Savarin recipe

Savarin recipe

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About this recipe

In this blog post I will guide you thru the steps and ingredients needed to craft this recipe. Grab your favorite apron and let's start.
The Savarin recipe is a classic French dessert that originated in the 19th century. It is a light and airy yeast cake soaked in a sweet syrup, often flavored with rum or orange blossom water. The cake is then typically filled with whipped cream or pastry cream and garnished with fresh fruits. With its delicate texture and indulgent flavors, the Savarin is a perfect treat for any special occasion.

Keywords: Savarin, French dessert, yeast cake, sweet syrup, whipped cream

savarin recipe details

Savarin recipe, recipe Rating: 4.4
Number of votes:93 

Ingredients

	For the cake:
1 sachet	dried yeast
125 ml	warm water, 40-45°C/100-110°F
175 g	unsalted butter, softened
4 medium	eggs, beaten
2 tbsp	sugar
½ tsp	salt
250 g	plain flour
	For the syrup:
225 g	granulated sugar
250 ml	water
60 ml	rum or brandy
	For the Glaze:
50 g	apricot jam
2 tbsp	granulated sugar

Instructions

If you have a Savarin mould, use it, otherwise a Bundt tin or tube pan will do nicely.

Introduction:
It has more in common with most buns, in that it is yeast risen rather than using baking powder or similar raising agents and is relatively egg-rich in relation to the quantity of flour used. Most of its sweetness derives from the syrup and glaze added subsequently and not from included sugar.

The centre is always filled with either creme patissiere, chantilly cream or whipped cream each often topped with a glacé cherry, or with fresh fruit pieces, sometimes mixed with cream. The main body of the cake is always soaked in an alcoholic syrup, including either rum, brandy or sometimes a liqueur and then subsequently glazed.

It is very much a dessert rather than a ‘tea’ cake and is often served with extra cream and more fruit.

To make the cake:
Preheat oven to Gas Mark 5, 190°C, 375°F.

Mix the yeast and water in a large bowl and allow to stand for about 4 or 5 minutes. Stir in the butter, eggs, sugar and salt. Add about half the flour and beat until smooth. Add remaining flour and beat together until smooth. Beat for another minute. Spread the mixture evenly into a greased 10-inch Bundt tin. Cover with damp tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place until very nearly doubled in size, about 45-60 minutes.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. If the top is browning too quickly, cover the top of the pan with foil and continue to bake until done.

Cool in tin for 10 minutes and then turn out to cool on a wire rack until warm.

To prepare the syrup:
Heat the sugar and water in a saucepan until boiling. reduce heat and simmer for about 90 seconds and then set aside to cool until warm. Add spirit. Place the cake on a serving plate and poke holes in the top and upper sides of the cake with a skewer or toothpick. Drizzle the syrup over the cake about a tablespoon at a time until fully absorbed.

To make the glaze:
Press the jam through a sieve to remove any lumps or solids. If stiff mix with 1 tbsp of hot water before sieving. Heat the sieved jam with the sugar until boiling, stirring constantly, reduce the heat and simmer until slightly thickened. Cool for about 10 minutes and spread over top of cake and over the sides until used.

See Introduction (above) for filling and serving suggestions.

Serve slightly warm.

About this recipe:
This is something an uncle used to make every day as a staple for the hotel and tea room at which he worked. He claimed to add something extra that gave it an extra special ‘touch’ but I don’t recollect ever being told the secret. I suspect it was a slug of rum or brandy added to the batter. I was a guest of his several times at the tea room and I was first allowed to taste this at the age of about 12 or 13, but only a mouthful or two. Unfortunately, he died suddenly before retirement taking his secret with him.

Preparation time:
ca. 1 hr
Resting time:
ca. 1 hr
Grade of difficulty:
medium
Calories per portion:
n/a