Rum Babas in Air Fryer
Classic French dessert, simple and quick, made in the air fryer.
Steps
- 1
In a large bowl, mix flour with dry yeast, sugar, eggs, and warm milk. Incorporate melted butter and knead until you get a soft, smooth dough.
- 2
Cover the bowl with a clean towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in volume.
- 3
Grease individual baba molds or ramekins with butter. Divide the risen dough equally among the molds, filling them halfway.
- 4
Place the molds in the air fryer basket. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 12 minutes, until the babas are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- 5
While the babas bake, prepare the rum syrup: in a small saucepan, combine water, sugar, and vanilla bean (if using). Heat over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves, then bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add dark rum.
- 6
Immediately after removing the babas from the air fryer, generously brush them with the warm rum syrup while they are still hot, so they absorb the liquid well.
- 7
Just before serving, whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Place a dollop of whipped cream on top of each syrup-soaked baba.
Shopping list
250g all-purpose flour, 10g active dry yeast, 3 eggs, 50g sugar, 80g unsalted butter, 100ml warm milk, 500ml water, 120g sugar, 80ml dark rum, 1 vanilla bean (optional), 200ml heavy cream, 1 tbsp powdered sugar
Recipe story
Rum babas, known in France as 'baba au rhum', originated in the 18th century when King Stanisław Leszczyński, exiled in Lorraine, soaked a dry cake in alcohol and syrup, creating a royal dessert. Legend says the king, dissatisfied with the dry cake, added rum and syrup to moisten it. Over time, the recipe was refined by French pastry chefs, becoming a symbol of culinary elegance. Today, rum babas are enjoyed worldwide, including this quick air fryer version.
Ingredient Secrets
Sea salt
Sea salt, extracted from ocean waters by evaporation, was one of the most precious goods of antiquity, used both as food and as currency. In ancient Rome, soldiers were paid with salt, which is the origin of the word 'salary'. Salt roads connected entire civilizations, and in the Middle Ages, salt was so valuable it was called 'white gold'.
Vanilla
Vanilla, native to Mexico, was discovered by Spanish conquistadors who brought it to Europe in the 16th century. In Aztec culture, vanilla was used to flavor a royal cocoa drink. For centuries, hand-pollination was a closely guarded secret, and it wasn't until 1841 that a 12-year-old slave on Réunion discovered the method that allowed widespread cultivation.
