Ingredients
- 50ml milk
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 1 x 7g sachet dried yeast
- 180g plain flour
- 25g caster sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 50g butter, melted and cooled slightly
- Some soft butter to grease the cupcake/muffin tray
- 200ml water
- 200ml brown rum
- 200g light brown sugar
- 1 vanilla pod, split lengthways
- Zest of 1 orange
- ½ pineapple
- 1 tbsp honey
- Handful mint leaves, thinly sliced
- 150ml cream
- 30g icing sugar
- Seeds from 1 vanilla pod, or 1 tbsp of vanilla bean paste
- 100g apricot jam
- 1 tsp brown rum
- Start by making the babas. Gently warm the milk slightly until it is lukewarm. Add one tsp of sugar and the yeast to a small bowl, then pour in the lukewarm milk. Allow to stand for a few minutes until the mixture is foamy.
- Place the flour, sugar and salt in a mixer and combine. With a dough hook attached, add the yeast mixture and eggs and combine, then slowly add the melted butter. Mix on a medium speed for five minutes until smooth and shiny. Then cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for an hour in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size.
- Grease the cupcake tray with some soft butter. Dust a work surface lightly with flour, then knock back the dough. Weigh the dough and divide it into 10. Shape the dough into small balls and place in the greased cupcake moulds. Preheat the oven to 170°C and leave the dough balls to prove a second time in a warm place for 30-40 minutes.
- After a second prove, place the tray in the oven and bake for 12 minutes at 170°C. Remove and allow to cool.
- To make the syrup, add the water, rum and brown sugar to a saucepan. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and add the vanilla pod and the orange zest. Allow to simmer for five minutes, then turn off the heat.
- Place the babas in the hot syrup and allow to soak for 15 minutes (can do in batches). Then take the babas out, place on a plate and chill in the fridge.
- To prep the pineapple, remove the outer skin and core. Chop the pineapple evenly into small cubes and place in a bowl. Add the honey and mint and stir to combine, then place in a serving bowl to be served on the side.
- Add the cream, icing sugar and vanilla to a mixing bowl and whisk until soft peaks form, then place in small serving bowls to be served on the side.
- Place the apricot jam in a small saucepan and heat gently to loosen up. Remove the chilled soaked babas from the fridge and brush them lightly all over with the apricot jam. Then slice in half and place in a serving dish. Spoon over some more chilled syrup, and a few drops of rum, and serve with the pineapple and vanilla cream on the side.
