Rum Baba

Makes 8-10 cakes

Ingredients

for the dough:

225g strong plain flour
pinch of salt
1 tsp sugar
5g fast acting yeast
100g melted butter at room temp
3 medium eggs
60ml milk
extra butter for greasing

for the syrup:

500ml water
250g sugar
zest of 1 orange & 1 lemon
1 vanilla pod, cut down its length
200ml dark rum
thick double cream to serve

you will need 8-10 rum baba moulds

Method

To prepare the dough, sieve together the flour, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the dried yeast and make a well in the centre. In a separate bowl whisk together the butter, eggs and milk and gradually add to the flour, mixing with a wooden spoon.
Beat the mixture until completely smooth, elastic and free of any lumps - about 6 - 8 minutes of vigorous exercise.
Butter the moulds and spoon in enough dough to half fill them - it may be easier to fill them with a piping bag. Cover with oiled clingfilm and leave to prove until the dough reaches the top of the moulds - about an hour in a warm place.
Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 180°C and make the syrup.
In a heavy based saucepan combine the water, sugar, zest, vanilla pod and rum. Heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Bring the liquid to a rolling boil then simmer until it has thickened to a syrup - about 15 - 20 minutes.
When the mixture has risen bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the moulds, leave them to cool a little but while still warm, immerse in the hot syrup - for no more than 15 seconds each -  to soak up the rum liquid.  
Cool completely and chill the syrup.
When ready to serve, plate each Rum Baba, spoon over a little syrup and serve with extra thick double cream...and if you feel like it, pour over an extra cap of your favourite vintage rum.