Bienenstich

Bienenstich (German Bee Sting Cake)

A classic German yeast cake with a glossy caramelised honey-almond crown, sliced horizontally and filled with a thick vanilla custard cream. The name literally means 'bee sting', supposedly from a baker once stung while stealing honey.

Prep

30 min

Cook

35 min

Total

65 min

Serves

8

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •250 g (8.8 oz / about 2 cups) plain flour, all-purpose
• •7 g (1 packet / 2¼ tsp) instant yeast
• •40 g (3 tbsp) caster sugar
• •125 ml (½ cup) whole milk, lukewarm
• •40 g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened, for the dough
• •1 whole egg (L)
• •1 pinch fine salt
• •60 g (¼ cup) unsalted butter, for the almond topping
• •60 g (3 tbsp) honey, mild floral honey works best
• •40 g (3 tbsp) caster sugar, for the topping
• •100 g (1 cup) blanched slivered almonds
• •60 ml (¼ cup) double cream / heavy cream, for the topping
• •375 ml (1½ cups) whole milk, for the pastry cream
• •1 whole vanilla pod, or 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• •60 g (⅓ cup) caster sugar, for the pastry cream
• •20 g (2 tbsp + 2 tsp) cornflour (cornstarch)
• •20 g (1 tbsp + 2 tsp) plain flour, for the pastry cream
• •2 whole egg yolks (L)
• •25 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, for the pastry cream
• •200 ml (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) double cream / heavy cream, whipped, to fold into the cream

Steps

1. 1 Make the dough: combine flour, yeast, sugar, salt, milk, egg and softened butter. Knead 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic (it should spring back when poked). Cover and rise 45–60 minutes until roughly doubled.
2. 2 Make the pastry cream: split the vanilla pod and scrape the seeds into the milk; bring to a simmer. Whisk yolks, sugar, cornflour and flour to a paste. Pour the hot milk over the yolks whisking, return everything to the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbling (it must reach at least 72 °C / 162 °F to thicken the starches safely). Off the heat, beat in the butter. Press cling film directly onto the surface and chill until completely cold.
3. 3 Prepare the topping: melt the 60 g butter with the honey, sugar and cream in a small pan. Simmer 2–3 minutes until slightly syrupy. Stir in the slivered almonds and set aside.
4. 4 Grease a 24 cm (9½ in) springform tin. Knock back the dough, press it evenly into the tin and dimple the surface lightly with damp fingertips so the topping clings.
5. 5 Spread the almond-honey mixture evenly over the dough right to the edges.
6. 6 Bake on the middle shelf of a preheated oven at 180 °C / 350 °F (fan 160 °C) for 25–30 minutes, until the topping is deep amber and the cake sounds hollow when tapped (internal crumb around 95 °C / 205 °F). If the almonds brown too fast, tent loosely with foil.
7. 7 Cool in the tin 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely, almond side up.
8. 8 Whip the 200 ml cream to soft peaks. Fold the cold pastry cream briefly to loosen, then fold the whipped cream through it until smooth and billowy.
9. 9 Split the cake horizontally with a long serrated knife, cutting just under the almond cap (keep the cap intact as one piece). Place the bottom half on a serving plate, spread with the vanilla cream, and replace the almond crown. Chill 30 minutes before slicing with a hot, wiped knife so the layers cut cleanly. Serve the same day for the freshest cream.