Description
German Bee Sting Cake (Bienenstich) is a classic German dessert featuring a soft, yeasted dough base topped with a rich honey-almond caramelized topping and filled with a luscious vanilla custard cream. This delightful cake combines a crunchy, nutty top with a creamy, smooth filling, offering a perfect balance of textures and flavors.
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup warm milk (110°F or 45°C)
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 egg
Filling
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 vanilla bean (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
- 3 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Topping
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup sliced almonds
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: In a bowl, combine warm milk, active dry yeast, and sugar. Let the mixture sit for 5 to 10 minutes until it becomes frothy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Mix dry ingredients with wet: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture, melted unsalted butter, and egg. Mix everything until a soft dough forms.
- Knead the dough: Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover it with a damp cloth. Let it rise for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
- Prepare baking pan and preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9-inch round cake pan or a springform pan with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Shape dough in pan and second rise: Once the dough has risen, punch it down to release air. Transfer it to the prepared pan and press evenly to cover the bottom surface. Allow it to rise again for 15 to 20 minutes while you prepare the topping.
- Make the almond-honey topping: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and honey together. Add the sliced almonds and stir to coat them evenly. Let the mixture simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Apply topping and bake: Spread the almond and honey mixture evenly over the top of the dough. Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan.
- Prepare the custard filling: In a saucepan, combine heavy cream, whole milk, sugar, and scraped seeds from the vanilla bean or vanilla extract. Heat over medium heat until the mixture just begins to simmer.
- Temper and thicken custard: In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with cornstarch until smooth. Slowly pour the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks while whisking continuously to temper the eggs. Return the combined mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly for 5 to 7 minutes until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Finish custard and cool: Remove the custard from heat and stir in the unsalted butter until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let it cool completely at room temperature.
- Assemble the cake: Once the cake is cooled, carefully slice it horizontally into two layers. Spread the cooled custard evenly over the bottom layer, then place the almond-topped layer on top.
- Chill and serve: Refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 1 hour to allow the custard filling to set. Slice and serve chilled. Enjoy your authentic German Bee Sting Cake!
Notes
- Ensure the milk is warm but not hot to avoid killing the yeast.
- If using a vanilla bean, scrape the seeds out carefully to maximize flavor.
- Pressing plastic wrap directly onto the custard prevents a skin from forming, keeping it smooth.
- This cake is best eaten within 2 days and should be stored in the refrigerator.
- You can use a springform pan for easier cake removal.
