1/2 c. lukewarm water or milk
1/4 c. sugar
4 eggs
1/2 c. soft butter
Grated rind of 2 lemons
3 c. unsifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt

Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water or milk. Stir in sugar, eggs, soft butter, and lemon rinds. Add flour and salt; beat until the dough is smooth and shiny. Cover and let stand in a warm place until double in bulk, about 1 hour. While the dough rises, make the rum syrup.

RUM SYRUP:

3 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. water
2 c. dark rum

Boil sugar and water in a saucepan for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Stir in rum.

Beat the dough again and spoon into greased tea-sized muffin pans, filling about 1/4 full. Let rise in a warm place until double in bulk, about 30 minutes.

Bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes or until richly browned.

Let cool in pans for 5 minutes, then unmold into a shallow pan of the rum syrup. Turn babas until all syrup is absorbed. Serve topped with raspberry or apricot puree and creme anglaise.

Makes 48 tea size babas.

RASPBERRY PUREE:

2 (10 oz.) pkgs. frozen raspberries, thawed
1/3 c. raspberry liqueur

Combine ingredients in a blender or processor and puree. Press through a sieve to remove seeds. Chill until ready to serve.

Makes 2 cups.

APRICOT PUREE:

1 c. dried apricots
1 c. dry white wine
2 c. Madeira
1/4 c. sugar
Grated rind of 1 lemon

Mix apricots, wine, and Madeira in saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, until the apricots are soft. Puree in a blender or processor. Scrape into a bowl and stir in sugar and lemon rind. Chill. The puree may thicken when chilled - if necessary, thin with more white wine.

Makes 3 cups.

CREME ANGLAISE:

4 egg yolks
2 c. half & half
1/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

In a small saucepan, mix yolks with half & half until well blended. Beat in sugar. Stir constantly over low heat until the mixture just coats the back of a spoon. DO NOT BOIL. Cool and then stir in vanilla. Chill.

Makes 2-1/2 cups.