Ingredients

Method

Place 5g sugar into a 250ml cup and add the water, stir then add the yeast by sprinkling it over the water and let that sit in a warm place for 10-12 minutes or until the mixture has risen to the top of the cup.

Place the milk gently in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. In a separate bowl, cream the butter until soft.

Take a mixing bowl and sift the flour into it, then make a well in the middle and add the eggs, salt, remaining sugar and yeast mixture to the well and mix together, add the creamed butter and mix again.

Knead the dough by lifting it high and dropping it from a height into the bowl to force air into it. It is ready when it is smooth and elastic.

Butter a 24cm Baba mould and fill it with the dough. Cover with a cloth and place it in a warm place to rise. It should rise to the top of the mould which will take about an hour.

Preheat the oven to 400ºF / 200ºC

Place the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Then add the rum and stir.

When the Baba is cooked turn it out onto a serving plate and prick it all over with a toothpick and spoon the syrup over the baba. If some runs onto the plate scoop it up and pour back over the baba until the baba is soaked in the syrup.

Place the baba in the fridge for at least 4 hours before serving.