CONTEST DESSERT: Bee Sting Pastry (German Bienestich)

BEE STING PASTRY (German Bienestich)
Adapted by BumbleBeeBoogie

Rich Yeast Dough:
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 package active dry yeast powder
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg

In a large electric mixer bowl, combine 2 cups of the flour and the yeast.

In a saucepan heat together milk, butter, sugar and salt just until warm (115 to 120 degrees F.), stirring occasionally to melt butter.

Add warm milk mixture to the flour mixture in the mixer bowl; add the egg. Beat at low speed for 30 seconds, scraping the sides of the bowl constantly. Beat 3 minutes at high speed. (If mixing by hand, stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a stiff dough.)

Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover; let rise in warm place until double in size, about 1-1/2 hours. Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured surface and form into a ball.
While the Rich Yeast Dough is rising for the first time, prepare the Almond Syrup.
1/2 cup butter
2 cups granulated white sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1-1/2 cup blanched sliced almonds
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a saucepan, melt the butter, add the sugar, the milk, and the lemon juice; bring to boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in the almonds and the vanilla. Set aside to cool.

Vanilla Creme Filling:
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups whole milk
2 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups butter

In saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually add the milk. Cook and stir until the mixture thickens and bubbles; cook and stir 2-3 minutes more.

In a bowl, beat the egg. Stir 1/3 of the hot mixture into beaten egg to prevent the eggs from curdling; return the egg mixture to hot mixture in the pan. Cook and stir just until mixture boils. Remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla. Cover the surface of pudding with waxed paper; cool.

In a large bowl, cream the butter. Remove the waxed paper from pudding and add the pudding to the butter in the bowl, gradually beating until smooth. Chill at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven at 375 degrees F.

On lightly floured surface, and form the Rich Yeast Dough into 2 balls. Roll each ball into a 13x9 inch rectangle. Carefully lift each of the doughs into well-greased 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pans. Pat the dough out to fit the bottom of each pan.

Spread the cooled Almond Syrup over the doughs. Cover and let rise in warm place until almost double in size, about 1 hour.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. The almond syrup should look caramelized and liquid, not crumbly.

Cool 10 minutes; remove from the pan. Cool on a rack. Cut the pastry into 3-inch squares. Split each piece of pastry horizontally and fill with some of the vanilla creme filling. Makes 24 servings.