Bienenstich (beesting Cake)

Rich Yeast Dough 3-1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1 pkg active dry yeast 1 cup milk 1/2 cup butter or margarine 1/4 cup sugar 1 tsp salt 1 egg In large mixer bowl, combine 2 cups of the flour and the yeast. Heat together milk, butter, sugar and salt just until warm (115-120 deg F), stirring occasionally to melt butter. Add to dry mixture in mixer bowl; add egg. Beat at low speed of electric mixer for 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl constantly. Beat 3 minutes at high speed. By hand, stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a stiff dough. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover; let rise in warm place until double, about 1-1/2 hours. Turn out on lightly floured surface. Divide in half and form each part into a ball. Use half the dough for Bienenstich and other half for Zimt Nusskuchen (Cinnamon Nut Cake--sorry, I've lost this part of the recipe). Almond Syrup 1/4 cup butter 1 cup sugar 1 tbsp milk 1 tsp lemon juice 3/4 cup blanched sliced almonds 1/2 tsp vanilla While Rich Yeast Dough is rising for the first time, prepare Almond Syrup. In saucepan, melt the butter, add the sugar, the milk, and the lemon juice; bring to boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in almonds and vanilla. Set aside to cool. Vanilla Creme Filling 1/4 cup sugar 2 tbsp cornstarch dash salt 3/4 cup milk 1 beaten egg 1/2 tsp vanilla 3/4 cup butter In saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually add the milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens and bubbles, cook and stir 2-3 minutes more. Stir a moderate amount of hot mixture into beaten egg; return to hot mixture. Cook and stir just until mixture boils. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Cover surface of pudding with waxed paper; cool. Cream butter. Remove the waxed paper from pudding and gradually beat cooled pudding into butter. Chill at least 30 minutes. On lightly floured surface, roll out the half recipe of Rich Yeast Dough to a 13x9 inch rectangle. Carefully lift dough into a well-greased 13x9x2 inch baking pan. Pat out to fit bottom of pan. Spread cooled Almond Syrup over dough. Cover; let rise in warm place until almost double, about 1 hour. Bake in 375 deg F oven, 15-20 minutes. Almond Syrup should look caramelized and liquid, not crumbly. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan. Cool on rack. Cut bread into 3-inch squares. Split each piece of bread horizontally and fill with some Vanilla Creme Filling. Makes 12 servings.