Baba au Rhum

A baba au rhum is a small yeasted sponge soaked in rum syrup — the texture lives or dies on the soak. Nina Métayer summed it up: not too wet, not too dry. To get the balance at home, bake the babas until pale gold and dry on the outside, then let them cool fully so the crumb tightens. Warm a syrup of equal-parts sugar and water with rum off the heat (boiling burns off the alcohol aroma). Submerge each cake briefly, lift, and rest on a rack so the syrup distributes evenly. The cake should yield slightly when pressed but not collapse.