These bear claw pastries are not only delicious, but they are real "show-stoppers". The dough mixes very easily (no kneading) and the filling for the pastry is equally as easy. The only frustrating part is that there are a lot of steps. The steps are not hard to do, and you can spread the process out over a couple days if you want. I hope you try this recipe. It makes 12 good size pastries and they freeze well.

PASTRY DOUGH
1 1/2 cups COLD butter (cut into TINY cubes)
5 cups flour (divided)
1  pkg instant yeast
1 1/4 cups evaporated milk (or half & half)
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg - well beaten

Cut the COLD butter into tiny cubes, then add it to (3) cups flour and  pulse it in your food processor, 2 or 3 SHORT times. Set this flour-butter mixture in the refrigerator for now.

In your stand mixer, mix (2) cups of the reserved flour and 1 tablespoon yeast.

Warm the milk a little (I call it baby bottle warm) and add the sugar and egg to it. Stir well, then add it to the flour-yeast in your stand mixer bowl. Mix well. 

Add the cold flour-butter mixture to the stand mixer bowl and mix well.

Lightly flower your counter and turn the dough out onto it. Pat or roll the dough into a 12" x 20" rectangle.

Fold into thirds, lightly flour and roll out again to a 12" x 20" rectangle (a 2nd time).

Fold into thirds, (a 3rd time)...wrap it in plastic wrap and chill it at least 4 hours or up to three days.

FILLING

1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
1 + 1/3 cups unsifted powdered sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
8 ounces (1 cup) almond paste (pinched into pieces)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 egg whites
3/4 cup finely chopped almonds (use food processor)

Beat softened butter and powdered sugar until smooth. Add 2/3 cup flour and almond paste. Beat with electric mixer until evenly mixed; add lemon zest and two egg whites. Beat until smooth. Stir in ¾ cup finely chopped almonds. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until firm (this filling keeps well in the fridge for 1 to 3 days which is nice because that means you don't HAVE to make all of the pastries at once).

ASSEMBLY

Take your dough out of the fridge, cut it in half and let it sit at room temperature for about 1/2 hour (not necessary, but it helps). 

Roll each half out on lightly floured counter to 14" square. Cut each square into 6 equal pieces. Place a heaping tablespoon of the chilled almond filling onto the middle of each square. Fold over and pinch edges, then very gently press on the filling to even it out a little, re-pinch edges.

Using kitchen scissors, cut 4 slices into folded side of the pastry and spread them out just a little.

Sorry, I'm NOT an artist 

Brush folded and cut pastry with well beaten egg white + 1 teaspoon water, then sprinkle with a little sugar. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet and cover lightly with plastic wrap and let raise for 1 1/2 hours.

Bake at 375° for 15-17 minutes or till light golden brown. Remove to a rack to cool, then frost and sprinkle with sliced/toasted almonds.

NOTE: I hope I have not scared you away from this recipe. It really is no harder than a piecrust.

FROSTING
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk (more if you need it)
Mix well

ENJOY !!!

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August 11, 2020

This recipe produces a light, flaky and delicious pastry. There are several steps to this, but they are ALL EASY to do and I've included lots of extra photos to (hopefully) convince you to try it.  It really IS tasty and impressive to serve !!

Bottom Layer

1/2  cup of COLD butter cut into cubes
1    cup all purpose flour
1/4  cup COLD water

If you've ever made a pie crust, this step will be a cinch. Using a pastry cutter, cut the COLD butter into the flour until the mixture is crumbly and you can see small pieces of butter in the flour, like this:

Add the cold water and work it into the flour-butter mixture with a spoon or fork (your hands are too warm for this step). The mixture will all come together, but it will not be smooth. It should look like this:

Divide dough in half and roll into two log shapes. Transfer the logs to a parchment lined cookie sheet, then pat-roll them into 10" x 3" rectangles (I trim mine to the right shape). Make sure you leave plenty of room between these rectangles, since they puff a little while baking. They should look like this:

SECOND LAYER

This second layer will be spread on top of the unbaked rectangles:

1 cup water
1/2  cup butter
1    cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3  large eggs (room temperature)
1  teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium size saucepan, bring the water and butter to a boil. Stir until the butter is melted. Add the flour and salt (all at once) and immediately stir like crazy. The mixture will almost instantly thicken and will leave the sides of the pan in a lump. The first time I did this step, I was SURE I had ruined it, but never fear, this is what it is SUPPOSED to do. It will look like this:

Put the HOT mixture into an electric mixer and beat on medium high for about a minute to cool it down a little.

Next, add the three eggs, one at a time, mixing well (on medium high) in between each egg. When you first put the egg in, it will make the dough look sort of "slimy", never fear, that is what is supposed to look like.  Beat it a little longer and the "slime" will disappear (repeat with the other two eggs, mixing in the vanilla with the last egg).  After you beat in all 3 eggs, it will look like this:

Divide the dough in half and using DAMP fingers, press it onto the unbaked rectangles you made earlier. It will look like this:

Bake in a PRE-HEATED 350°F  oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until they are a deep golden color. My electric oven takes 55 minutes and looks like this after it is cooked:

Stir  2/3 cup of jam (your favorite flavor) until it is lump free and spread half of it onto each warm pastry, like this:

Drizzle frosting over jam. Frosting is made of 1/2 cup powdered sugar + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract + about 4 teaspoons of milk. Sprinkle with your favorite nuts.

I tried to get a good picture of the INSIDE of this pastry, but it is hard to see.  Trust me, it is light as air and flaky!!

NOTE: If you forget to take the eggs out of the fridge (so they can come to room temperature) just put them in a bowl of hot tap water for about 10 minutes.

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June 02, 2016