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1
Make the Yeast Dough
70 Mins • Mix & Rise
Warm milk, ~35°C (95°F); rise at ~25°C (77°F)
Stir the yeast and a pinch of the sugar into the warm milk and leave for 5 minutes until it smells yeasty. Mix the flour, remaining sugar and salt in a large bowl, add the yeasty milk, the beaten egg, the vanilla and the softened butter, and knead for 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth, soft and slightly tacky. Cover and leave in a warm place for about 60 minutes until doubled in size.
If the milk is hotter than 40°C (104°F) it will kill the yeast — test it on your wrist; it should feel just warm.
Done when: The dough has doubled, feels puffy, and springs back slowly when poked.
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2
Cook the Vanilla Custard
15 Mins • Cook & Cool
Medium heat, ~85°C (185°F); do not boil hard
Whisk the cornstarch and egg yolks into the cold 100 ml milk until completely smooth. Heat the remaining 300 ml milk with the 75 g sugar in a saucepan until it just simmers, then pour in the cornstarch mixture, whisking constantly. Cook for 2–3 minutes until thick like custard, take off the heat, and stir in the butter cubes and vanilla until glossy. Press cling film directly onto the surface and leave to cool completely.
Film on the surface stops a skin forming — skip it and you will be picking skin out of the cream later.
Done when: Thick, glossy custard that holds a trail when you lift the whisk.
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3
Top the Dough and Bake
30 Mins • Bake
Oven 180°C (350°F)
Press the risen dough into the greased tin in an even layer. Melt the topping butter with the sugar, honey and cream in a small pan, simmer for 2 minutes, take off the heat and stir in the sliced almonds and a splash of vanilla. Spread the hot topping evenly over the dough, right to the edges. Bake for 25–30 minutes until the almonds are deep golden and the centre of the cake reaches 88°C (190°F). Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out and cool completely.
Spread the topping to the very edge — bare dough at the rim dries out and the topping shrinks back as it bakes.
Done when: Deep golden, crackling almond top; a skewer in the centre comes out clean.
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4
Whip the Cream and Fill
15 Mins • Whip & Fill
Cold cream, ~4°C (39°F)
Whip the cold 200 ml cream to soft peaks. Whisk the cooled custard until smooth, then fold in the whipped cream in two additions until light and even. Cut the cooled cake horizontally into two layers with a long serrated knife. Cut the almond-topped layer into 12 wedges now, before filling — cutting it later would squeeze the cream out.
Cutting the top into wedges first is the bakery trick: every slice keeps its crunchy lid intact.
Done when: Light, mousse-like cream; the top layer is in 12 neat wedges.
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5
Assemble and Chill
3 Hours • Chill
Fridge, ~4°C (39°F)
Set the bottom layer on a serving plate, spread the vanilla cream over it in an even dome, then lay the 12 almond wedges on top, matching the cuts. Chill for at least 3 hours, or overnight, so the cream sets and the cake slices cleanly.
Chill it properly — a warm bee sting cake slides apart the moment you cut it.
Done when: Firm cream that holds its shape; clean slices with all three layers visible.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve cold from the fridge, in the wedges you cut before filling, with the almond top facing up so the crunch shows. The cake keeps its layers best on the day it is filled.
Germany
3h 30m
