Savarin

Savarin is a classic yeasted dessert from French patisserie, but it is also very popular in Italy. It’s a kind of doughnut soaked in rum syrup, often served with whipped cream or custard and fruit. Here’s how to prepare it:

Ingredients

• 250 g of flour
• 100 g of butter
• 50 g of sugar
• 3 whole eggs
• 150 ml of warm milk
• 1 packet of dry brewer’s yeast or 25 g of fresh brewer’s yeast
• A pinch of salt
• Grated zest of one lemon
• Rum for flavoring

For the syrup:

• 250 g of sugar
• 500 ml of water
• Lemon peel
• 100 ml of rum

For the garnish:

• Whipped cream
• Fruit of your choice (strawberries, peaches, berries)

Preparation

1. Dissolve the yeast in warm milk with a teaspoon of sugar taken from the total amount.
2. Mix the flour with the sugar, grated lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the eggs and the dissolved yeast in milk.
3. Start kneading, gradually adding the softened butter until you get a smooth and elastic dough.
4. Let the dough rise in a bowl covered with a kitchen towel in a warm place until it doubles in volume (about 1-2 hours).
5. Butter and flour a Savarin mold, pour the risen dough into it, and let it rise again until it exceeds the rim of the mold.
6. Bake at 180 °C for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Unmold and let it cool slightly.
7. Meanwhile, prepare the syrup by bringing the water with the sugar and lemon peels to a boil. Let it cool, then add the rum.
8. Unmold the Savarin, soaking it with the rum syrup on both sides.
9. Let the Savarin rest to absorb the syrup well.
10. When serving, garnish with whipped cream and fruit of your choice.

Interesting Facts

The name “Savarin” is attributed to Brillat-Savarin, a famous 18th-century French gastronome who particularly loved sweet dishes. The shape of the dessert and the soaking technique are very similar to those of the Babà, but the main difference lies in the dough recipe, as Savarin does not contain raisins.

If you want an all-Italian tip, you could garnish your Savarin with some dark chocolate shavings to add a delicious contrast of flavors.