This Savarin Recipe is a classic and elegant recipe, which is made with yeast dough and sweet syrup. It’s a truly impressive French dessert, ready in about 2 hours (plus overnight soaking).
Jump to RecipeSavarin Ingredients
A classic combination for a truly impressive French dessert.
For the Savarin (Baba Dough):
- 6 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons warm water
- 1 heaping teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 ounce (7g or 1 packet) fresh yeast or active dry yeast
- 5 tablespoons butter, slightly softened
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
For the Syrup:
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon rum
- 1 tablespoon orange liqueur (like Grand Marnier)
For Serving:
- 1 pint strawberries, sliced
- 1 cup crème fraîche
- 1 tablespoon honey
How To Make Savarin
A step-by-step guide to this classic and elegant yeast-leavened cake.
- Activate Yeast and Make Dough: In a small saucepan, gently warm the milk and water (do not boil). Pour it into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the sugar, and whisk to dissolve. Crumble in the fresh yeast (or sprinkle dry yeast) and whisk until dissolved. With the paddle attachment on low, add the butter, then the flour and salt. Mix until it just comes together.
- Knead and Proof: Raise the speed to medium and add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until the dough becomes elastic and smooth. It will be very sticky. Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover with a damp tea towel, and let it rest for 10 minutes. Punch the dough down and let it rise for another 5 minutes.
- Shape and Final Proof: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Generously butter your savarin rings (individual molds) or a single large ring/Bundt mold. Using your fingers, press the sticky dough into the rings to fill them about halfway. Let the dough rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes, or until it reaches the top of the rings.
- Bake the Savarins: Bake for 15 minutes (for individual) or 20-25 minutes (for a large ring), until the savarins are golden brown and cooked through. Let them cool in their rings for a few minutes before turning them out.
- Make the Syrup and Soak: While the savarins bake, place the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and stir in the rum and orange liqueur.
- Overnight Soak: Dip the cooled savarins in the warm syrup, then place them in a rectangular pan. Drizzle more syrup over them, cover, and let them soak overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, you can add more syrup if they seem dry. They should be saturated like a sponge.
- Assemble and Serve: To serve, mix the honey into the crème fraîche. Place a soaked savarin on a plate. Fill the center hole with a spoonful of fresh sliced strawberries. Top with a large dollop of the honey-crème fraîche.
Recipe Tips
- Is this a cake or a bread? A Savarin (or Baba au Rhum) is technically a yeast bread (like a brioche), but it is served as a dessert cake. The dough is much stickier than bread dough but stiffer than cake batter.
- Why soak overnight? The yeast dough is quite dry on its own. It is designed to be a “sponge” for the syrup. Soaking it overnight ensures the syrup penetrates all the way to the center, transforming the dry bread into a juicy, tender dessert.
- What if I don’t have Savarin molds? You can use a standard Bundt pan for a large cake, or a doughnut pan for individual ones. Just make sure to butter them extremely well.
- Can I use whipped cream? Yes, Chantilly cream (sweetened whipped cream) is very traditional. The crème fraîche adds a nice tang that balances the sweet syrup, but whipped cream is a classic choice.
What To Serve With Savarin
This elegant dessert is often the centerpiece of a meal.
- A glass of sweet dessert wine (like Sauternes)
- Extra fresh fruit (raspberries, peaches, or apricots)
- A hot cup of coffee
How To Store Savarin
- Refrigerate: The soaked savarins can be stored in their syrup in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: You can freeze the baked, unsoaked savarins for up to 1 month. Thaw them, then make the syrup and soak them 24 hours before serving.
Savarin Recipe Nutrition Facts
(Per serving, assuming 8 servings)
- Calories: ~350 kcal
- Total Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
- Sodium: 300mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 50g
- Dietary Fiber: 1g
- Sugars: 32g
- Protein: 5g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
They are almost identical doughs. A Baba is traditionally shaped like a cork or cylinder and often contains raisins in the dough. A Savarin is baked in a ring mold and typically does not have raisins inside but is filled with fruit and cream in the center.
Yes. You can make a syrup infused with orange zest, vanilla bean, and spices (like star anise) instead of rum and liqueur.
This is normal. Savarin dough is supposed to be sticky. Don’t add more flour. Grease your hands with butter to help press it into the molds.
Savarin Recipe
Course: DessertCuisine: FrenchDifficulty: Easy8
servings45
minutes15
minutes350
kcalA sophisticated classic French dessert: a ring-shaped yeast cake soaked overnight in a boozy rum-orange syrup, filled with fresh strawberries and crème fraîche.
Ingredients
Dough: 6 tbsp milk, 2 tbsp water, 1 tsp sugar, 7g yeast, 5 tbsp butter, 1 3/4 cups flour, 1 tsp salt, 3 eggs
Syrup: 1.5 cups sugar, 2 cups water, 1 tbsp rum, 1 tbsp orange liqueur
Serving: Strawberries, crème fraîche, honey
Directions
- Dissolve sugar and yeast in warm milk/water. Add butter, flour, salt; mix on low.
- Add eggs one at a time on medium speed until elastic. Let rest 10 mins; punch down; rest 5 mins.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter ring molds.
- Press sticky dough into molds (halfway full). Rise 30 mins until full.
- Bake 15 mins until golden. Unmold.
- Boil sugar and water for syrup. Stir in alcohol.
- Soak cooled cakes in warm syrup overnight in the fridge.
- Mix honey and crème fraîche. Serve soaked cake with cream and berries.
Notes
- The dough will be very sticky; grease your hands to handle it.
- The overnight soak is essential for the texture and flavor.
- You can use a Bundt pan for one large cake (bake 20-25 min).
