Bienenstich is a traditional sheet cake made from yeast dough, it is made from two layers of dough with a cream in the middle and topped off with caramelized almonds.
One of the theories of the name origin has to do with a German baker trying out a new cake recipe with honey. Bees being attracted to honey, stung the baker as he was preparing the cake. Another theory involves residents of a village throwing bee hives at raiders from a neighbouring village and celebrating their success at fending off the raiders, they created the Bienenstich.
Ingredients:
530 ml (2 ¼ cups) all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons instant yeast
¾ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
60 ml (¼ cup) water
6 tablespoons butter
80 ml (⅓ cup) sugar
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons heavy cream
355 ml (1 ½ cups) sliced almonds
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons water
240 ml (1 cup) heavy cream, whipped to very soft peaks
85 g (3 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix
355 ml (1 ½ cups) milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
Combine flour, 4 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp sugar, instant yeast, salt, eggs, and 60 ml (¼ cup) water in medium-sized mixing bowl, stirring until mixture becomes cohesive.
Transfer dough to lightly oiled or lightly floured work surface, and knead for 5 to 8 minutes, until smooth. Alternatively, in electric mixer, knead for 4 to 7 minutes at medium speed using dough hook.
Once kneaded, place dough in lightly oiled bowl, then roll and turn in bowl to grease entire surface.
Cover bowl with proof cover or plastic wrap, then let it rise for 60 minutes until puffy.
Once risen, transfer dough to lightly oiled work surface and fold over to expel any excess gas.
Divide in half and roll each piece into ball shape, then pat and stretch each ball into 20 cm (8-inch) circle.
Place the circles into two lightly greased 20 cm (8-inch) cake pans.
Allow to rest and rise for 30 minutes.
Once 30 minutes have elapsed, take dough and gently stretch and pat to reach edge of pans.
Make topping while dough is rising. Melt butter in small saucepan set over medium heat, then add sugar, honey, and 2 tablespoons heavy cream.
Bring mixture to a boil, and boil for 3 to 5 minutes, until light gold color is achieved.
Stir in almonds, let cool slightly, then spread over dough in pans.
Bake in oven preheated to 180°C (350°F) for 25 to 28 minutes, until edges are golden brown, and topping is bubbling.
Once done, remove from oven, and let cool in pan for 30 minutes, allowing topping to become firm.
Once cooled, run knife around edges of pans to loosen, then flip each cake over onto plate, then flip onto baking rack so that almond topping faces upward.
Let rest and cool completely before filling.
Once completely cooled, using long serrated knife, carefully half each cake horizontally, making four thin, round pieces of cake. Cut slowly and continually check while cutting to make sure cut stays straight and even.
Once done, set the cakes aside.
Soften gelatin in 2 tablespoons water, then heat mixture over low heat in saucepan until gelatin has dissolved and mixture is clear, then let it cool slightly.
Once cooled, fold small amount of whipped cream into gelatin, then fold mixture back into remaining whipped cream.
Mix instant pudding with milk and vanilla, stirring for 2 minutes or as packaging directs.
Once finished stirring, immediately fold whipped cream and gelatin mixture into pudding. Pudding will begin to set, thus work quickly.
As soon as fully mixed, use faux pastry cream to fill cakes.
Serve immediately or refrigerate until served.
