Baba with Rum (baba Al Rhum)

Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup of warm milk and make into a dough with 4 tablespoons flour. Place dough in a bowl, cover, and let it stand in a warm place for 30 minutes or until it doubles in size. Make a fontana on a pastry board with the remaining flour, a pinch of salt, the eggs, the sugar, the butter and the fermented dough. Soak the raisins in lukewarm water, then squeeze out the excess water and work them into the dough. Put the dough in a large buttered, sugar-dusted ring mold and let rise again, in a warm place, until it doubles in size (it should take approximately 1 hour). Bake for 45 minutes at 375 degree F. oven. Prepare a syrup by dissolving the sugar in the water, over a low flame. Add the rum. Unmold the baba while still warm. Soak with the rum syrup and serve. NOTE: Small babas are made the same way by dividing the dough and cooking them in little molds.