Baba au Rhum with Chantilly

Instructions

Make the dough.

1. In a glass dissolve the dried yeast in water, set aside.
2. In the bowl of the stand mixer add the flour together with the sugar and eggs.
3. Knead with the hook at low speed until a homogeneous mixture is obtained.
4. Add the dissolved yeast and knead for about 5 minutes.
5. Add the salt and mix again until it has been integrated into the dough.
6. Finally add the butter, do it in 2-3 batches and wait until the first part is completely integrated before adding the next one.
7. Once we have added all the butter, knead for about 10-12 minutes. We must obtain a soft and elastic dough.
8. Make a ball with the dough, put it in a bowl and let rise until it doubles in size. In my case it took 3 1/2 hours at 69ºF (20,4ºC).

Shape the buns.

1. Grease the pan with butter, sprinkle with flour and remove the excess. Set aside.
2. place the dough over a clean work surface and degass it gently.
3. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 1,75 - 1,95 oz (50-55 g). In my case I made 2 larger baba 3,5 oz (100 g)/piece and 4 small.
4. Shape each piece, remember that if there are leftover from the dough, we will place them in the center of each piece before shaping.
5. Place the dough pieces in the pan, cover with film and let them rise until they double (or even slightly larger) in size. In my case it took 3 hours at 71,6ºF (22ºC).
   

Make the syrup.

1. In a medium saucepan pour the water and place it in a medium heat. Let it take a little temperature, but not boiling.
2. Add the sugar together with the citrus peels and vanilla. Let it boil, reduce to medium low heat and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat, pour the rum and let it infuse.

Bake.

1. Preheat the oven to 355ºF (180ºC).
2. Introduce the pans at medium height and bake the small ones for 15 minutes and big ones for 23 minutes. They will take a nice golden color on the surface.
3. While they are baking, warm the syrup without boiling.
4. Remove them from the oven and from the pan. Place over a rack.

Dip in the syrup.

1. Strain the syrup to remove the citrus peels and pour into a bowl.
2. Dip the baba in the syrup, we will help them to submerge by pressing them gently. They must absorb enough syrup, in fact, you'll notice by their weight.
3. Place on a rack and dip the following.
4. Let them cool completely.

Make the nappage.

1. Moisturize the gelatin sheets in very cold water (from the fridge), let them stand submerged for 20 minutes.
2. In a saucepan add the apricot jam. Place it in medium heat and let it reach 122º-131ºF (50º-55ºC).
   Remove from the heat.
3. Drain the gelatine very well and add it to the jam. Mix to dissolve completely.
4. Let the mixture lower its temperature to 113ºF (45ºC) and brush the surface of the babas.

Make chantilly.

1. Pour heavy cream into freeze bowl and beat with an electric mixer into slow speed.
2. Once cream is becoming to form stiff peaks, add sugar little by little stirring the whole time. Increase speed gradually but without reaches high one. Ideally use medium speed.
3. Before finish to beat the cream, add vanilla extract and beat until get a perfect whipping cream. Be sure not to over-beat, otherwise cream will become lumpy and butter-like.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge until used it.

Decorate baba au rhum.

1. Introduce the chantilly in a pastry bag with star tip and decorate.
2. Optionally you can sprinkle dried fruits, decorate with fruit or a piece of vanilla pod.
3. Serve.
   

Notes

• I have used two types of pan to make them. A muffin tray and 3,95 inch (10 cm) individual pans.
• A metal or silicone pan can be used to make them. But, if you want them to acquire a golden color by the surface I recommend you to use metal pans.
• Leave them in the syrup for a while and turn them upside down from time to time  to make sure that they are impregnated all over the surface. Otherwise the central part will be dry.
• The gelatin to make the nappage must be hydrated in very cold water. If you do it in water at room temperature, the gelatin will dissolve instead of hydrating.
  
• Before make whipped cream we must know: Cream must be cold 24 hours before used it. The bowl in which we are going to make whipped cream must be cold. I recommend to use one aluminium bowl and freeze 20 minutes before beat it.
  
• The decoration can be of your choice, from a vanilla pod, raspberries, currants, dried fruits or even some more exotic fruit.
• Once assembled, we can keep them in the refrigerator for a couple of days (if they have cream in them) and for 3-4 days (if they are not decorated with cream).
  

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