Almond Bear Claw

Almond Bear Claw

There is nothing that beats fresh pastry or doughnuts on a weekend morning, The problem, of course, is no wants to wake up early to get the dough rising and actually put in the time. Thus, we resort to store bought goods that satisfy our sweet tooth and solve the problem of limited time.

Bear Claw Filling

The filling of this easy pastry is something that anyone can make and only requires a handful of ingredients:

almond paste – has an amazing almond flavor that drives the overall flavor of this pastry

unsalted butter – for an extra decadent filling

granulated sugar – to sweeten the filling

egg – you’ll only use half of the egg for the filling, the other half with be used to brush the top of the pastry before baking.

all purpose flour – to act as a binder.

You can also add up to 1/4 cup of raisins or golden raisins to the filling if you prefer it that way.

How To Make Bear Claws

1. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.

2. Break up the almond paste into small pieces and place in a food processor with the butter and sugar. Pulse until broken down into pea size pieces or smaller.

3. Add in half of the beaten egg and flour and process in the food processor  just until smooth.

4. Gently lay the puff pastry out onto the prepared baking sheet.

5. Spread the filling over one half of the puff pastry sheet, leaving about an inch along the edge open.

6. Gently fold the puff pastry over the filling and crimp the edges together. Roll the edge under the bottom seam and press to make sure it is sealed.

7. Using a sharp knife, pizza cutter, or kitchen shears, cut through the pastry 4 times evenly spaced apart. You only want to cut about three quarters of the way through the pastry so that you form the five “fingers” of the bear claw. Carefully fan out the pastry slightly to separate the claws while keeping the filling mostly intact.

8. Brush the top of the bear claw with the remaining beaten egg  and sprinkle with sliced almonds and sanding sugar.

9. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.

To Glaze Or Not To Glaze

This recipe is plenty sweet on it’s own, but if you’d like to add a nice little glaze to the top, you certainly can.

Whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract, and 1 to 3 tablespoons of half of half, depending on desired consistency.

Ingredients

• 4 ounces almond paste
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg lightly beaten, divided
• 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
• 1 sheet puff pastry thawed
• ¼ cup sliced almonds
• 2 teaspoons coarse sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.

2. Break up the almond paste into small pieces and place in a food processor with the butter and sugar. Pulse until broken down into pea size pieces or smaller.

3. Add in half of the beaten egg and flour and process in the food processor just until smooth.

4. Gently lay the puff pastry out onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread the filling over one half of the puff pastry sheet, leaving about an inch along the edge open.

5. Gently fold the puff pastry over the filling and crimp the edges together. Roll the edge under the bottom seam and press to make sure it is sealed.

6. Using a sharp knife, pizza cutter, or kitchen shears, cut through the pastry 4 times evenly spaced apart. You only want to cut about three quarters of the way through the pastry so that you form the five “fingers” of the bear claw. Carefully fan out the pastry slightly to separate the claws while keeping the filling mostly intact.

7. Brush the top of the bear claw with the remaining beaten egg and sprinkle with sliced almonds and sanding sugar.

8. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.

Notes

Some of the filling will seep out while baking. That is normal and to be expected. Cut off any excess filling to form a uniform looking pastry before serving if desired.

If you want to add a glaze:

Whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract, and 1 to 3 tablespoons of half of half, depending on desired consistency.