1270. BABA, OR POLISH CAKE.

The modern cook · Charles Elmé Francatelli · 1846

Source: The modern cook
Status: success · extracted 12 days ago
Not a recipe: No

Ingredients (24)

Two pounds of flour
twenty ounces of butter
four ounces of sugar
six ounces of muscatel raisins
four ounces of currants
two ounces of candied citron
a good pinch of saffron
two wine-glasses of brandy
the same quantity of rum
half an ounce of salt
about fifteen eggs
one ounce of German yeast

for sponge

one-fourth part of the flour
the yeast

for paste

the remainder of the flour
the butter
salt, previously dissolved with a drop or two of water
four ounces of pounded sugar
fifteen eggs

for mixing with paste

the sponge
all the fruit
the rum
the brandy
an infusion of the saffron

Instructions (13)

Set the sponge with one-fourth part of the flour and the yeast, in the same way as directed for preparing brioche.
Spread out the remainder of the flour so as to form a hollow in the centre.
Place in this the butter, and salt, previously dissolved with a drop or two of water, four ounces of pounded sugar, and break in fifteen eggs.
Mix the whole thoroughly, working the paste with the hands on the slab.
Gather the paste up tightly, and take up portions of it with the hands, and jerk or throw these down again on the other part of the paste; continue working it in this fashion for five minutes.
If the sponge is sufficiently risen, spread it out over the paste and mix both together lightly.
Spread a large mould with butter, and line not more than half through with a thin coating of the paste.
As soon as this has been effected, all the fruit, the rum, the brandy, and an infusion of the saffron, must be added.
Mix the whole instantly and well, and lift into the mould.
Set the baba to rise gradually, in a place where the temperature is moderate, and free from any current of air.
As soon as it has risen in a satisfactory manner, which may easily be known by its increasing sufficiently in quantity (through fermentation) to nearly fill the mould—although at first only half filled, the baba should be immediately placed in the oven on a thick baking-sheet, with a thick roll of paper round the bottom of the mould to protect the baba from receiving too much heat at first.
From one hour and a half to two hours will suffice to bake it.
Particular care should be taken in baking the baba, to prevent its acquiring a deep colour; to obviate this, it must be baked in an oven of moderate heat.

Original Text

1270. BABA, OR POLISH CAKE.
INGREDIENTS :—Two pounds of flour, twenty ounces of butter, four ounces of sugar, six ounces of muscatel raisins, four ounces of currants, two ounces of candied citron, a good pinch of saffron, two wine-glasses of brandy, and the same quantity of rum, half an ounce of salt, about fifteen eggs, and one ounce of German yeast.
First, set the sponge with one-fourth part of the flour and the yeast, in the same way as directed for preparing brioche. Then, spread out the remainder of the flour so as to form a hollow in the centre; place in this the butter, and salt, previously dissolved with a drop or two of water, four ounces of pounded sugar, and break in fifteen eggs; mix the whole thoroughly, working the paste with the hands on the slab. When this is effected, gather the paste up tightly, and take up portions of it with the hands, and jerk or throw these down again on the other part of the paste; continue working it in this fashion for five minutes; then, if the sponge is sufficiently risen, spread it out over the paste and mix both together lightly. A large mould should now be spread with butter, and lined not more than half through with a thin coating of the paste, and as soon as this has been effected, all the fruit, the rum, the brandy, and an infusion of the saffron, must be added; the whole of which must be instantly well mixed and lifted into the mould.
The baba should next be set to rise gradually, in a place where the temperature is moderate, and free from any current of air; and as soon as it has risen in a satisfactory manner, which may easily be known by its increasing sufficiently in quantity (through fermenta-tion), to nearly fill the mould—although at first only half filled, the baba should be immediately placed in the oven on a thick baking-sheet, with a thick roll of paper round the bottom of the mould to protect the baba from receiving too much heat at first. From one hour and a half to two hours will suffice to bake it.
Particular care should be taken in baking the baba, to prevent its acquiring a deep colour; to obviate this, it must be baked in an oven of moderate heat.

Notes

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