Babà al Prosecco Napoletano

The babà is the dessert that Naples adopted and made its own. A yeasted, mushroom-shaped cake (or in mini versions, small fingers) soaked in rum syrup until it's glistening, saturated, and almost impossibly light — it's the dessert that proves Italians know how to drink cake as well as eat it.

The babà's journey to Naples is one of the great migration stories in food history. It was born in the 18th century at the court of Stanislaus Leszczyński, the exiled King of Poland, who lived in Lorraine, France. According to the story, Stanislaus found a traditional Polish yeast cake (a kouglof) too dry, and in a moment of inspiration — or perhaps tipsiness — he soaked it in rum. He named it after Ali Baba from the Arabian tales, which he was reading at the time. The French adopted it as baba au rhum, and from France it traveled to Naples, where French pastry chefs brought it in the 19th century. Naples fell in love with it, adapted it, and now considers it as Neapolitan as pizza.

The authentic Neapolitan babà is made from a rich, buttery yeast dough (similar to brioche) that's allowed to rise until puffy and airy, then baked until golden, and finally — the critical step — soaked in a rum and sugar syrup until it's completely saturated. A good babà should be wet but not falling apart; when you bite into it, syrup should gush. It's served with whipped cream, fresh fruit, or pastry cream, though purists eat it plain.

Our Mimosavated version splits the soaking syrup between rum and Prosecco di Valdobbiadene. The Prosecco adds a bright, floral lightness that the rum alone doesn't have — it makes the babà feel less heavy and more like a brunch dessert (which it absolutely should be).

Ingredients (makes 6 individual babà or 1 large ring):

The Babà Dough: - 8 ⅞ oz tipo 00 flour - ½ oz fresh yeast (or ¼ oz active dry yeast) - 3 large eggs, room temperature - 2 ⅞ oz granulated sugar - 2 ⅞ oz unsalted butter, softened - A pinch of salt - 3 ⅓ tbsp lukewarm milk

The Prosecco-Rum Syrup: - 2 ⅛ cups water - 10.6 oz granulated sugar - ⅔ cup Prosecco di Valdobbiadene - ½ cup dark rum (Naples uses rum, and so should you) - Zest of 1 organic lemon (optional, in wide strips) - Zest of 1 organic orange (optional, in wide strips)

To Serve: - Whipped cream (lightly sweetened) - Fresh strawberries or raspberries - Pastry cream (optional)

Making the Dough: Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm milk with a pinch of sugar. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the eggs and the yeast-milk mixture. Mix on low until the dough comes together, then increase speed and beat for about 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Add the softened butter in pieces, beating well after each addition. The dough should be soft, sticky, and shiny — this is correct; don't add more flour.

Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place for about 1.5–2 hours, until doubled in size. Generously butter your babà molds (traditional mushroom-shaped molds, or use a bundt pan, or small ramekins). Spoon the dough into the molds, filling them about halfway. Let rise again for 45–60 minutes, until the dough has risen to near the top of the molds.

Baking: Preheat the oven to 356°F (350°F). Bake the babà for 20–25 minutes (for individual molds) or 35–40 minutes (for a large ring), until deep golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped. Unmold immediately onto a wire rack.

Making the Prosecco-Rum Syrup: While the babà bakes, combine the water, sugar, and citrus zests in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, remove the citrus zests, and let cool slightly. Add the Prosecco and rum — add the alcohol off the heat so you don't cook it off.

Soaking the Babà: This is the most important step. The syrup should be warm, not hot. Submerge each babà in the warm syrup for 10–15 seconds per side, until it's completely saturated and glistening. Don't be timid — a properly soaked babà should be heavy with syrup. If you're using individual babà, you can soak them entirely; for a large ring, spoon the syrup over it repeatedly until it's thoroughly saturated.

Serving: Serve the babà warm or at room temperature, with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh berries. The cream is not garnish — it's structural; the richness of the cream cuts the sweetness of the syrup.

The Mimosa Pairing Logic: Since the babà is soaked in a Prosecco-rum syrup, pair with a classic Prosecco mimosa — orange juice and Prosecco. The orange will echo the citrus zest in the syrup. For something more adventurous, a peach bellini mimosa is wonderful — the peach complements the rum's sweetness and the Prosecco's floral notes. Avoid heavy or bitter mimosas — the babà is sweet and boozy, and you need something light and bright to refresh the palate.

Reference Links: - Rum baba on Wikipedia (history and Stanislaus Leszczyński): Wikipedia - History of the Neapolitan babà: Gambero Rosso - Babà Napoletano original recipe: La Pa - Traditional Neapolitan babà technique: Eating Europe - Prosecco di Valdobbiadene: Wikipedia

Make-Ahead: The babà dough can be made a day ahead and refrigerated after the first rise — cold dough rises more slowly, so allow extra time for the second rise. The baked babà can be made 1 day ahead and soaked just before serving. Once soaked, it should be eaten within a few hours — it does not keep well. The syrup can be made ahead and gently reheated.

Pro Tips: The dough will be very sticky and soft — this is correct. Resist the urge to add flour, which will make the babà dense. The soaking step is not optional and cannot be rushed — a babà that's merely moistened rather than saturated is a disappointment. Use good-quality dark rum; cheap rum will make the syrup taste harsh. If the syrup cools too much, warm it gently — warm syrup penetrates the cake better than cold. Don't soak the babà for too long or it will disintegrate — 10–15 seconds per side is plenty.