1/4 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 pkg. active dry yeast
About 3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. butter
6 eggs
1 (4 oz.) jar candied citron, chopped, or 1 c. dried currants
Apricot-Rum sauce (see below)
1 (10 oz.) jar apricot preserves (1 c.)
Sliced almonds for garnish

EARLY IN DAY OR DAY AHEAD:

In large bowl, combine sugar, salt, yeast and 3/4 cup flour. In small saucepan over low heat, heat water and butter until very warm, 120 to 130 degrees. (Butter does not need to melt completely.) With mixer at low speed, gradually pour liquid into dry ingredients; beat until just mixed. Increase speed to medium; beat 2 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula.

Beat in eggs and 1 cup flour or enough to make a thick batter; continue beating 2 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl. With spoon stir in citron and enough additional flour (about 1 3/4 cups) to make soft dough.

Spread dough evenly in well-greased Bundt pan or 10-inch tube pan. Cover with towel; let rise in warm (80 to 85 degree) place, away from draft, until tripled in volume and nearly to top of pan, about 1 1/4 hours.

Meanwhile, prepare Apricot-Rum sauce; cover and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place pan carefully on oven rack (jarring may make Baba fall). Bake 35 to 45 minutes until rich brown (if top browns too much, cover loosely with foil during last 15 minutes baking time). Cool in pan on wire rack to lukewarm. With metal skewer or two-tined fork, prick top of Baba in many places; carefully spoon on sauce. Let stand at least 2 hours.

APRICOT RUM SAUCE:

Into 4-cup measure, drain 2 (30 oz.) cans whole apricots well; reserve apricots. Add water to apricot liquid to make 4 cups; pour into 3-quart saucepan. Add 2 1/2 cups sugar and 1 lemon, thinly sliced, over high heat, heat to boiling stirring until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 5 minutes. Cool to lukewarm; with slotted spoon, remove lemon; discard. Stir in 1 1/3 cups light rum. (Or, if preferred, substitute 1 12-oz. can apricot nectar for light rum.) Pour 1 cup sauce over apricots in small bowl; cover and refrigerate. Pour the remaining sauce over the Baba.