{Bienenstich} – Bee Sting Cake

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Nu-i asa ca e minunat cand o reteta ascunde o legenda interesanta in spate? Cam asa se intampla si cu aceasta prajitura. Bienenstich este o prajitura nemteasca ce are la baza un blat cu drojdie si este umpluta cu o crema de vanilie. Insa atractia principala a prajiturii pare a fi toppingul crocant de migdale caramelizate. Legenda spune ca, in timp ce incerca o reteta noua, un patiser german ar fi fost intepat de o albina ce fusese atrasa de toppingul cu miere al prajiturii, iar el s-a hotarat sa numeasca prajitura dupa nefericitul eveniment. Oricare ar fi adevarul, prajitura e absolut minunata: pufoasa, cremoasa si totusi crocanta, usor caramelizata. Merita o sansa, va asigur ca nu veti regreta.

(Adaptata dupa Smitten Kitchen)
Ingrediente blat:

• 12g drojdie proaspata
• 150ml lapte
• 60g zahar
• 280g faina
• 2 oua
• 60g unt moale
• 1 praf sare
• vanilie

Se amesteca drojdia cu 1 lingurita zahar si se lichefiaza.
Se cerne faina cu sarea. Zaharul se amesteca cu laptele cald, ouale si vanilia.
Se toarna laptele si drojdia peste faina si se mizeaza (merge cu mixerul caci e moale). Se lasa la crescut 1h, apoi se toarna intr-o tava unsa cu unt si tepetata cu faina si se mai lasa la crescut inca o ora. Eu am folosit o tava de 26cm diametru.

Topping:

• 6 linguri unt
• 90g zahar
• 3 linguri miere
• 2 linguri smantana pentru frisca
• 1 cana migdale feliate

Se amesteca primele patru ingrediente si se fierb la foc mediu pana se caramelizeaza. Se ia de pe foc si se adauga migdalele felii. Se lasa sa se racoreasca putin, dar nu de tot, si se pune cu lingurita peste aluat in tava. Se coace la 180C, 20-30 minute.

Crema de vanilie (1 portie)

Pentru a finisa tortul, se taie blatul in doua si se umple cu crema de vanilie. Se serveste pudrat cu putin zahar. Sa aveti pofta!

Isn’t it lovely when a cake has deep roots, such as this one? Bienenstich is a German cake made out of a sweet, buttery dough, filled with vanilla pastry cream and topped with crunchy, caramelized almonds. The legend says that the cake got this name, bee sting, because the baker who created the recipe was stung by a bee that was attracted by the honey topping of the cake. Of course, there are many other variations of this legend, but whatever the truth is, the cake is absolutely delicious: fluffy, creamy, yet crunchy, slightly caramelized. It is well worth a try, I promise you won’t regret it.

Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Cake ingredients:

• 12g fresh yeast
• 150ml milk
• 60g sugar
• 280g plain flour
• 2 eggs
• 60g butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix the yeast with 1 teaspoon sugar.
Sift the flour with a pinch of salt. Whisk the milk with the warm milk, vanilla and eggs.
Pour the milk mixture and yeast over the flour and mix. Add the butter as well. A hand mixer can easily do the job for you as the dough is really soft. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and set aside to rise for 1 hour. Transfer it into a greased pan and let it rise a second time for 1 hour.

Topping:

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 90g sugar
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 cup sliced almonds

Put the first 4 ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer until slightly golden brown then add the almonds. Set aside to cool slightly, but not completely then spread the topping over the dough. The best way to do this is to use a teaspoon. Bake in the preheated oven at 180C for 20-30 minutes.

To finish the cake, cut it when it’s cold then fill it with vanilla pastry cream made as in this recipe. Serve sprinkled with a bit of powdered sugar. Enjoy!