Reel Meals: My Girl + Bee Sting Cake from Chef Cora James

Reel Meals is the latest side dish to Hollywood Suite’s signature programming, which features movies you love from the 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s. With Reel Meals, get to know a Canadian chef or food personality through an original recipe catered to a film from the Hollywood Suite catalogue.

This month, we’re putting a spotlight on great films with even greater soundtracks, including 1991 coming of age classic My Girl (which was, of course, named after the Temptations song). Chef and cinephile Cora James — curator of the Food in Film screening series at the Revue Cinema — has created an original recipe that not only recalls one of My Girl’s most iconic moments, but is also bound to bring the late-summer feels.

Check out her sweet and comforting Bee Sting Cake (or Bienenstich) recipe below, and watch My Girl (1991) all month On Demand.

Bee Sting Cake (or Bienenstich)

Vanilla Custard

Prepare this custard two to three days before you plan to serve the cake.

• 1 ½ cups homogenized milk
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 egg yolks
• 3 tbsp cornstarch

1. Whisk together the cornstarch, egg yolks, and a bit of the milk to dissolve the cornstarch.
2. Combine all ingredients in a pot.
3. On medium heat, whisk the ingredients constantly until they begin to thicken.
4. Once the custard starts to thicken and boil, whisk for 1 minute and then strain.
5. Cover the top of the custard with a piece of plastic wrap, and reserve in the fridge overnight.

Bee Sting Dough

Prepare this dough one day before you plan to serve the cake.

• 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
• 4 tbsp warm water
• 1 tsp active dry yeast
• 2 eggs
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup room temperature butter (unsalted)

1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and wait for it to activate.
2. Transfer the yeast and water to a mixing bowl, and add the sugar.
3. Add the flour, eggs, butter, and salt to the mixing bowl.
4. On medium speed (4-5 on a KitchenAid), mix the dough for 8 minutes, scraping down the sides every few minutes to incorporate loose ingredients.
5. Once the dough is combined, cover it and allow it to rest and double in size. This should take 1 ½ to 2 hours (unless you live without air conditioning).
6. Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour to firm it up.
7. Meanwhile, line a 9” round, cake pan with parchment paper (or spray with PAM and sprinkle with sugar).
8. Prepare the almond/coconut topping and set aside.
9. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
10. Press the refrigerated dough into the cake pan, levelling it out as much as possible.
11. Cover the dough and let rise again (on the warm oven is best) until double in size.
12. Sprinkle and dab the almond/coconut topping on top of the dough.
13. Bake for 30 minutes until the top is caramelized.
14. Allow the cake to cool slightly, and then unmould.
15. Allow the cake to cool completely, slice in half, and fill with vanilla custard.
16. Reserve the cake in the fridge for a few hours, but ideally overnight.
17. Slice and serve with in-season or out-of-season berries.

*Note: This dough is incredibly sticky and soft; resist the urge to add more flour.

Almond/Coconut Topping

• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 ½ tbsp half and half
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup unsweetened coconut
• ½ cup flaked almonds

1. Combine all ingredients in a pot.
2. Stirring constantly, bring the ingredients to a boil.
3. Boil for 3 minutes, and remove from the heat.

About Cora James

Cora James has over thirteen years of chef and hospitality experience, and most recently occupied the title of Executive Pastry Chef. Her love of food and beverage has also led her to explore the cultural representation of culinary arts in film through a monthly film series at the Revue Cinema called “Food in Film.” With the series, Cora screens a food-focused film once a month, and then partners with a local chef or restaurant, who prepare a snack inspired by the movie. Cora has recently left the kitchen, though, and returned to school to pursue a paralegal license; it is her hope to combine law, food, and hospitality upon graduation. She is an active member of the FAO “food for cities” discussion forum, and a member of the Canadian Association of Food Law and Policy.