Bienenstich – Bee Sting Cake
I’ve eaten Bienenstich for years, not realising it’s really just brioche baked in a round cake tin with a caramel nut topping and custard in the middle! I guess that’s why it’s so important to know the classics because, with these basic skills, so many delicious yet simple things can be made.
FEEDS ABOUT 10
BRIOCHE
260 g (9¼ oz/1 ¾ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour + extra, for dusting
1 teaspoon dried yeast
2 tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar
25 g (1 oz) unsalted butter, softened
130 ml (4½ fl oz) tepid milk
1 large egg
½ teaspoon salt
TOPPING
50 g (2¼ oz) unsalted butter
55 g (2 oz/¼ cup) caster (superfine) sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon honey
¼ teaspoon salt
80 g (2¾ oz/¾ cup) flaked almonds
METHOD
To make the brioche, combine the flour, yeast, sugar, butter, milk and egg in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Hook on the lowest setting for 2 minutes, then add the salt and hook for a further 5 minutes until the dough is sticky, smooth and glossy. Leave the dough in the bowl, and press plastic wrap directly on its surface, making sure any gaps around the side are sealed. Refrigerate overnight.
The next day, grease the ring of a 22 cm (8½ inch) springform tin with butter, then cut strips of baking paper to line the side. Turn the base of the tin upside down, so it no longer has a lip. Place a piece of baking paper over it, then clamp the ring around it to secure.
Scrape the dough out of the mixing bowl into the prepared tin. Sprinkle some flour over the top to stop your fingers from sticking, and press it evenly to cover the bottom of the tin. Cover with plastic wrap, then a clean tea towel, and allow to rise in a draught-free spot in the house – and a warm one if possible – for about 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in volume.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) fan-forced.
To make the topping, combine the butter, caster sugar, milk, honey and salt in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until everything has melted and combined. Stir in the nuts, then set aside to cool.
Spread the topping carefully and evenly over the surface of the risen dough, and bake for about 30 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool the brioche completely, before removing from the tin.
To finish, place the chilled crème pâtissière in a medium mixing bowl, and whisk with an electric mixer on high speed for about 10 seconds, to loosen the mixture. Add the cream and whisk until combined.
Use a serrated knife to slice the cake in half horizontally, then slice the top half into 12 segments. Otherwise the nuts will shred the brioche on the way down and all the custard will ooze out. Spread the custard on the bottom half, replace the individual top slices, cut all the way through the bottom half and serve. This is best eaten on the day it is baked.