Rum Baba

Rum baba is that very cake-shop classic: yeasted margarine dough baked in small molds, soaked in rum-scented syrup and coated with white sugar fondant. This batch makes 9. Honestly, you could swoon from how good they are - very tasty, recommended!

Rum Baba

The classic bakery-style rum baba: yeasted buns generously soaked in rum syrup and coated with white sugar fondant. Moist and absolutely delicious.

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Prep Time 40 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Rising and proofing 2 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Servings: 9 pieces

Course: Buns and rolls

Cuisine: Home cooking

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Dough

• 300 g flour
• 150 g water warm
• 15 g fresh yeast
• 1 egg or 2 egg yolks
• 50 g sugar
• 50 g margarine
• 1 pinch salt

Fondant

• 100 g sugar
• 35 ml water plus a little more boiled water to adjust

Syrup

• sugar to taste
• water to taste
• rum for flavor

Method

 

Dough

1. Dissolve the yeast in warm water.
2. Sift the flour with a pinch of salt into a bowl, mix, and beat in the egg (or 2 egg yolks).
3. In a separate bowl, melt the margarine with the sugar.
4. Pour the butter mixture and the yeast mixture into the flour, knead the dough and shape it into a ball. Put it in a warm place for 1.5 hours.
5. Knock back the risen dough, divide it into 9 pieces, and roll into balls in molds greased with vegetable oil. Let rest another 30 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven to 180 °C and bake the babas for 25 minutes. Remove and let cool.
   

Syrup and fondant

1. While the babas bake or cool, make the syrup: bring water and sugar to taste to a boil, turn off the heat, and flavor with rum.
2. For the fondant, put sugar and water in a saucepan, bring to a boil and cook down to 120 °C - about 5-7 minutes of boiling.
3. Whip the fondant with a mixer until white, then use a spatula and a little boiled water at a time to bring it to the right consistency. If it sets, just warm it and melt it again.
   

Assembly

1. Soak the babas well in the syrup, dipping narrow end first.
   
2. Flip the babas and coat with the fondant. Enjoy!
   

Notes

The syrup is made "by eye" - water and sugar to taste. Rum can be swapped for any other flavoring.

Tips

• You can use 2 egg yolks instead of a whole egg - that's what I did, and the dough comes out a bit richer.
• The syrup is made "by eye": water and sugar to taste, bring to a boil, turn off, and flavor with rum. There's no strict ratio here.
• Cook the fondant to 120 °C - about 5-7 minutes of boiling - then whip with a mixer until white, and use a spatula to bring it to the right consistency, adding a little boiled water at a time.
• Fondant set too firm? Just warm it and melt it again before glazing.
• Soak narrow end first, then flip and spread the fondant on top - that way the baba soaks up the syrup evenly.
• Don't skip the second proof: the dough balls in the molds need another 30 minutes to rest before going into the oven.