Forward Planning

I have been given a Rum Pot!

Don’t recognise that? Try Rumtopf.

Rumtopf
Rumtopf

It is very 1970s, I know – but I care not. I have wanted to have a go for what seems like forever. I shall start the  pot off the next time that I go shopping, when I shall buy rum and a pineapple, and possibly some pears if I can find good ones. Perhaps Wednesday, if the weather is not too stormy.

What has this to do with a bread-based blog, I hear you ask? Or even with a bread-and-stuff-to-go-with-it blog?

I asked myself that question too and the answer came back to me that I clearly see this as a yeast-based adventure, and yeast-raised cakes count in our context here. That includes Babas, and Baba derivatives and you see…

… not only are Rum Babas as retro as my Rumtopf, but  also I have agreed a plan with my favourite eater of baked goods and we are to have a Giant Babathing on the table for his birthday next year. I recently purchased a new Savarin ring and that will do the job nicely. The soaking syrup will come from the pot and it will be served with the fruit contained therein and some lovely Chantilly Cream. If we don’t make it for his birthday for whatever reason, then we shall certainly have it for our wedding anniversary.

I can just about squeeze in a year of jar-filling, with an extra few weeks of maturation for the final layer:

  • Mr L’s birthday: 17th December
  • Our Anniversary: 31st December

We shall of course need some documented practice in the art of the baba prior to the big date. As there will be permanent stocks  of rum in the house, for feeding the pot, I can have a go just about any time that I feel like it.

I made Rum Babas once, in my teens, a very long time ago, and I fear that our Dom Sci recipe was not properly authentic. I fancy turning to Paul Hollywood for instruction.

ASIDE: in preparing this post, I found that a dear friend of ours has been trying his hand at Babas recently. I can’t get the smile from my face. The curious synchronicity of this is that he too has an upcoming birthday. So, here’s an early birthday greeting to my favourite Backwards Lion! A long way away, but close to my heart. (Wish we could be having ChristmasCon.)

TALKBACK: Baba making tips and advice gladly welcomed – leave a Comment, lets get a community working here.

One Comment

  1. backwardslion
    December 1, 2012
    Reply

    Hello! I was wondering whether that was you or not 🙂 Ok, I’ve got some reading to catch up on.

    I think all my pitfalls are documented; if you can use a food mixer, use a food mixer – that dough is absurdly soft and sticky, especially once the butter is mixed in. Disposable piping bags are your friend.

    (Thanks for the bifdaf wishes, too!)

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