Günter Hornburgs Bienenstich Recipes

Steps:

• Combine whipping cream and sugar till smooth, add eggs one at a time,beating well.
• Add flour, vanilla sugar, and baking powder and mix well.
• Place a thin layer of this mixture in two greased, well floured jelly roll pans. Remember, this makes two pans. Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.
• Topping: Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat.
• Stir in sugar, honey and cream. Stir mixture and boil for 5 minutes. Add almonds and vanilla.
• Set aside to cool until warm. Mixture will thicken as it cools.
• Final step: Spread almond mixture on top of partially baked bottom layer of cake. Bake another 15 - 20 minutes until golden brown.
• Fill with either whipped cream, vanilla pudding lightened with whipping cream, or leave plain. A lot of people fill it with instant vanilla pudding if they don't have a lot of time.
• There are many, many varieties of Bienenstich in Germany and all kinds of ways to serve and eat it.

Steps:

• Combine flour, yeast, 2 tablespoons sugar, salt, 3/4 cup milk, and 3 tablespoons butter or margarine. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 15 to 20 minutes. Place in a well greased bowl, and cover. Let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled.
• Punch down the dough. Roll out to a 1/2 inch thickness. Spread into a greased 8 inch square baking pan. Cover, and let rise for 30 minutes.
• Melt 3 tablespoons butter or margarine and confectioner's sugar in a saucepan. Add almonds and 1 tablespoon milk. Remove from heat, and stir in honey. Spread evenly and carefully onto the dough. Allow dough to continue to rise for an additional 30 minutes.
• Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes, or until crust turns golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.
• Dissolve cornstarch in a little milk. Combine 1 1/2 cups milk, cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon sugar inn the top of a double boiler. Heat while stirring until thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add in beaten egg, and keep stirring for about 2 more minutes, or until thick. Remove from heat, and stir in extract. Chill, covered, in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Beat the whipping cream with the cream of tartar until stiff. Fold into the chilled pudding.
• Cut the cooled almond crust bread into 1 1/4 x 2 inch rectangles. Slice each horizontally into halves. Fill with pudding mixture. Chill, and serve cold.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• ALMOND SYRUP: In a small pan, combine all ingredients over medium-high heat. Stir until mixture reaches a rolling boil. Remove pan from heat.
• DOUGH: In a mixing bowl, stir together dry ingredients (flour,sugar, baking powder, and salt).
• Cut butter into pieces and, with a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut into flour mixture until mixture is very crumbly and no large particles remain. Add egg and mix with a fork until dough holds together.
• Press dough evenly over bottom of an ungreased 10x15-inch rimmed baking pan. Pour almond syrup over dough, spreading evenly.
• Bake in a 350°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until topping is deep golden. Let cool in pan on a rack.
• Cut into 2-inch squares; for smaller cookies, cut each square diagonally into 2 triangles. (Note: yield is based on number of cookies, not triangles.) Store airtight.