BEEHIVE HONEY CAKE

Steps:

• To make the cake: Sift flour and salt together into a large bowl.
• Make a well in the center of the flour.
• Add yeast and sugar to the well.
• Add milk, cooled melted butter, and egg, and let sit for 2 minutes to soften yeast, whisk yeast and liquid ingredients only to dissolve yeast.
• Gradually whisk or beat in flour until well is blended.
• Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead in enough flour only until dough is no longer sticky.
• Continue kneading approximately 5 to 7 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic.
• Cover dough with a towel or plastic wrap and let dough rise until doubled.
• Punch dough down.
• Roll or pat dough into 9 inch, greased pan.
• Prick dough all over with a fork.
• Spread cooled honey almond praline over dough.
• Let cake rest and double in height approximately, 45 to 60 minutes.
• While cake is rising, preheat oven to 350°F.
• Bake until golden approximately 20 to 25 minutes.
• While the cake is rising, make the honey almond praline: Melt the butter, add sugar and honey, cook until bubbly and ingredients are well blended.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the almonds.
• Let this mixture cool.
• To make the custard filling: First, place the sugar and cornstarch in a small to medium pan.
• In a bowl, mix the egg yolks and milk together.
• Whisk them into the sugar and starch mixture in the pan.
• Cook this over low heat and gradually increase to a medium heat bringing the mixture to a slow boil.
• Whisk this bubbling mixture for 3 to 4 minutes and remove from heat.
• Soak the gelatin in a 1/4 cup of warm water for 5 minutes.
• Add gelatin mixture to hot custard and whisk.
• Set aside to cool in a clean bowl.
• Cover with plastic to prevent mixture from forming skin and refrigerate until cool.
• Whisk cooled custard until creamy.
• Whip cream, sugar, and vanilla to medium peaks.
• Fold whipped cream gradually into cooled, whipped custard.
• Refrigerate until ready to fill split cake layers.
• To assemble the cake: Cut cooled cake in half to make 2 layers.
• Drizzle 1/3 jar caramel over bottom layer.
• Top with the custard mixture.
• Place the top layer over the custard and refrigerate or freeze for several hours to firm up custard before cutting.