Bienenstich Cake (Bee Sting Cake) for Clandestine Cake Club

Well if making a loaf wasn't enough I decided to also make a bee sting cake, which has texture like a brioche and is made with yeast!  There are umpteen recipes online, but I of course decided to put  my own spin on it.  Springform tin is a good thing!!!

For dough

• 2.5 cups plain bread flour
• 1 tablespoon dried instant yeast
• 2/3 cup caster or superfine sugar
• 1 cup warmed milk
• 55g/2 ozs butter melted plus some extra for greasing the bowl and tin
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• zest from 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons honey

For nut topping

• 7 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup caster or superfine sugar
• 1 cup whole almonds roughly chopped
• 2-3 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon honey

For the Custard Filling (I decided to use Creme patissiere)

• 500ml milk
• 100g caster sugar, divided
• 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthways
• 6 egg yolks
• 4 tablespoons plain flour
• 60g unsalted butter
• 1 pinch salt

Method:

Start by making the dough.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook mix the flour, yeast and sugar and knead for about 4-5 minutes until elastic. Add the butter, eggs, salt and lemon zest and mix for another couple of minutes until it forms a cohesive but sticky dough. Grease a large bowl with butter or oil and place the batter in the bowl and cover with cling film. Place in a warm area to prove and rise for an hour or so. 

Whilst dough is proving, you can make the topping by combining all of the ingredients to a small saucepan and stirring on low heat until the mixture thickens.

Preheat the oven to 170C/340F. Grease a 21cm/8.5 inch springform tin and line the bottom and sides (line all the way up the sides as it rises high) with baking parchment. When the dough has risen place it in the lined baking tin, cover with cling film again and allow it to rise again for another 30 minutes. Once it has risen again spread the topping mixture over the top of the risen dough and bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool in the tin.

While you are waiting, make the custard filling. Place the milk, half the sugar and the vanilla bean in a saucepan over medium heat.

Combine the egg yolks and the remaining sugar in a bowl and whisk until light in colour. Add in the flour and the salt, mix to combine.

When the milk just begins to boil, remove from heat and remove vanilla bean. Very slowly dribble the hot milk into the yolk mixture, stirring all the time. When about half of the milk has been added, place all of the yolk mixture into the saucepan over medium heat. Using a spatula or a whisk, mix the pastry cream as it heats, making sure to reach all of the corners of the pan when you stir. Bring the mixture to the boil. Let boil for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. The mixture will be thick.

Remove from heat and add the butter. Place into a bowl and cover directly with cling film to stop a skin from forming on the cream.

Remove the cake from the tin once cool and slice in half horizontally. I then piped the cold custard filling in the middle for a neater effect and place the top half on the custard.  

Note:  This cake didn't like me and took me 3 attempts!  I would suggest just making a madeira and adding honey to it and do the topping and the custard.

Et voila!

It was enjoyed by all at April's Clandestine Cake Club meeting.

Talking of cake clubs, the next Guilty Pleasures Cake club meeting takes place on Saturday, 4th May (Star Wars day apparently!) at Derby Lodge Cooperative Tearooms at Shipley Park.  Event details can be found here.