My wish has been granted! I was talking cooking with a friend today who said she has a big bottle of dark rum at home & is happy to share it with me any time. The Ginger Torte I made this weekend was delicious without the rum, but I'm sure it would have been even better with it. You all helped convince me that this is a flavor profile I simply need to explore.
I have the added obstacle of living in the South. In North Carolina, there are strict laws governing the sale of alcohol. It's only sold through state-run stores & there's just not a lot of selection. I did go there & ask about the nips, but ironically, they only sell them in 12-packs. (Apparently, it's fine to drink in NC, as long as you drink a lot!) For future reference, I just need to make friends with a rum lover who will lend me a tablespoon when I need it. Too bad MaryMaryCulinary lives 900 miles away!
In baking, you're going to need to compensate for the loss of liquid volume, not only the difference in taste. As the others say, the extract is going to give you a very, very different flavor profile than the actual rum. Check the liquor department of your local supermarket. They should have pint bottles of rum readily available. Or, most liquor stores also sell what they call "travelors" or "nips". Those are the little bottles of liquor you see at cocktail service on airplanes. I think the volume is only 50 milliliters, and they're usually a couple of dollars. They are frequently stored behind the counter so people don't shop lift them (since they're so small), so ask the clerk.
I'm making Drbabs' Ginger Apple Torte. There are lots of other flavorings in the recipe, so I think I'll just skip the rum & up the milk to make up for the lost liquid. Thanks for the advice. I did stop by the liquor store, but they only sold dark rum in quart size bottles, which seemed extreme, since I only need 3 Tbsp.
I agree with Mary; rum extract is a little one-dimensional, especially when compared to a really good dark rum. I'd vote for replacing the rum with another flavor, as she suggests. For savory cooking, try experimenting with different spices. Sometimes allspice and/or nutmeg can give you nice flavor depth in place of rum. It won't be the same, but you might discover a new favorite.
I love using rum in baking, so I'm a bit biased, but I think you get a one-dimensional and off flavour with rum extract. If you're baking, why not replace the rum with another flavour, like almond or vanilla? For cooking, you can use another alcohol, or, if you're trying to avoid alcohol, use juice or stock, depending on the recipe.
:)
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:)