Chef/Owner Jérôme Boulanger,
Le Croissant
This is a potent pastry! Adjust the amount of rum according to your taste. The immediate punch of rum permeates the whole cake.
Ingredients
Babas
5 cups flour
5 eggs
1 Tbsp salt
5 tsp sugar
5 tsp yeast
1/3 cup plus 5 tsp milk (for the yeast)
1/3 cup plus 5 tsp milk (for the butter)
2/3 cup butter
Syrup
4 cups water
1 1/3 cups sugar
zest of one orange
1/3 cup plus 5 tsp rum
Whipped Cream
4 cups 35% cream
1 cup sugar
10 tsp rum
glazed fruits
Method
Babas
- In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, sugar and eggs.
- In a small saucepan, heat 1/3 cup plus 5 tsp of milk with the yeast to 104˚F. Add to flour mixture.
- Knead the pastry until it becomes elastic and the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl.
- Melt the butter with the remaining milk and add to the dough.
- Knead again, until all the liquid has been absorbed and doesn’t stick.
- Form a ball with the pastry. Return to the bowl, cover with a clean, damp towel and chill about 1 hour.
- Butter and flour muffin tins.
- Cut the pastry in 12 equal portions and roll into balls.
- Place dough balls in tins. Let rise about an hour until doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 350˚F. Bake approx 45 min until golden brown.
Syrup
- In a medium pot, boil water, sugar and zest. Remove from heat. Add rum.
- Immerse the babas in the syrup and let soak like a sponge. Remove from syrup. Place on a plate and chill.
- Whip cream with sugar and rum.
- Serve fresh with whipped cream garnish and glazed fruits.
Yields 12 servings