Babà al Rum Napoletano

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Stand mixer with paddle attachment
• •12 individual babà molds or dariole molds (60ml capacity)
• •Piping bag or two spoons for filling molds
• •Shallow baking dish for soaking
• •Wire cooling rack

Instructions

1. 1

   Activate the yeast

   Warm 60ml of water to 40°C, no hotter. Sprinkle the yeast over the surface and add a pinch of the measured sugar. Let it stand for 10 minutes. The yeast should foam and smell like bread. If it does not foam, your yeast is dead. Discard it and begin again with fresh yeast.

2. 2

   Build the dough

   In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, remaining sugar, and salt. Add the eggs and the activated yeast. Beat on medium speed for 10 minutes. The dough will be very sticky and will climb the paddle. This is correct. It should become smooth, elastic, and pull away from the sides of the bowl in long, stretchy strands.

   If making by hand, this dough cannot be kneaded conventionally. You must slap it against the bowl or work surface for 15 to 20 minutes. Your arm will tire. This is how you know you are working.
3. 3

   Incorporate the butter

   With the mixer running on medium-low, add the softened butter one tablespoon at a time. Wait until each addition is fully absorbed before adding the next. The dough will look curdled and slippery at first. Continue beating for another 5 minutes after all butter is added. The dough should become smooth, very glossy, and extremely elastic. When you lift the paddle, the dough should fall in long ribbons.

4. 4

   First rise

   Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in volume, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. The dough is ready when a finger pressed into the surface leaves an indentation that slowly springs back.

   A cold kitchen will slow the rise. If your kitchen is below 21°C, place the covered bowl in an oven with only the light on. The bulb provides gentle warmth.
5. 5

   Fill the molds

   Generously butter 12 individual babà molds or dariole molds, approximately 60ml capacity each. Deflate the dough gently with a spatula. Using a piping bag or two spoons, fill each mold one-third full. The dough is too sticky to handle with your hands. Do not attempt it.

6. 6

   Second rise

   Place the filled molds on a baking sheet. Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel. Let rise until the dough reaches just below the rim of the molds, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Do not let it rise above the rim or it will collapse in the oven.

7. 7

   Bake until deeply golden

   Heat your oven to 190°C. Bake the babà for 20 to 25 minutes, until they are a deep burnished gold and spring back when pressed gently. They must be well-colored. A pale babà will not absorb the syrup properly because the crust is not fully set. Unmold immediately onto a wire rack.

   If the tops brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the final minutes. But do not underbake. The structure must be firm enough to withstand the soaking.
8. 8

   Make the rum syrup

   While the babà bake, combine the sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar completely. Remove from heat and let cool to about 60°C, warm but not hot. Stir in the rum. The syrup should be warm, not boiling. Hot syrup will destroy the delicate crumb.

9. 9

   Soak the babà

   This is the critical step. Place the warm babà in a shallow baking dish. Pour the warm syrup over them. Let them soak, turning occasionally with a slotted spoon, for at least 15 minutes. Press each one gently with your fingers. Syrup should ooze out immediately. If it does not, continue soaking. The babà must be saturated completely. Neapolitans say a properly soaked babà should weep rum when you lift it.

   If your babà are stubborn and refuse to absorb, prick them lightly with a skewer. But this means your crumb was too tight, likely from insufficient beating or overproofing.
10. 10

    Finish and serve

    Lift the soaked babà carefully to a serving plate. If desired, brush with warm strained apricot jam for a glossy finish. Serve within a few hours, at room temperature, with a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream. The cream cuts the sweetness and provides contrast. Do not refrigerate. Cold ruins the texture.

Chef Tips

• •The rum you choose matters. Use a good dark rum with depth and character. Cheap rum tastes cheap, and there is nothing to hide behind here.
• •Neapolitan pasticcerie often add a splash of the local limoncello to the syrup. This is permissible. It is not required.
• •If the babà seem overly boozy for your taste, reduce the rum to 150ml and add more after tasting the syrup. You can always add more. You cannot take it away.
• •The dough can be refrigerated overnight after the first rise. Let it come to room temperature before shaping. Some say the slow cold fermentation improves flavor. I do not disagree.

Advance Preparation

• •The syrup can be made several days ahead and refrigerated. Rewarm before using. Cold syrup will not penetrate properly.
• •Baked, unsoaked babà can be wrapped tightly and frozen for one month. Thaw completely and warm gently in a low oven before soaking.
• •Once soaked, babà are best within 6 hours. They will keep overnight at room temperature but begin to weep. Never refrigerate them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 115g)