Tortine
Lightly beat the eggs and split them into two parts, 220 g for the first mix and 80 g to add later. Bring the butter to a soft, creamy texture.
Tip: The eggs shouldn’t be fridge-cold, or the dough will struggle to develop and to absorb the butter.
Fit the paddle (K beater) on the stand mixer. Put the flour, sugar and Caputo dry yeast in the bowl. Start on low speed, roughly 1–2 on a scale up to 10, and gradually add 220 g of beaten egg.
Tip: Pour the eggs a little at a time so the flour absorbs them gradually.
Raise the mixer to medium-low speed, roughly 2–3, and keep working the dough. It should start to come together, gain elasticity and slowly pull away from the sides of the bowl.
Tip: At first the dough will look very soft and loose. Keep working it without adding flour.
Add the salt and work in the remaining 80 g of egg in 3–4 additions. Wait until each addition is fully absorbed before pouring in the next.
Tip: If the dough loses its strength for a moment, don’t add anything else until it turns elastic again.
Add the 83 g of soft butter in 4–5 additions, keeping the mixer on medium-low speed. Add the next piece only when the previous one is fully absorbed.
Tip: The butter should be soft but not melted. Butter that is too warm makes it harder to keep the dough strong.
Keep kneading until the dough is glossy, smooth and very elastic. When you gently stretch a small piece between your fingers, it should form a thin film without tearing straight away.
Tip: The whole kneading takes roughly 30–35 minutes. If the dough gets too warm, stop the mixer for a few minutes.
Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at 26–28 °C until it has almost doubled. It will take roughly 60–90 minutes.
Tip: Watch the volume of the dough above all, since the room temperature can change the timing a lot.
Carefully butter the 16 cavities. With lightly buttered hands or a piping bag, put about 44–45 g of dough in each cavity.
Tip: Try to keep the surface of the dough as even as possible and avoid smearing the edges of the molds.
Gently cover the molds and let them rise at 26–28 °C until the dough reaches the rim of the cavities and forms a small dome.
Tip: It can take roughly 60 to 90 minutes. Bake when the dough is ready, not just by the clock.
Bake in a preheated conventional oven (no fan) at 175–180 °C for about 20–25 minutes, until the babas are puffed up and evenly deep golden.
Tip: A good deep colour helps the babas keep their shape when you soak them.
Gently unmold the babas and let them cool completely on a wire rack. For the best result, bake them the day before and let them rest until it’s time to soak them.
Tip: A slightly dry crumb absorbs the syrup better without losing its structure.
Put the water, sugar and lemon and orange zest in a pot. Bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar has fully dissolved, then let it simmer briefly.
Tip: Take only the coloured part of the zest and avoid the white pith as much as you can, as it can make the syrup bitter.
Turn off the heat, remove the zest and let the syrup cool to about 40 °C. Then add 220–240 ml of dark rum and stir.
Tip: Adding the rum when the syrup is warm, not hot, keeps more of its aroma.
Dip the completely cool babas in the warm syrup. Turn them several times and let them soak until they are soft, heavy and evenly soaked right to the centre.
Tip: Soaking time depends on how dry they are. Don’t take them out as soon as the outside is wet, as they need to absorb the syrup all the way through.
Gently lift each baba, press very lightly to remove only the excess syrup and place it on a wire rack or in a container.
Tip: Don’t squeeze hard. The baba should stay very moist but keep its shape.
Sofi’s tips