour with your hands until you get a crumbly dough.
• Now add the eggs with the soaking liquid, followed by the plumped raisins.
• Incorporate the wet ingredients well into the dough and knead for 5 minutes until you get a soft dough.
• Place the dough in an oiled bowl, then cover with the kitchen towel and leave the dough to proof in a warm corner of your kitchen. This should take about an hour to 1 ½ hours.
• As the dough’s proofing is coming to an end, start working on the rum syrup.
• Add water, sugar, orange zest, and cloves in a saucepan and bring this to a simmer on medium flame.
• Bring the heat down and let the syrup simmer and slightly thicken for 10 minutes.
• Add 180 ml of rum along with vanilla extract to the saucepan. Mix and let the syrup cool down.
• For the babas, divide the risen dough into 12 balls and line a cupcake tin with some softened butter.
• Roll the balls out and then place them in the cupcake tin. Then cover and let the dough rise for a second time for about half an hour.
• In the meantime, preheat the oven to 190 C.
• Place the cupcake tin in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the tops are golden.
• Two hours before serving, place the babas in a baking dish, then add the rum syrup to it. Let them soak completely and become juicy.

To serve, place a baba on a dessert plate, drizzle with rum syrup, some more rum, and whipped cream.