Instructions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter and flour two 1 1/2-quart savarin molds, shaking out excess flour.

In a small bowl combine milk and saffron and set aside 5 minutes. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat 1 1/4 cups sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Onto a sheet of wax paper sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add 1 cup of flour mixture to sugar mixture and beat until combined. Add egg yolks and egg, one at a time, and beat until combined. Add remaining flour mixture, saffron milk and rum and beat 1 minute more, or until smooth.

In another bowl with an electric mixer beat whites until they hold soft peaks. Add remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold whites into batter and pour into prepared molds. Bake cakes 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue to bake 15 to 20 minutes more, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let cakes cool in molds for 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto racks set over jelly-roll pans.

Make sugar syrup: In a saucepan dissolve sugar in 1 cup water, bring mixture to a simmer and cook 2 minutes, stirring, until clear. Add saffron and simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Spoon syrup repeatedly over warm savarin, spooning excess syrup that drips onto jelly-roll pan over again, until savarin is completely saturated; let savarin stand 1 hour.

Strain any remaining syrup into a small saucepan, add apricot preserves and simmer, stirring, until smooth. Spoon glaze over savarin and chill 2 hours. Before serving, garnish savarin with whipped cream and candied violets.

This recipe yields 12 to 14 servings.

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