Newsletter # 41 -The Bee Sting Cake

We owe the Europeans a big thank you for the number of delicious recipes from their pastry kitchens that they have endowed on the rest of the world. Danish pastries, French Croissants, Dobos Torte, Strudel, Baklava, Portuguese tarts – the list is almost inexhaustible, much to the regret of our waistlines.

Today we will have a look at the Bienenstich or the Bee Sting cake. As usual its actual origin is a little murky, but everyone agrees that it was first documented in Germany in the early 20^th Century. Again, early versions were unfilled because you required refrigeration for the cream, but the cake still retained the topping which helped the cake stay fresh. I call it a cake, but it does have a lot of ‘bread like’ qualities because of the yeast. Other versions can be prepared with self-raising flour.

The most popular version in Australia is made a custard filling, but you could also use whipped cream or butter cream. Personally, I prefer the custard filling based on Crème Patisserie. If you have been attempting previous recipes you will notice the similarities to this base used in sweet soufflés (newsletter # 1) and also ice cream (newsletter #32).

The cake part of the recipe is made from slightly sweetened yeast dough, and the overall sweetness is helped along by the caramelised almond topping.

If you haven’t used yeast before, there are two types – Instant yeast (which I have used) or Active Dry Yeast. The Instant type can be used straight into the recipe. It is sold in a resealable container and can be stored in your pantry up until you open it – then refrigerate the yeast.

The Bee Sting Cake

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Course: Cakes

Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

  

For the custard filling:

• 1⅓ cups sugar
• 3 Tbsp cornflour
• ¼ tspn salt
• Yolks from 3 large eggs
• 1 ½ cups whole milk
• 1 tspn vanilla extract
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream for later

For the almond-honey topping:

• ¼ cup (60g) unsalted butter
• 2 Tbsp (40g) honey
• 2 Tbsp white sugar
• 1 cup (110g) flaked almonds

For the cake:

• ⅓ cup (80ml) of full cream milk
• 75 g unsalted butter
• 2 Tbsp (40g) honey or sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 ⅓ cups all purpose plain flour
• 1 ¾ tspn yeast
• ¼ tspn salt

Putting it together:

• ½ cup thickened cream very cold and whipped

Equipment

• You’ll need your planetary mixer, a 23cm cake tin or spring form tin, and a small saucepan for this recipe.

Method

 

Method for the custard filling:

1. Assemble ingredients
   
2. In a bowl combine the sugar, cornflour, salt, vanilla and egg yolks
   
3. Whisk until creamy
   
4. – about 1-2 minutes
   
5. In a small saucepan warm the milk to 70c – 80c – which is below simmering point. Do not boil. The milk should be hot enough to cook any egg white that may have lingered in the egg mix
6. Add half of the warmed milk to the egg mix and stir in well
   
7. Add the other half of the milk and stir well
8. Pass this mixture through a fine strainer back into the saucepan. The strainer will catch any unnecessary egg white
   
9. Return the saucepan to the stove and over medium heat. Stir constantly. The mixture will quickly thicken. When the first bubbles (from boiling) appear, take the mixture off the heat and whisk vigorously to remove any lumps
   
10. Return the saucepan to a lower heat to make sure it was evenly heated. Continue stirring
11. Using a spatula transfer the custard to a medium sized bowl and cover the surface with plastic film
    
12. Chill until ready to use

Method for the almond-honey topping:

1. Assemble your ingredients
   
2. In a small saucepan, over low heat, combine the butter, honey and sugar
   
3. Stir until the butter has melted and the mixture is bubbling and creamy
   
4. Take off the heat and stir in the almonds until they are well coated
   
5. Allow to cool to room temperature
6. Leave on the side until ready to use

Method for the cake:

1. Assemble ingredients
   
2. In a small saucepan warm the milk, butter and honey
3. Meanwhile combine the flour, yeast and salt
4. In your mixer (with the dough hook attachment) add the warmed milk mixture
   
5. Add the eggs and flour mixture
   
6. On a low speed mix for one minute until a rough dough forms
7. Turn the mixer up to a medium speed for 5 minutes
8. The mix will now be ‘bread dough like’ – not sticking to the sides of the mixing bowl and elastic
   
9. Form the dough into a ball and place the dough in a clean mixing bowl lightly greased with butter
10. Cover the bowl and place it in a warm place for at least one hour to allow the yeast to do its work
11. The dough will double in size
12. When you are happy with the degree of raising, ‘knock’ the dough back by working the dough with your hands
13. Lightly grease your spring form tin with butter and press the dough evenly into the base of the tin
    
14. Spread the almond mixture evenly on top of the dough
    
15. Cover and return to the warm place for at least 30 minutes
16. While your dough is enjoying a second raising pre-heat your oven to 170c
17. In the centre of the oven bake the Bee sting for 25 minutes
18. When the topping is a golden brown remove the Bee sting from the oven
    
19. Wait 5 minutes
20. Run a knife around the edge of the tin and remove the Bee sting
21. Allow to cool to room temperature and then it’s ready for final assembly
    

Method for putting it together:

1. Gently fold in half of the whipped cream to the chilled custard
   
2. When combined fold in the other half of whipped cream. The custard should be light and airy without any obvious bits of unmixed custard. Keep chilled while you split the cake
   
3. Split the cake horizontally and on the inside of the base spread the custard mix evenly. Leave a little gap – say 1cm around the edge
   
4. Place the top on the cake and gently press down until the custard expands to the edge of the cake.
5. Best refrigerated for 2 hours, but you can serve it immediately
   

End result

The finished product for this recipe will not suit everybody. Modern consumers are more accustomed to softer flours, and this recipe required strong (high protein) flour. So, I have adjusted the above recipe to include all-purpose flour. Additionally modern tastebuds are used to a sweeter product. In a future newsletter we will attempt a recipe that has more broad-based appeal.