Flaming Baba au Rhum

Name: Flaming Baba au Rhum
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons sugar; 1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast; 4 large eggs, at room temperature; 250 grams all-purpose flour (2 cups); 4 grams fine sea salt (1/2 teaspoon); 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, slightly softened and cut into cubes, more for greasing pan; 55 grams bittersweet chocolate, chopped (1/3 cup); 150 grams dark brown sugar (3/4 cup); 1 1/2 inches fresh ginger, cut into coins; 3 strips orange peel; 2 whole cloves; 1 cinnamon stick; 3/4 cup dark rum; 1/2 cup heavy cream; 3/4 cup crème fraîche; 7 to 15 grams confectioner’s sugar (1 to 2 tablespoons), to taste; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

By Melissa Clark

Total Time: 2 hours, plus 2 hours’ rising
Rating: 4(356)
Comments: Read comments

While you can flambé pretty much any confection that’s soaked in a high-proof spirit, a baba au rhum is one of the booziest options. It’s based on an airy but rich yeast dough, which can absorb more liquor than your average cake without falling apart. And, unlike crepes, it’s easy to serve to a crowd. This is an afternoon project with delicious, sophisticated results.

Featured in: Flaming Baba au Rhum Earns the Oohs and Aahs

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings

2tablespoons sugar
1(¼-ounce) package active dry yeast
4large eggs, at room temperature
250grams all-purpose flour (2 cups)
4grams fine sea salt (½ teaspoon)
10tablespoons unsalted butter, slightly softened and cut into cubes, more for greasing pan
55grams bittersweet chocolate, chopped (⅓ cup)
150grams dark brown sugar (¾ cup)
1½inches fresh ginger, cut into coins
3strips orange peel
2whole cloves
1cinnamon stick
¾cup dark rum
½cup heavy cream
¾cup crème fraîche
7 to 15grams confectioner’s sugar (1 to 2 tablespoons), to taste
1teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

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Step 1
Pour ½ cup warm water into the bowl of an electric mixer. Stir in sugar and sprinkle in yeast. Let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
Step 2
With mixer on low, beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in flour and salt. Add butter, a few cubes at a time, and beat until batter is smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let stand in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Step 3
Grease a 10- or 12-cup bundt pan with softened butter. Spoon half the batter into bottom of pan. Sprinkle chocolate over top of batter, making sure the chocolate doesn’t touch the sides of the pan. Spoon remaining batter over chocolate. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
Step 4
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Remove plastic wrap and transfer pan to oven. Bake until deep golden and firm to the touch, 30 to 40 minutes. Let baba cool in the pan, set on a wire rack, for 10 minutes. Turn out onto rack while it is still warm and let cool completely.
Step 5
In a medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, 1½ cups water, ginger, orange peel, cloves and cinnamon. Bring to a boil over medium heat; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Strain into a bowl; discard solids. Stir ½ cup rum into liquid.
Step 6
Place wire rack with cake over a rimmed baking sheet. Pour rum syrup slowly over surface of cake, allowing excess to drip into baking sheet below. Pour extra syrup from pan into a bowl and then pour it back on top of cake. Repeat several times until most of the syrup has soaked into the cake. (Reserve extra syrup for serving; you should have a least ⅓ cup left over.
Step 7
In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip heavy cream to soft peaks. Beat in crème fraîche. Beat in confectioner’s sugar, to taste, and vanilla.
Step 8
Place cake on large platter. Place remaining ¼ cup rum in a small skillet over high heat. Tilt skillet slightly so that rum catches fire. (If you don't have a gas range, use a long-handled match or lighter to set rum on fire.) Pour flaming rum over cake and let it burn off. Spoon whipped cream into the hollow center of the cake, then slice; or slice and then dollop with whipped cream. Serve cake with reserved rum syrup.

Tip

Measurements for dry ingredients are given by weight for greater accuracy. The equivalent measurements by volume are approximate.

Ratings

4 out of 5

356 user ratings

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Comments

smaurya7 years ago

The chocolate didn't appeal to me in this recipe. Instead, I went with raisins, which Melissa Clark said is more traditional. I used 1/3 C raisins soaked in about 2 Tb of dark rum. I folded them in th batter after the first rise. The cake turned out delicious and I can't imagine it being better with chocolate.

Tim O.6 years ago

THE way to get syrup infused is to put the cooled brioche back in pan, pour on the liquid, and let macerate before unmolding again.

leah7 years ago

Substituting cake flour will be a very bad idea. This is a yeast bread and needs gluten to keep its shape.

ecpdx5 months ago

We’ve made this several times for Christmas and New Years. It’s absolutely delicious - yeasty, not too sweet with the richness of the chocolate and the fabulous boozy sauce. And you set it on fire! What could be more festive?

Cdud1 year ago

Wonder if substituting Genepy for the rum would get you close to Le Rock’s version?

seacook3 years ago

The cake was delicious and devoured quickly. I wish I had used a very simple bundt pan instead of my heavily fluted pan. I did butter it generously but the cake stuck hard. I also wish I had used chopped dried apricots marinated in rum rather than chocolate which migrated to the bottom and sides where it stuck hard to the pan. I’ll make both those changes when I make it again, which I will.

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