Baba au Rhum

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup dried currants
• 1 tablespoon good dark rum
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 package dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Rum Syrup, recipe follows
• 3/4 cup apricot preserves
• 1 tablespoon water
• Whipped Cream, recipe follows

Rum Syrup:

• 1 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup good dark rum
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Whipped Cream:

• 2 cups (1 pint) cold heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

Combine the currants and rum in a small bowl and set aside. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and brush a 5-cup (6 1/2 by 3 1/2-inch) tube pan or kugelhopf mold with the melted butter. Be sure to coat every crevice of the pan. Heat the milk to 115 degrees F and then pour it into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Stir in the yeast and sugar and allow to sit for 5 minutes. 

With the mixer on low speed, first add the eggs, then the flour, salt, and remaining 4 tablespoons of butter. Raise the speed to medium-high and beat for 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and beater to form the dough into a ball. It will be very soft. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and allow it to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. 

Drain the currants, fold them into the dough with a spatula, and spoon into the prepared pan. Smooth the top, cover the pan with a damp towel, and allow to rise until the dough reaches the top of the pan, 50 minutes to 1 hour. 

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and make the Rum Syrup. 

Bake the cake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then tap it out of the cake pan onto a baking rack set over a sheet pan. Pour all of the Rum Syrup very slowly onto the warm cake, allowing it all to soak in thoroughly. Amazingly, the liquid will be absorbed into the cake, so be sure to use all of the syrup. 

Heat the preserves with 1 tablespoon of water until runny, press it through a sieve, and brush it on the cake. Serve with Whipped Cream piped into the middle of the cake plus an extra bowl on the side.

Rum Syrup:

Place the sugar and 1 1/2 cups water in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until the sugar dissolves. Pour into a 4-cup heat-proof measuring cup and allow to cool. Add the rum and vanilla and set aside.

Whipped Cream:

Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. When it starts to thicken, add the sugar and vanilla and continue to whip until the cream forms stiff peaks. Don't overbeat, or you'll end up with butter! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAKCrbDNBhg

Panna Cotta

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup skim milk
• 1 (.25 ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin
• 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
• • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Add all ingredients to list

  Directions

• Pour milk into a small bowl, and stir in the gelatin powder. Set aside.
• In a saucepan, stir together the heavy cream and sugar, and set over medium heat. Bring to a full boil, watching carefully, as the cream will quickly rise to the top of the pan. Pour the gelatin and milk into the cream, stirring until completely dissolved. Cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla and pour into six individual ramekin dishes.
• Cool the ramekins uncovered at room temperature. When cool, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight before serving.