Baba au Rhum de Martinique with Graham Crackers

Baba: Heat the milk and vanilla extract in a small saucepan over medium heat just until warm to the touch, about a min. Remove from the heat and stir in the yeast and salt to dissolve. Mix in ¼ c. of the flour a little at a time. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 30 mins; bubbles will start to appear. 

Butter four 6-oz. baba molds or popover tins with 1 tbsp. of the butter. Then put the molds on a sheet pan. 

Fit a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Beat the remaining 3 tbsp. butter on medium speed until smooth. Scrape down the sides and add the sugar, 2 tbsp. of the flour, honey, and lemon and orange zests and combine. Add the eggs one at a time on low speed and beat well, scraping down the sides as needed. Still on low speed, add the remaining flour until it’s well beaten. Add the yeast mixture and mix on low just until combined.

Divide the batter among the buttered molds, put in a warm place, and let double in volume, 30-60 mins. While the babas are rising, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place a cooling rack over a sheet pan.

Syrup: Meanwhile, mix the sugar and water in a medium saucepan and boil to dissolve, about 1 min. Remove from the heat and add the rhum.  

Bake the babas until the tops turn a nice golden color, 15-20 mins. Remove from the oven, and then carefully remove them from the molds. Plunge the babas into the syrup, making sure they are well soaked, and then let them cool down on the prepared cooling rack.  

Chantilly: Mix the scraped vanilla beans with the cream in a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip the cream to soft peaks and reserve in the refrigerator.

To finish: Heat the jam in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until runny. Then brush the cooled babas all over with the warm jam.  

Cut the babas in half lengthwise and place on plates. Pour a tbsp. of rhum on each cut side and spoon the Chantilly in the center. Dust the crushed graham crackers over the Chantilly before serving.