Jeff's Recipes Chef’s Table

Rum Babas with Creme Chantilly

Ingredients

For the dough
• 80g sultanas
• 250g strong plain white flour
• 3g sea salt
• 10g caster sugar
• 15g fresh yeast
• 65ml lukewarm full-fat milk
• 4 small free-range eggs, beaten
• 120g unsalted butter, melted#40g softened unsalted butter, for greasing
• 50ml Dark Navy rum, for soaking

For the rum baba syrup and raisins
• 1 litre water
• 600g caster sugar
• 500ml Dark Navy rum
• 200g raisins moelleux or large gold raisins

For the apricot glaze
• 200g apricot jam
• 4 teaspoons water

For the creme chantilly
• 200ml chilled whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons creme fraiche
• 20g icing sugar
• 1 vanilla pod, split in half lengthwise and seeds scraped out

Preparation method

For the dough:-
1.    Put the sultanans into a bowl, cover with boiling water and leave to soak for 1 hour,
       then drain.
2.    Sift flour into the bowl of a small electric stand mixer fitted with a dough hook
       attachment and turn on to the lowest speed.
3.    Add the salt and the caster sugar.
4.    Dissolve the yeast in the milk and then add this to the flour mixture.
5.    Turn up the speed on the mixer a little, add the eggs and mix until the dough comes
       together.
6.    Slowly add the melted butter until the dough tightens and all the butter is incorporated.
7.    Finally, add the soaked sultanas and mix for 1 minute.
9.    Transfer the dough to a clean bowl, cover with cling film and leave at room temperature
       until doubled in size.
10.  Return to the mixer and mix on a high speed for 2 minutes to knock the dough back.
11.  Put the dough into a piping bag fitted with a large plain nozzle.
12.  Lightly grease 8 dariole moulds (each about 5.5cm x 5cm) with softened butter and dust
       each one with a little flour.
13.  Pipe some dough into each mould, filling half full (cutting the dough with a pair of
       scissors to finish each one).
14.  Cover with cling film and leave in a warm place again until doubled in size.
15.  Bake in an oven preheated to 220°C/Gas Mark 7 for about 5 minutes, then reduce
       the temperature to 200˚C/Gas Mark 6 and cook for 12–15 minutes longer, until
       golden brown.
16.  Remove from the oven, turn out on to a wire rack and leave to cool.

For the syrup and raisins:-
1.    Put the water, caster sugar and rum in a pan and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally.
2.    Remove from the heat and then pour enough syrup over the raisins just to cover them.
       Cover with cling film and leave to cool.
3.    Put the baked babas in the rest of the hot syrup, leaving them to absorb it until they
       swell and are completely moist throughout.
4.    With a slotted spoon, carefully remove the soaked babas to a wire rack and leave
       to drain.
5.    Pour the remaining 50ml rum evenly over the babas.

For the glaze:-
1.    Put the apricot jam in a pan with the water and boil until smooth and thick.
2.    Strain through a sieve, then brush over the babas to form a shiny glaze.

For the crème chantilly:-
1.    Whip the cream, crème fraîche, icing sugar and vanilla seeds together in a bowl
       until stiff.
2.    Put the rum babas on 8 serving plates and add a spoonful of the crème chantilly and a
       spoonful of raisins to each.  

Serving Suggestions