Romanian-style Baba

Description

In Romanian: Baba in stil romanesc

Ingredients

• 1 lb / 500 g flour
• 1 cup milk
• 4 eggs
• 5 oz / 150 g butter or margarine
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 4 oz / 100 g raisins
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1½ oz / 40 g yeast,
• shortening to grease the dish

Syrup

• ¼ cup sugar
• ¾ cup water
• 4 tablespoons wine
• ½ teaspoon rum essence

Directions

1. Mix the yeast with ½ cup tepid milk, add some flour and knead well to make a stiff dough.
2. Gather into a ball and make 3 – 4 indentations with a knife.
3. Place the dough in a pot with 3 qts / 3 l tepid water.
4. Cover and keep in a warm place.
5. After 40 – 50 minutes when the dough rises above and doubles in volume, remove with a slotted spoon and place in a large bowl.
6. Add tepid melted butter or margarine, salt, yolks beaten with sugar and vanilla and whipped egg whites.
7. Knead well, adding the remaining flour and milk.
8. The resulting dough should not be too stiff.
9. Cover and leave in a warm place to rise.
10. After it doubles again, add the raisins, mix and then place in a greased pan.
11. Cover and leave in a warm place until the dough fills ¾ of the pan.
12. Bake at slow heat for 30 – 40 minutes.
13. Test with a wooden pick.
14. Carefully remove from the pan so that it does not break.
15. Place on a large plate and let cool without disturbing.
16. In the meantime, prepare the syrup.
17. Boil the water with the sugar, add the wine and rum.
18. Pour this syrup (hot) over the cake, turning it so that the syrup gets everywhere.