Rum Babas Soaked in Vanilla Citrus Syrup

What you need

• 60 ml (1/4 cup) whole milk, lukewarm
• 7 g (1 packet) active dry yeast
• 20 g (1 1/2 tbsp) granulated sugar, for the dough
• 250 g (2 cups) bread flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 90 g (6 tbsp) unsalted butter, very soft, plus extra for the moulds
• 500 ml (2 cups) water
• 250 g (1 1/4 cups) granulated sugar, for soaking
• 1 vanilla pod, split
• 1 orange, zest pared in strips
• 1 lemon, zest pared in strips
• 120 ml (1/2 cup) dark rum
• 120 g (1/3 cup) apricot jam
• 250 ml (1 cup) heavy cream, cold
• 1 tbsp icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Stir the yeast and 1 tsp of the dough sugar into the milk and leave until foamy, 5-10 min.

2. 2

   In a stand mixer with the paddle, combine the flour, salt, remaining dough sugar and yeast mixture.

3. 3

   With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time. Beat on medium for 8-10 min until the dough is glossy, elastic and pulls from the sides of the bowl.

4. 4

   Add the butter a spoonful at a time, beating until each piece disappears. The dough stays soft and sticky.

5. 5

   Cover the bowl and leave in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour.

6. 6

   Butter 10 baba or small dariole moulds well. Fill each halfway with dough.

7. 7

   Cover loosely and let rise until the dough nearly reaches the rims, 30-45 min. Meanwhile heat the oven to 190 °C (375 °F).

8. 8

   Bake until deep golden brown, 18-22 min. Turn the babas out onto a rack and let them cool and firm up.

9. 9

   For the soaking liquid, bring the water, sugar, vanilla pod, orange zest and lemon zest to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Take off the heat and cool for 10 min.

10. 10

    Stir the rum into the warm liquid.

11. 11

    Lower a few babas at a time into the warm rum liquid and leave for 10 min, turning halfway, until heavy and soaked through. Lift onto a rack set over a tray to drain.

12. 12

    Warm the jam with a splash of water and press it through a sieve. Brush it over the babas to glaze.

13. 13

    Whip the cream with the icing sugar and vanilla extract to soft peaks.

14. 14

    Serve each baba with a spoonful of cream and a little extra soaking liquid poured over.

Imported from baking-sense.com. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.