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1
To make the dough, dissolve the yeast in 2 tablespoons warm water in a small bowl and let it sit for several minutes to start to bubble.
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2
Put the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of the food processor, and run the machine for a few seconds to blend the dry ingredients.
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3
Mix the beaten eggs with the dissolved yeast.
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4
With the food processor running, pour all the liquid into the flour, and process for 20 seconds or so.
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5
A stiff dough will gather on the blade and clean the sides of the bowl.
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6
Now drop in the soft butter, and process for another 20 to 30 seconds, until it is fully incorporated.
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7
Turn the soft dough out, knead by hand briefly to form a smooth round, and drop it into a lightly buttered bowl.
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8
Cover it with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise for 30 minutes or soit does not need to double.
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9
Butter the baba molds.
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10
Deflate the dough, and cut it into twelve equal pieces (about 2 ounces each).
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11
Roll each piece into a round, and place dough in the molds to fill them two-thirds full.
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12
Let the babas expand to fill the molds, about 30 minutes or more.
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13
Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400, arranging two racks if necessary.
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14
Bake the babas for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are dark gold on top; shift the pans on the racks for even baking.
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15
Turn them out of the pans, and cool.
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16
To make the syrup, bring 3 cups water, the lemon juice, and the sugar to a full boil in a wide pot; add the limoncello, and boil for 10 minutes.
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17
Turn off the heat, and immediately push as many babas as will fit into the hot syrup, weighting with a plate or pot cover to keep them submerged.
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18
When they have soaked up enough syrup to expand, in about 10 minutes, remove them from the pot, and drain on a wire rack set over a dish.
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19
If you have more babas to soak, heat the syrup to the boil again, then submerge another batch.
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20
Serve the soaked babas within a short time, or set them, sitting in a shallow layer of syrup, in a pan to stay moist.
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21
For serving, slice them in half lengthwise, and spoon in your filling.
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22
If you like, drizzle some warm syrup over the top.
