Ina Garten Apple Rum Cake Food

BABA AU RHUM

Steps:

• 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.
• 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.
• 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!

APPLE CAKE "TATIN"

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Generously butter a 9-inch glass pie dish and arrange the apples in the dish, cut side down.
• Combine 1 cup of the granulated sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until it turns a warm amber color, about 360 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Swirl the pan but don't stir. Pour evenly over the apple slices.
• Meanwhile, cream the 6 tablespoons of butter and the remaining 3/4 cup of granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy. Lower the speed and beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Add the sour cream, zest, and vanilla and mix until combined. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and, with the mixer on low speed, add it to the butter mixture. Mix only until combined.
• Pour the cake batter evenly over the apple slices and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto a flat plate. If an apple slice sticks, ease it out and replace it in the design on top of the cake. Serve warm or at room temperature, dusted with confectioners' sugar.

EASY CRANBERRY AND APPLE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Combine the cranberries, apple, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. With the mixer on medium, add 1 cup of the granulated sugar, the butter, vanilla, and sour cream and beat just until combined. On low speed, slowly add the flour and salt.
• Pour the fruit mixture evenly into a 10-inch glass pie plate. Pour the batter over the fruit, covering it completely. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle it over the batter. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean and the fruit is bubbling around the edges. Serve warm or at room temperature.

APPLE RUM CAKE

Steps:

• Line bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper; butter parchment paper and sides of pan.
• Set a rack in the middle of the oven; preheat oven to 350°.
• Combine all the filling ingredients in a bowl (glass or stainless); let stand while you prepare the batter.
• In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; mix well and set aside.
• In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition.
• Beat in vanilla; using a rubber spatula, fold in half the flour mixture.
• Drain the apples in a colander set over a bowl; add the milk to any rum that drains into the bowl and stir the liquids into the batter, then fold in the remaining flour mixture.
• Spread half the cake batter evenly in the prepared pan; scatter with the sliced apple mixture.
• Scrape remaining batter onto the filling and smooth out.
• Slide a foil-lined cookie sheet onto the rack below the middle one to catch any drips.
• Bake for 55-65 minutes or until cake is risen, firm, and deep golden and the apples are cooked through and tender.
• Let cake cool in pan for 15 minutes, then loosen the cake by running a sharp paring knife around the inside of the pan, scraping the knife against the pan, not the cake.
• Remove the sides and slide the cake off the base to a rack to finish cooling.
• When the cake has cooled completely, invert the cake onto a plate, remove the paper, and invert the cake onto the rack again so it is right side up.
• Make the glaze: stir together the powdered sugar and rum in a small saucepan; mix well.
• Place over medium heat until warm and fluid.
• Drizzle half the glaze over the top of the cake in a series of parallel lines.
• Rewarm the glaze if necessary and drizzle another series of lines on a diagonal to the first ones.
• Wait until the glaze dries, then slide the cake onto a platter.
• Serve with ice cream or whipped cream; this cake is best served on the day it is made.

BABA AU RHUM (RUM BABA) BY INA GARTEN (BAREFOOT CONTESSA)

Steps:

• Make the rum syrup:.
• Place the sugar, lemon juice and 1 1/2 cups water in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until the sugar dissolves. Pour into a 4-cup heatproof measuring cup and allow to cool. Add the rum and vanilla and set aside.
• Make the 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 overheat, or you'll end up with butter!
• Make the baba:.
• Combine the currants, lemon zest and rum in a small bowl and set aside. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and brush a 5-cup (6 1/2 X 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°F (46°C) 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 and zest (empty the rum remaining into the prepared syrup), 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°F (190°C) and make the rum syrup. Bake the cake for about 50 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.