Bee sting cake
One of the stories that goes with this cake is that the baker, while inventing the cake got stung by a bee and decided to call the cake bee sting.
The other version is that German bakers from the 15th century who lobbed beehives at raiders from a neighbouring village, successfully repelling them and the villagers showed their gratitude by baking a honey sweet cake and named it bee sting to celebrate their victory.
Not sure if either of them are true or not but what there’s no doubt about is that this buttery, airy brioche cake is delicious, as it’s soaked in a luscious liquor syrup, has a rich creamy centre, and is topped off with the most delicious caramelised honey and almond topping.
This has to be the easiest brioche dough to make. If you use a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, it will make your job that much quicker.
However, if you don’t have a stand mixer you can mix the ingredients by hand.
This recipe is from the happy kitchen
Cake
Ingredients
2 ½ cups plain flour
1 tablespoon dry yeast
½ teaspoon salt
75g unsalted butter at room temperature
2 ½ tablespoons honey
2 eggs at room temperature
¼- ½ cup milk at room temperature
Cream filling
ingredients
200g Thick cream
250g pure cream
2 tablespoons icing sugar (sifted)
1 sache vanila sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Caramelised almonds
Ingredients
1/3 cup white sugar
¼ cup honey
65 gr butter
2 tablespoons pure cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
100g flaked almonds
Syrup
Ingredients
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups water
2 -3 tablespoons liquor of your choice ( I used rose water)
Method
Pre heat the oven 180C
Line a 22 cm round cake tin with baking paper and lightly grease baking paper and sides of tin with oil or melted butter. I use flavourless oil.
In a stand alone mixer bowl place the flour and the yeast and mix with a spoon. Add the butter, sugar, honey, eggs, ¼ cup of milk and mix with dough hook until dough comes together. If the dough is dry and hasn’t come together and away from the bowl then add a little more milk from the remaining ¼ cup until the dough comes together and you get a pliable, smooth dough.
(If you don’t have a dough hook then begin mixing ingredients in a bowl with a spoon then knead by hand).
Cover bowl with a plastic film and allow to rise in a warm place for about 2 hours or until it doubles in size.
Form the dough into a ball, and transfer into prepared cake tin.
Cover with a clean cloth or plastic wrap and let rise (again) in a warm place for 40 minutes to 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.
Now you can begin to prepare the cream filling and the caramelised almonds.
Cream filling
method
In a mixing bowl place the thick cream, pure cream, icing sugar, vanilla sugar, and vanilla extract and whip until firm peaks form and place in the fridge.
Caramelised almonds
Method
In a small saucepan, over medium heat, combine the sugar, honey, butter and cream stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil. Continue boiling for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly so it doesn't burn.
Add the almonds and vanilla extract, stirring to coat. Remove from heat and cool until lukewarm.
Syrup
Method
While the almonds are cooling prepare the Syrup.
Over medium-high heat dissolve the sugar in water. Bring to the boil. Stir in liquor of your choice and allow to boil for another two minutes. Remove from heat and set a side.
Bake the cake
Using a table spoon gently spread the lukewarm almond topping evenly over the top of the dough. (DO NOT pour the almonds it will cause the cake to collapse)
Place in the oven and bake for 30min.
Turn the oven off but don’t open the door leave the cake in the oven for 20min then open the oven door and leave it a jar and leave the cake in for another 10 before taking it out and letting it cool down completely.
Assemble
Using a serrated knife, cut the cake in half horizontally.
Using a spoon or a basting brush spread the 1/2 the syrup on one half of the cake and the remaining on the other half (making sure you use the syrup on the inside of the cake not the outside)
Using a spoon or a piping bag Spread the pastry cream over the bottom of the cake.
Place the top back on the cake.
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