This Germanic yeasted cake is dripping with honey goodness, and it’s easier to make than you’d think.
BEE STING CAKE
Serves 12
300g (10½ oz/2 cups) plain flour
55g (2 oz/¼ cup) caster (superfine) sugar
2 teaspoons dried yeast
185ml (6 fl oz/¾ cup) milk, at room temperature
2 eggs, at room temperature
60g (2¼ oz/¼ cup) softened butter, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
FILLING
500g (1 lb 2 oz) cream cheese, softened
250g (9 oz) ricotta cheese finely grated zest of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons lemon juice
125g (4½ oz/1 cup) icing (confectioner’s) sugar, sifted
HONEY ALMOND TOPPING
90g (3¼ oz/⅓ cup) butter, diced
50g (1¾ oz) honey
75g (⅓ cup) caster (superfine) sugar 40ml (1¼ fl oz) thick (double) cream
15g (5½ oz) flaked almonds
Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F/gas 3). Grease and line the base and side of a 23cm (9 inch) spring-form cake tin.
For the filling, put the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until just combined. Refrigerate until needed.
For the cake, put the flour, sugar, yeast, milk, eggs, butter and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Scrape the batter into the cake tin and spread out evenly with a spoon or offset spatula. Place the tin in a clean plastic bag and tie to enclose. Leave in a warm, draught-free place and allow to rise for 1-1½ hours.
Meanwhile, make the topping. Put butter, honey, sugar and cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5-6 minutes until the mixture turns a slightly darker shade of yellow. Add almonds and stir through. Remove from the heat and allow to cool until the cake dough has finished rising.
CHAMOMILE HONEY ICE CREAM
Makes 1 litre (35 fl oz/4 cups)
560ml (19¼ fl oz/2¼ cups) milk
400ml (14 fl oz) thin (pouring) cream
(35% milk fat)
1 tablespoon chamomile tea leaves
200g (7 oz) honey
8 egg yolks
2 cups ice, for cooling custard waffle cones, to serve
Place milk, cream and chamomile tea leaves in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil and remove from the heat.
Cover and leave to infuse for 30 minutes. Pour through a fine sieve into a large jug and discard chamomile leaves.
Heat honey in a medium saucepan over medium heat and allow to boil for 5 minutes until it begins to caramelise – do not allow it to burn. Slowly pour in milk mixture, whisking constantly until honey has dissolved.
Whisk egg yolks in a large bowl and slowly pour in hot milk-honey mixture while whisking.
Prepare a large metal bowl set over a bowl of ice – you will use this to cool the milk and yolk mixture.
Pour the milk and yolk mixture into a clean saucepan and stir over low heat until it reaches 82°C (180°F) or begins to thicken – do not allow it to boil. Pour through a fine sieve into the large metal bowl set over ice and allow to cool. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold.
Churn using an ice-cream machine according to manufacturer’s instructions.
NOTE Churning the mixture before it’s cold may mean your ice cream doesn’t set, so don’t rush it. You can place the custard in the freezer for 30 minutes or so to speed up the cooling process. >