DOUGH
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
500g (1lb 4oz) flour
300ml (1/2 pint) milk or buttermilk
40g (1-1/2 oz) fresh yeast
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla sugar or a few drops of essence
1 egg
TOPPING
100g (4oz) butter
250g (9oz) flaked almonds
200g (8oz) sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla sugar or a few drops of essence
2 tablespoons milk
FILLING
40g (1-1/2 oz) vanilla flavour blancmange powder *see note below
450ml (3/4 pint) milk
1 teaspoon powdered gelatine
2 tablespoons sugar
German cream filled yeast dough cakes with a crunchy nut topping.
Quantity makes 20-25 pieces
Measurements in brackets are UK Imperial, a tablespoon is 15ml.
The dough
Put the salt, oil and flour in a bowl. Mix the milk or buttermilk with the yeast, sugar, vanilla and the egg and add to the flour mixture, kneading well until the dough is smooth – at least 5 minutes. Cover and leave in a warm place for about 30 minutes. Line a deep oven tray with baking paper, or grease it. Roll out the dough so it fits the tray, pushing it into the corners, and prick it all over with a fork, then leave it to rise for 15 minutes.
The topping
Melt the butter in a pan then add all the other topping ingredients. Bring it to the boil, allow it to cool, then spread it onto the uncooked dough. Bake at 200 deg C (400 deg F, gas mark 6) for 30-35 minutes, then cool it on a wire rack.
To fill
Make up the blancmange with the milk, adding the gelatine and sugar at the end of the cooking time. Cut the ‘Bienenstich’ into two or more pieces (to make it easier!) and carefully slice them open. Sandwich the two halves together with the cooled vanilla cream and carefully slice into rectangles.
Alternative Topping for Bienenstich
30g (1-1/2 oz) butter
225g (8-1/2 oz) sugar
3 tablespoons honey
200g (8oz) flaked almonds
6 tablespoons milk
Melt the butter then add all the other ingredients, bring to the boil then allow to cool, but spread onto the uncooked dough while still warm.