Bienenstich (German Bee Sting Cake) - Caramelized Almond and Custard Recipe
Quick answer
Bienenstich, German for bee sting, is a traditional German bakery cake built on enriched yeasted dough topped with caramelized sliced almonds cooked in butter and sugar b...
What makes this special
- Bienenstich highlights a honeyed almond crust over yeast dough with a thick vanilla cream.
- Butter-sugar caramelized almond slices baked directly on top of the yeast dough
- One bite delivers crunchy almond caramel, soft bread, and cold smooth cream in sequence
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Combine 120ml warm milk with 5g instant yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar and let s...
- 2 Combine 220g flour, remaining sugar, 1 egg, 40g butter, and the yeast milk...
- 3 Cover the dough in a bowl and proof in a warm place for 60 minutes until doubled in size.
Bienenstich, German for bee sting, is a traditional German bakery cake built on enriched yeasted dough topped with caramelized sliced almonds cooked in butter and sugar before baking. The almond layer sets into a crunchy golden crust in the oven while the dough below stays pillowy and soft. Once the cake has cooled completely, it is split horizontally and filled generously with vanilla custard or whipped cream. A single bite moves through three distinct layers: the shattering almond topping, the tender yeasted bread, and the cool, smooth cream within. Pressing the almond topping firmly onto the dough before baking prevents it from sliding off during the bake. If making custard from scratch, chilling it completely before filling keeps the bread from turning soggy.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Combine 120ml warm milk with 5g instant yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar and let stand for 5 minutes to activate the yeast.
If foam forms on the surface, the yeast is alive and ready.
- 2Season
Combine 220g flour, remaining sugar, 1 egg, 40g butter, and the yeast milk, then knead for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. It will feel sticky at first but becomes less tacky as kneading continues.
- 3Control
Cover the dough in a bowl and proof in a warm place for 60 minutes until doubled in size.
- 4Control
Melt 50g butter, 20g sugar, and 40ml cream together in a small saucepan over medium heat, then stir in 90g sliced almonds until evenly coated. This topping caramelizes into a golden, crunchy layer during baking.
- 5Heat
Spread the proofed dough evenly into a round pan and top with the almond mixture.
Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C for 25 to 30 minutes until the almond topping is golden brown. Cool completely before proceeding.
- 6Finish
Whip 140ml heavy cream to stiff peaks.
Split the fully cooled cake in half horizontally and spread the whipped cream evenly over the bottom layer, then replace the top layer to finish.
After the steps
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