Bienenstich (Bee Sting Cake)
This bee sting cake is the flavor explosion you will not want to miss out on! It’s got a caramelized, crunchy almond top. A thick layer of creamy, custard-like filling. And a fluffy, not-too-sweet, yeast-raised cake to hold it all together. Bienenstich is everything you want in a dessert: crunchy, creamy, and oh-so-satisfying. It's a staple in German food culture and an authentic treat that always brings a ton of excitement to the table!
Instructions
Make cake dough
Mix together luke warm milk, yeast and a tablespoon of the sugar and allow to sit until bubbly.
Melt the butter.
Sift together flour, remaining sugar and salt.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and knead using the dough hooks (electric mixer recommended) for about 5 minutes on low, until you end up with a smooth dough.
Cover the bowl and allow to rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour. The dough should have doubled in size.
Make the pudding
In the meantime, reserving a couple of tablespoons of the milk in a small bowl, warm the remaining milk for the pudding filling in a pot until boiling. Remove from heat.
Whisk together the reserved cold milk and vanilla with the cornstarch and sugar. Then gradually whisk it in with the milk, and return to heat to bring to a boil again, stirring constantly.
Transfer pudding to a bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap to avoid a skin from forming. Put in the fridge to cool.
Bake cake and almond topping
Grease a springform pan with some butter (I used a 22¾ cm diameter form), preheat your oven to 180℃.
Knead the dough on a floured surface and roll out to a circle to fit the bottom of your spring form. Transfer to the springform, cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel, and allow to rise for 15 more minutes.
For the almond topping, bring butter, cream, sugar and honey to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 2 minutes while stirring. Remove from heat and stir in the almonds and distribute evenly onto the surface of the rolled out yeast dough.
Bake for 30 minutes until the almond top is golden. With the help of a straight-edge knife, cut away from the sides of the springform immediately before it cools. Allow the cake to cool completely.
While the cake is baking, bring NaN ml (120 ml) of water to a boil, then add in the gelatin powder and whisk until dissolved.
Whisk together with the pudding mixture.
Beat the whipped cream until stiff peaks form, and fold in with the pudding-gelatin mixture (making sure it is not warm anymore.
Cut the cake into 2 layers (use a large serrated knife for this) and place the bottom layer on a cake platter. Secure a cake ring around it.
Spread the pudding whipped cream filling onto the bottom layer of the cake and transfer to the fridge for at least 1 hour to set up.
Meanwhile, cut the top layer into 12 slices. Immediately before serving, add the top layer pieces. Enjoy!
Notes
Excellent with a cup of Earl Grey or Assam tea.
Committed to this collection by the hand of Hunter.
