Bienenstich Recipe

Name: Bienenstich
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 35 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: German
Ingredients: 400 g plain flour; 7 g instant yeast; 60 g caster sugar; 200 ml lukewarm milk; 60 g butter, softened; 1 egg; 1 pinch salt; 100 g butter, for the topping; 80 g caster sugar, for the topping; 2 tbsp honey; 3 tbsp double cream; 150 g flaked almonds; 500 ml whole milk, for the cream; 4 egg yolks; 80 g caster sugar, for the cream; 40 g cornflour; 1 tsp vanilla extract

Bienenstich

A German yeast cake topped with caramelised almonds and split to hold a vanilla cream, risen for 1 hour and baked for 35 minutes.

1 hr 15 min prep and cooking plus 2 hr Rising and chilling plus time for cooling completely, which the recipe does not time at least 3 hr 15 min start to finish Serves 12 servings Medium

The Case for Bienenstich

Most home versions come out with a topping that slides off, and the fix is to spread it on the cake before the second rise ends. Bienenstich, the bee sting cake, is a soft yeast cake with a crisp topping of honey and almonds and a split layer of vanilla cream.

The dough is a rich, sticky yeast dough of flour, milk, butter, eggs and sugar. Press it into a lined tin, let it rise for 1 hour, then spread the topping, a cooked mix of butter, sugar, honey, cream and flaked almonds, over the top. Spread the topping while it is warm and still runny, so it sinks into the dough as it bakes and sets in place. Bake at 180°C / 355°F for 35 minutes until the almonds are deep gold.

Cool the cake completely and slice it in half horizontally with a serrated knife. Fill with vanilla pastry cream, set the top back on and chill for 1 hour. Cut into squares with a sharp knife dipped in hot water.

Build the Meal Around Bienenstich

Coffee
Whipped cream
Sweet wine

How to Make Bienenstich

Tap a step to highlight it, or turn on Cook Mode for large type and step-by-step focus.

Mix the flour, yeast, 60 g sugar, lukewarm milk, 60 g butter, egg and salt and knead for 8 minutes. Press into a lined 24 x 30 cm tin and leave to rise for 1 hour.
Heat the oven to 180°C / 355°F. Melt the topping butter, sugar, honey and cream together and stir in the almonds.
Spread the topping over the dough while warm. Bake for 35 minutes until deep gold. Cool completely.
Warm the milk. Whisk the yolks, 80 g sugar and cornflour, pour on the milk, whisking, and return to the pan. Stir for 5 minutes until thick. Add the vanilla and cool.
Split the cake in half, spread the cream over the base and replace the top. Chill for 1 hour and cut in squares.

A Few Notes

Spread the topping while it is warm.

Cool the cake completely before splitting.

Dip the knife in hot water to cut clean squares.

Keeping What's Left

Keeps for 2 days in the fridge.

Bienenstich: Your Questions Answered

How long does Bienenstich take to make?

40 minutes of preparation and 35 minutes of cooking, plus 2 hours of Rising and chilling, so allow 3 hours 15 minutes from start to finish. The method also needs time for cooling completely, which it does not time, so treat that as a minimum. The recipe serves 12.

The Numbers per Serving

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. How the figures are worked out.

471Calories

10gProtein

56gCarbs

23gFat

3gFibre

25gSugar

50mgSodium

Vegetarian

Bienenstich

Build the Meal Around Bienenstich

How to Make Bienenstich

A Few Notes

Keeping What's Left

Bienenstich: Your Questions Answered

The Numbers per Serving

Your notes on this recipe

Cooked this? Keep a note for next time

Build the Meal Around Bienenstich

How to Make Bienenstich

A Few Notes

Keeping What's Left

Bienenstich: Your Questions Answered

The Numbers per Serving

Your notes on this recipe

Cooked this? Keep a note for next time

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