Flamed Rum Babas Exeter Recipes

Steps:

• To marinate the fruit: Combine the fruit, sugar, vanilla, mint, and cinnamon in a bowl and mix well. Let the fruit marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours.
• To prepare the syrup: In a saucepan over high heat, combine the sugar, water, and bourbon, and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes, remove the pan from the heat, and set aside, or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
• To prepare the babas: In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer, combing the water, yeast, and sugar and mix just to combine. Let it sit until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg, flour, orange zest, and butter and mix until elastic but very soft. Let the dough rise in a warm place until it doubles in volume, 15 to 20 minutes. Punch the dough down. Spoon the dough into greased muffin tins, filling them one-third to one-half full. Let the dough rise again until doubled in volume, 20 to 30 minutes.
• While the babas are rising, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the babas until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and place on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Prick the tops of the babas with a skewer or fork. Warm the syrup over medium heat. Ladle all of the warm syrup over the babas, letting it soak in.
• To serve: Place the babas on individual plates. Distribute the fruit among the babas, and top with whipped cream. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Bring milk to luke-warm temperature. Melt butter and allow to cool. Measure butter, sugar and rum. Finely chop peel. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Warm bowl. Place the sifted flour into the warmed bowl and make a well in the flour. Add the crumbled yeast, 3/8 cup of the milk, the sugar and salt. Mix until the yeast has dissolved and then add the eggs and beat with the hands until well combined and smooth. Cover the bowl and put into a warm place for 45 minutes so that the mixture will prove. After 45 minutes remove the bowl and add the cooled, melted butter and the remaining 1/4 cup milk. Beat hard for a couple of minutes and then half fill 4 greased small cake molds. Cover the mold and place in a warm place for a further 10 minutes. Place the mold with the risen mixture into the oven and cook for 20 minutes. Unmold onto a cake rack and allow to cool a little. Place the butter with the sugar into a frypan and stir to form a fudge - add 1 tablespoon of rum and the sultanas, peel and grapes. Coat in the fudge mixture. Place the babas in the fudge mixture - prick lightly with a fork and turn in the sauce. Pour 2 tablespoons of rum over each baba and then set alight. Place individual babas on serving dishes - cover with the sauce and serve accompanied by the whipped cream.