Monday, December 26, 2016
Dark Chocolate Marshmallow
Dark Chocolate Marshmallow
1/2 cup cocoa powder, divided
3/4 cup cold water, divided
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 (1/4-ounce) packets unflavored gelatin
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 ounce dark chocolate, chopped
pinch of kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon instant coffee granulate
Instructions
Line an 8 by 8-inch baking sheet with parchment paper, sprinkle 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder on the bottom and the sides of the parchment paper, set aside.
In a microwave safe bowl, add chopped chocolate, salt and instant coffee, heat on high until chocolate is melted. Stop and stir at 30 seconds intervals. When chocolate is melted, stir in 1/4 cup cocoa powder. Set aside to let cool.
In a medium saucepan, add 1/3 cup of the water, the sugar and the corn syrup and heat over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Once the sugar is dissolved, do not stir the mixture and continue to cook the syrup until it reaches 265 degrees F on the candy thermometer, about 8 to 10 minutes.
While the syrup is cooking, work on the gelatin and egg whites. In a microwave-safe bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the remaining cold water and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Then heat the gelatin in a microwave for 25 to 30 seconds to liquefy it.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until firm. As soon as the syrup reaches 265 degrees F, remove the pan from the heat. Transfer the syrup to a heat proof beaker with handle (I used my heat proof glass measuring cup. It’s safer and easier to control using a beaker to pour the hot syrup into the running mixer than pouring the hot syrup directly from the saucepan.)
With the mixer on medium low speed, slowly add the syrup to the egg whites. Pouring it between the spinning beater and the sides of the bowl. Add the gelatin and continue to beat for another 3 minutes. When the ingredients are fully incorporated and slightly cooled, beat in the vanilla and chocolate mixture until well combined.
With a rubber spatula, scrape the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread the mixture into the corners and smooth the surface. Dust the top of the marshmallow with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder.
Leave it in a cool, dry place to set. It takes about 2 to 3 hours. Once the marshmallow is cooled and set, cut into small pieces with a pair of scissors or a long thin knife. I cut some of mine with cookie cutters. Lightly dust the cookie cutters with cocoa powder to prevent sticking. Eat them as is or add them into hot chocolate for a decadent treat. Enjoy.
Chocolate Malt Marshmallows
WARNING - STAND MIXER HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Malted Chocolate Marshmallows
2/3 c. cold water
2 tbsp malted milk powder
1 c. granulated sugar
2 packages of gelatin
2 tsp vanilla paste or vanilla extract
1/2 c. light corn syrup
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
cocoa powder for dusting only
lightly grease an 8x8 2.5 inch deep baking pan
Pour the gelatin into a bowl and cover with the cold water, allow to bloom for 2 minutes. In a medium saucepan, add sugar, malted milk powder, vanilla paste and the bloomed gelatin. Heat until everything is dissolved and then remove from heat. Do not boil. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the corn syrup. Beat with a whisk attachment on high for about 12 to 16 minutes until the mix is mounding up on the whisk and becoming very thick.
While that is whisking, set up a double boiler and melt the chocolate in a bowl. Once melted, remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes while the mallow is still whipping.
Once the mallow is whipped and very thick, fold the melted chocolate into it.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread quickly using a damp or greased spatula. Let it set in the fridge for 1 hour.
Dust a cutting board with cocoa powder. The cocoa powder will be used instead of corn starch to prevent the mallows from sticking. Turn the mallow brick out onto the board. If it sticks, gently coax it out with your fingers, trying not to tear it. Once its on the cutting board, dust all surfaces with cocoa. Cut into pieces. With marshmallows there's not precisely a correct size. I like cutting to 1 or 1.5 inches. Once cut, roll the mallows in cocoa powder to coat every stick surface. Store in airtight container for 2-3 weeks.
Malted Chocolate Marshmallows
2/3 c. cold water
2 tbsp malted milk powder
1 c. granulated sugar
2 packages of gelatin
2 tsp vanilla paste or vanilla extract
1/2 c. light corn syrup
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
cocoa powder for dusting only
lightly grease an 8x8 2.5 inch deep baking pan
Pour the gelatin into a bowl and cover with the cold water, allow to bloom for 2 minutes. In a medium saucepan, add sugar, malted milk powder, vanilla paste and the bloomed gelatin. Heat until everything is dissolved and then remove from heat. Do not boil. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the corn syrup. Beat with a whisk attachment on high for about 12 to 16 minutes until the mix is mounding up on the whisk and becoming very thick.
While that is whisking, set up a double boiler and melt the chocolate in a bowl. Once melted, remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes while the mallow is still whipping.
Once the mallow is whipped and very thick, fold the melted chocolate into it.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread quickly using a damp or greased spatula. Let it set in the fridge for 1 hour.
Dust a cutting board with cocoa powder. The cocoa powder will be used instead of corn starch to prevent the mallows from sticking. Turn the mallow brick out onto the board. If it sticks, gently coax it out with your fingers, trying not to tear it. Once its on the cutting board, dust all surfaces with cocoa. Cut into pieces. With marshmallows there's not precisely a correct size. I like cutting to 1 or 1.5 inches. Once cut, roll the mallows in cocoa powder to coat every stick surface. Store in airtight container for 2-3 weeks.
Decadent Chocolate Biscotti
1 stick of butter
1 c. granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 1/4 c. all purpose flour
2/3 c. cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
optional - 1 c. walnuts or 1 c. pistacios or 1 c. dried cherries
Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Either: lightly grease a baking sheet OR use a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet
Beat the sugar and butter until pale and fluffy, add eggs one at a time, mixing them in. Sift the dry ingredients into the mixture, blending it gradually with an electric mixer or stand mixer. Stir in the chocolate chips and any optional ingredients.
I have had success with laying a sheet of parchment paper on the counter and shaping the loaf right on it and then just sliding the sheet onto the baking tray.
Turn out batter onto a floured surface and form into a large, slightly flattened loaf. The loaf should be approximately 16x6 inches and roughly rectangular. The mean thickness of the loaf should be about 1 inch, with the outer edges sloping down.
Bake the loaf for 30 minutes at 350. When done take the loaf out, reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F., and let it cool for 10 min. After 10 minutes of cooling, move it to a safe cutting surface and using a very sharp knife, cut the loaf into strips 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick. You should be able to divide the loaf into about 20-24 slices. Place these back on the baking sheet but with a little space between them and bake for another 20 minutes until they are dry and crispy. Once cooked, transfer to cooling rack to cool and harden.
1 c. granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 1/4 c. all purpose flour
2/3 c. cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
optional - 1 c. walnuts or 1 c. pistacios or 1 c. dried cherries
Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Either: lightly grease a baking sheet OR use a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet
Beat the sugar and butter until pale and fluffy, add eggs one at a time, mixing them in. Sift the dry ingredients into the mixture, blending it gradually with an electric mixer or stand mixer. Stir in the chocolate chips and any optional ingredients.
I have had success with laying a sheet of parchment paper on the counter and shaping the loaf right on it and then just sliding the sheet onto the baking tray.
Turn out batter onto a floured surface and form into a large, slightly flattened loaf. The loaf should be approximately 16x6 inches and roughly rectangular. The mean thickness of the loaf should be about 1 inch, with the outer edges sloping down.
Bake the loaf for 30 minutes at 350. When done take the loaf out, reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F., and let it cool for 10 min. After 10 minutes of cooling, move it to a safe cutting surface and using a very sharp knife, cut the loaf into strips 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick. You should be able to divide the loaf into about 20-24 slices. Place these back on the baking sheet but with a little space between them and bake for another 20 minutes until they are dry and crispy. Once cooked, transfer to cooling rack to cool and harden.
Friday, November 4, 2016
Double Chocolate Chip Cookies, Best so Far
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Alternate Double Chocolate Recipe
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 egg
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. cocoa powder
2 oz semi-sweet chocolate, melted
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Alternate Double Chocolate Recipe
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 egg
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. cocoa powder
2 oz semi-sweet chocolate, melted
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
Alton Brown's Okra and Tomatoes
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/okra-and-tomatoes-recipe.html
1 pound okra, rinsed and trimmed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups finely chopped red onion
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups peeled and chopped tomato
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon freshly ground grains of paradise* or black pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom
Cut each okra pod in half lengthwise and set aside. If there are any pods longer than 4 inches, cut them in half crosswise and then lengthwise.
Heat the olive oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions along with the salt and cook until they begin to turn golden, approximately 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the tomatoes and bring the mixture to a boil. Decrease the heat to low and add the ginger, pepper, cardamom and okra. Stir to combine. Cook, uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, taste and adjust the seasoning as desired. Serve immediately.
*Cook's Note: Grains of Paradise are available online and in specialty spice markets. They have a zesty flavor reminiscent of pepper, coriander, and cardamom.
Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown, 2006
1 pound okra, rinsed and trimmed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups finely chopped red onion
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups peeled and chopped tomato
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon freshly ground grains of paradise* or black pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom
Cut each okra pod in half lengthwise and set aside. If there are any pods longer than 4 inches, cut them in half crosswise and then lengthwise.
Heat the olive oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions along with the salt and cook until they begin to turn golden, approximately 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the tomatoes and bring the mixture to a boil. Decrease the heat to low and add the ginger, pepper, cardamom and okra. Stir to combine. Cook, uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, taste and adjust the seasoning as desired. Serve immediately.
*Cook's Note: Grains of Paradise are available online and in specialty spice markets. They have a zesty flavor reminiscent of pepper, coriander, and cardamom.
Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown, 2006
Saturday, October 8, 2016
Salted Peanut Butter Cookies
https://smittenkitchen.com/2015/10/salted-peanut-butter-cookies/
Barely adapted, just a bunch of extra notes, from the Ovenly cookbook
Yield 26 to 28 cookies with a 1 2/3 tablespoon or #40 scoop. (I halved the recipe and regret it so much.)
1 3/4 cups (335 grams) packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups (450 grams) smooth peanut butter (see note at end)
Coarse-grained sea salt, to finish
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar and eggs until smooth. Whisk in the vanilla extract, then the peanut butter until smooth and completely incorporated; you shouldn’t be able to see any ribbons of peanut butter. Ovenly says you know the dough is ready when it has the consistency of Play-Doh, but I can tell you as the mom of a Play-Doh fanatic that mine was thinner, softer.
If you’d like to get those pretty striations across the top of the cookies, chill the dough by freezing it in its bowl for 15 minutes, stirring it once (so the edges don’t freeze first), before scooping it. If you’re not obsessed with these markings, you can scoop it right away. Scoop or spoon the dough into balls — Ovenly uses about a 1/4-cup scoop (probably #16); I use a 1 2/3 tablespoons or #40 scoop. Place on prepared pan. For the tallest final shape, place the tray in the freezer for 15 minutes before baking.
Sprinkle the dough balls lightly with coarse-grained sea salt just before baking. Bake smaller cookies for 14 to 15 minutes and larger for 18 to 20. When finished, cookies should be golden at edges. They’ll need to set on the sheet for a minute or two before they can be lifted intact to a cooling sheet. Trust me, you should let these cool completely before eating so the different textures (crisp outside, soft inside) can set up.
Do ahead: You can definitely make the dough in advance and either refrigerate it for a couple days or freeze it longer. However, if I were going to freeze it, I’d probably go ahead and scoop it first. You can bake them right from the freezer.
About chilling the dough: The Ovenly recipe says you can scoop and bake the cookies right away, but they keep their shape better if you chill them in the freezer for 15 minutes first. I tried it with and without and did find a better dome and final shape with the 15 minutes after. However, I was incredibly charmed by the striated marks from the cookie scoop on top of the cookie I bought last weekend, as well as in the photo in their book, and I realized that I couldn’t get it at home with just-mixed dough; you’ll get more of a blob shape from your scoop. So, I also chilled the dough for 15 minutes before scooping it and was then satisfied with the shape. It’s not necessary unless you’re as taken with top pattern as I am.
Two questions I suspect someone will ask very soon: Can you make this with all-natural peanut butter and can you make this with almond or a nut butter? The answer to both is yes, however, the authors themselves warn that you’ll get the best final shape and texture from a smooth, thick processed peanut butter like Skippy (their recommendation; updated to note, thanks to a commenter suggestion, that the 16.3-ounce jar of Skippy is estimated to contain 1 3/4 cups, saving you some measuring). I suspect an almond or cashew butter will have a similar effect as natural peanut butter.
Barely adapted, just a bunch of extra notes, from the Ovenly cookbook
Yield 26 to 28 cookies with a 1 2/3 tablespoon or #40 scoop. (I halved the recipe and regret it so much.)
1 3/4 cups (335 grams) packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups (450 grams) smooth peanut butter (see note at end)
Coarse-grained sea salt, to finish
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar and eggs until smooth. Whisk in the vanilla extract, then the peanut butter until smooth and completely incorporated; you shouldn’t be able to see any ribbons of peanut butter. Ovenly says you know the dough is ready when it has the consistency of Play-Doh, but I can tell you as the mom of a Play-Doh fanatic that mine was thinner, softer.
If you’d like to get those pretty striations across the top of the cookies, chill the dough by freezing it in its bowl for 15 minutes, stirring it once (so the edges don’t freeze first), before scooping it. If you’re not obsessed with these markings, you can scoop it right away. Scoop or spoon the dough into balls — Ovenly uses about a 1/4-cup scoop (probably #16); I use a 1 2/3 tablespoons or #40 scoop. Place on prepared pan. For the tallest final shape, place the tray in the freezer for 15 minutes before baking.
Sprinkle the dough balls lightly with coarse-grained sea salt just before baking. Bake smaller cookies for 14 to 15 minutes and larger for 18 to 20. When finished, cookies should be golden at edges. They’ll need to set on the sheet for a minute or two before they can be lifted intact to a cooling sheet. Trust me, you should let these cool completely before eating so the different textures (crisp outside, soft inside) can set up.
Do ahead: You can definitely make the dough in advance and either refrigerate it for a couple days or freeze it longer. However, if I were going to freeze it, I’d probably go ahead and scoop it first. You can bake them right from the freezer.
About chilling the dough: The Ovenly recipe says you can scoop and bake the cookies right away, but they keep their shape better if you chill them in the freezer for 15 minutes first. I tried it with and without and did find a better dome and final shape with the 15 minutes after. However, I was incredibly charmed by the striated marks from the cookie scoop on top of the cookie I bought last weekend, as well as in the photo in their book, and I realized that I couldn’t get it at home with just-mixed dough; you’ll get more of a blob shape from your scoop. So, I also chilled the dough for 15 minutes before scooping it and was then satisfied with the shape. It’s not necessary unless you’re as taken with top pattern as I am.
Two questions I suspect someone will ask very soon: Can you make this with all-natural peanut butter and can you make this with almond or a nut butter? The answer to both is yes, however, the authors themselves warn that you’ll get the best final shape and texture from a smooth, thick processed peanut butter like Skippy (their recommendation; updated to note, thanks to a commenter suggestion, that the 16.3-ounce jar of Skippy is estimated to contain 1 3/4 cups, saving you some measuring). I suspect an almond or cashew butter will have a similar effect as natural peanut butter.
Bee Sting Cake
https://smittenkitchen.com/2013/04/bee-sting-cake/
Bret's Notes:
This recipe did not work. The cake fell when baking. No idea why. When I tried to un-mold the cake, the whole thing fell out in a pile of chaotic bread chunks while the sides and bottom stuck to the pan. It was a disaster.
I was able to sort of save it and turn it into a bread pudding. I made the caramel topping and mixed it in with the cake chunks, and then folded in the custard (which needed thinning with more milk). It tasted pretty good, but it's very rich. Works better with a berry mix (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries). Don't think I'd make again. There's simpler ways of making bread pudding.
This is a tender, yeasted lightly sweetened cake with a honey-almond-caramel crunch topping. Needless to say, the topping is one of the best parts. This single-layer cake is split and filled with pastry cream; I used a thin amount (about 1 cup) but for a more traditional towering bienenstich (which are often 1:1:1 with halved cake layers and custard) you might want to double the filling. As for flavorings, I put some vanilla bean scrapings in the custard, but a 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract would be more fitting. Almond or vanilla extract or even a little lemon zest could be added to the cake layers, but I didn’t feel it was necessary.
How does this differ from other bee sting cakes out there? The cake itself has slightly more milk and slightly less flour than most recipes I saw; I preferred the more tender crumb. I opted for instant yeast (which doesn’t have to be proofed with warm liquids, hooray) to create a one-mixer-bowl cake, which means this is a breeze to put together. Many recipes use pudding mixes to create the filling, but I come from a family of custard junkies, and would never cut corners there. (But by all means feel free to if it’s all the same to you.) Finally, the cake is often baked in a square or rectangular pan (double it for a 9×13) and cut into squares.
This cake is best the day it is made but if you absolutely must get a head start, you can make the pastry cream in advance and refrigerate it until needed, up to two days. You might need to whip it up slightly to make it smoothly spreadable again. You can also make the batter the night before, and let it do its final rise in the cake pan in the fridge overnight. Bring it back to room temperature before adding the almond topping and baking it.
Update on cornstarch versus flour in custard: A few people have mentioned a floury taste in the final pastry cream, so I am adding a suggestion that you might want to use cornstarch instead. I switch back and forth between the two in custards, but seeing as I find little difference in the result, originally suggested flour because more people have it around. If you’ve got both, opt for the cornstarch instead.
Cake
2 1/4 teaspoons (or 1 1/4-ounce package) instant yeast (not active dry) (also sold as rapid rise or bread machine yeast)
3/4 cup whole milk, ideally at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon table salt
2 large eggs, ideally at room temperature
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
Honey-Almond-Crunch Topping
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold is fine
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 1/2 cups (4 3/4 ounces) sliced almonds
Two pinches of sea salt
Pastry Cream Filling
1 cup whole milk
Seeds from 1/4 to 1/2 vanilla bean, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour or cornstarch [updated]
2 pinches sea salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold is fine
Make the cake: Combine all of the cake ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl, stirring till the mixture becomes cohesive, then stirring for two minutes more. In a stand mixer, you can mix this with the paddle attachment (no dough hook needed; batter is thin) at low-medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down sides, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a draft-free place for 60 minutes, till it’s a little puffy. (It won’t fully double; this is fine.)
Butter a 9-inch round cake pan. Stir the batter a few times to deflate it slightly, then scrape it into the prepared pan and nudge it until it fills the bottom. Cover again with plastic wrap (don’t let it drape in and touch the top) and set aside for another 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the honey-almond-crunch topping: In a small or medium saucepan over medium heat, heat the butter, sugar, honey, cream and salt until the butter is melted. Bring to a simmer and let it boil for 3 to 5 minutes, until the mixture becomes a shade darker (it should go from a yellowish tone to a light beige), stirring frequently. Stir in the almonds. You will probably panic because this mixture is going to get very thick — but don’t. Set it aside to cool slightly.
Heat your oven to 350 degrees.
Once the cake has finished its second rise (again, it’s not going to rise a lot; don’t sweat it) use a small spoon to scoop out small amounts of the almond topping and distribute it over the top of the cake. It’s going to be a little pesky because it is firm, but I promise (see above: multiple photos of this process to ease your worry), even if it’s not perfectly evenly distributed, it will all smooth out gorgeously in the oven.
Bake cake on a foil-lined tray to catch any caramel drips, for 20 to 25 minutes, until top is bronzed and toothpick inserted into the center comes out batter-free. (Caramel on it is fine, and should be tasted.) Transfer to a cooling rack and let it sit in the pan for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, run a knife along the outside of the cake, making sure no places are stuck and invert the cake onto the cooling rack. If you’re like me, you’ll be positive that all of the almonds will fall off, but shockingly, in five rounds, I only lost one or two. Reverse it back onto another rack to finish cooling, replacing any almonds that fell off right back on top. They’ll merge back with the caramel as it cools; nobody will know.
Make pastry cream: Warm milk and vanilla bean scrapings (if using; if using an extract, don’t add yet) in a medium saucepan. Pour into a small bowl or cup, ideally with a spout. Set aside. Rinse saucepan with cool water, to rinse and cool; wipe to dry. Off the heat, whisk the yolks and sugar vigorously together for a minute, until pale and ribbony. Whisk in flour and salt until smooth. Drizzle in warm milk mixture, a spoonful at a time, whisking the whole time. Once you’ve add half of it, you can add the rest in a more steady stream, again whisking the whole time. Return the saucepan to the stove and cook on medium-high heat until it bubble, then simmer for one to two minutes, more whisking the whole time. Off the heat, whisk in the butter and any extracts you may be using. Cool custard completely before using, a process that can be sped up in the fridge or whisking it over a bowl over ice water.
Finally, assemble the cake: Once both the cake and pastry cream are fully cooled, place the cake on a serving platter and divide it horizontally into two layers with a long serrated knife. Spread pastry cream over bottom half. Place top half on pastry cream. Serve in wedges; watch out for bees. Refrigerate any leftovers.
This recipe did not work. The cake fell when baking. No idea why. When I tried to un-mold the cake, the whole thing fell out in a pile of chaotic bread chunks while the sides and bottom stuck to the pan. It was a disaster.
I was able to sort of save it and turn it into a bread pudding. I made the caramel topping and mixed it in with the cake chunks, and then folded in the custard (which needed thinning with more milk). It tasted pretty good, but it's very rich. Works better with a berry mix (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries). Don't think I'd make again. There's simpler ways of making bread pudding.
This is a tender, yeasted lightly sweetened cake with a honey-almond-caramel crunch topping. Needless to say, the topping is one of the best parts. This single-layer cake is split and filled with pastry cream; I used a thin amount (about 1 cup) but for a more traditional towering bienenstich (which are often 1:1:1 with halved cake layers and custard) you might want to double the filling. As for flavorings, I put some vanilla bean scrapings in the custard, but a 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract would be more fitting. Almond or vanilla extract or even a little lemon zest could be added to the cake layers, but I didn’t feel it was necessary.
How does this differ from other bee sting cakes out there? The cake itself has slightly more milk and slightly less flour than most recipes I saw; I preferred the more tender crumb. I opted for instant yeast (which doesn’t have to be proofed with warm liquids, hooray) to create a one-mixer-bowl cake, which means this is a breeze to put together. Many recipes use pudding mixes to create the filling, but I come from a family of custard junkies, and would never cut corners there. (But by all means feel free to if it’s all the same to you.) Finally, the cake is often baked in a square or rectangular pan (double it for a 9×13) and cut into squares.
This cake is best the day it is made but if you absolutely must get a head start, you can make the pastry cream in advance and refrigerate it until needed, up to two days. You might need to whip it up slightly to make it smoothly spreadable again. You can also make the batter the night before, and let it do its final rise in the cake pan in the fridge overnight. Bring it back to room temperature before adding the almond topping and baking it.
Update on cornstarch versus flour in custard: A few people have mentioned a floury taste in the final pastry cream, so I am adding a suggestion that you might want to use cornstarch instead. I switch back and forth between the two in custards, but seeing as I find little difference in the result, originally suggested flour because more people have it around. If you’ve got both, opt for the cornstarch instead.
Cake
2 1/4 teaspoons (or 1 1/4-ounce package) instant yeast (not active dry) (also sold as rapid rise or bread machine yeast)
3/4 cup whole milk, ideally at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon table salt
2 large eggs, ideally at room temperature
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
Honey-Almond-Crunch Topping
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold is fine
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 1/2 cups (4 3/4 ounces) sliced almonds
Two pinches of sea salt
Pastry Cream Filling
1 cup whole milk
Seeds from 1/4 to 1/2 vanilla bean, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour or cornstarch [updated]
2 pinches sea salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold is fine
Make the cake: Combine all of the cake ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl, stirring till the mixture becomes cohesive, then stirring for two minutes more. In a stand mixer, you can mix this with the paddle attachment (no dough hook needed; batter is thin) at low-medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down sides, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a draft-free place for 60 minutes, till it’s a little puffy. (It won’t fully double; this is fine.)
Butter a 9-inch round cake pan. Stir the batter a few times to deflate it slightly, then scrape it into the prepared pan and nudge it until it fills the bottom. Cover again with plastic wrap (don’t let it drape in and touch the top) and set aside for another 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the honey-almond-crunch topping: In a small or medium saucepan over medium heat, heat the butter, sugar, honey, cream and salt until the butter is melted. Bring to a simmer and let it boil for 3 to 5 minutes, until the mixture becomes a shade darker (it should go from a yellowish tone to a light beige), stirring frequently. Stir in the almonds. You will probably panic because this mixture is going to get very thick — but don’t. Set it aside to cool slightly.
Heat your oven to 350 degrees.
Once the cake has finished its second rise (again, it’s not going to rise a lot; don’t sweat it) use a small spoon to scoop out small amounts of the almond topping and distribute it over the top of the cake. It’s going to be a little pesky because it is firm, but I promise (see above: multiple photos of this process to ease your worry), even if it’s not perfectly evenly distributed, it will all smooth out gorgeously in the oven.
Bake cake on a foil-lined tray to catch any caramel drips, for 20 to 25 minutes, until top is bronzed and toothpick inserted into the center comes out batter-free. (Caramel on it is fine, and should be tasted.) Transfer to a cooling rack and let it sit in the pan for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, run a knife along the outside of the cake, making sure no places are stuck and invert the cake onto the cooling rack. If you’re like me, you’ll be positive that all of the almonds will fall off, but shockingly, in five rounds, I only lost one or two. Reverse it back onto another rack to finish cooling, replacing any almonds that fell off right back on top. They’ll merge back with the caramel as it cools; nobody will know.
Make pastry cream: Warm milk and vanilla bean scrapings (if using; if using an extract, don’t add yet) in a medium saucepan. Pour into a small bowl or cup, ideally with a spout. Set aside. Rinse saucepan with cool water, to rinse and cool; wipe to dry. Off the heat, whisk the yolks and sugar vigorously together for a minute, until pale and ribbony. Whisk in flour and salt until smooth. Drizzle in warm milk mixture, a spoonful at a time, whisking the whole time. Once you’ve add half of it, you can add the rest in a more steady stream, again whisking the whole time. Return the saucepan to the stove and cook on medium-high heat until it bubble, then simmer for one to two minutes, more whisking the whole time. Off the heat, whisk in the butter and any extracts you may be using. Cool custard completely before using, a process that can be sped up in the fridge or whisking it over a bowl over ice water.
Finally, assemble the cake: Once both the cake and pastry cream are fully cooled, place the cake on a serving platter and divide it horizontally into two layers with a long serrated knife. Spread pastry cream over bottom half. Place top half on pastry cream. Serve in wedges; watch out for bees. Refrigerate any leftovers.
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