Blue Ribbon Almond Bear Claws Recipes

BLUE RIBBON ALMOND BEAR CLAWS

Steps:

• In a bowl, toss butter with 3 cups flour until well coated; refrigerate. In a mixing bowl, combine Fleischmann's yeast and remaining flour. In a saucepan, heat cream, sugar and salt to 120 to 130 degrees. Add to yeast mixture with 1 egg; mix well. Stir in butter mixture just until moistened.
• Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead 10 times. Roll into a 21x12-inch rectangle. Starting at a short side, fold dough in thirds, forming a 12x7-inch rectangle. Cover and chill for 1 hour.
• For filling, in a mixing bowl, beat egg white until foamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and almond paste; beat until smooth. Cut dough in half widthwise. Roll each portion into a 12-inch square; cut each square into three 12x4-inch strips. Spread about 2 tablespoons filling down center of each strip. Fold long edges together; seal edges and ends. Cut into three pieces.
• Place on greased baking sheets with folded edge facing away from you. With scissors, cut strips four times to within 1/2-inch of folded edge; separate slightly. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Lightly beat water and remaining egg; brush over dough. Sprinkle with sugar and almonds. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

ALMOND BEAR CLAWS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat almond paste with an electric mixer to break it apart. Add the almonds, sugar, and salt; continue to mix until the almond paste is no longer lumpy. Stir in the butter, egg whites, almond extract and amaretto liqueur on high speed until its as fluffy as you can get it. Set aside.
• Using half of the dough at a time, roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle that is about 8 inches wide and 1/4 inch thick. Trim the edges of the dough. Cut the dough in half lengthwise to make two 4 inch wide strips.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Fill a pastry bag halfway with the almond filling and pipe a stripe of filling down the center of each strip. Whisk together the egg and water. Brush onto one edge of each strip. Fold each strip over the filling and press gently to seal it. Brush each piece with egg wash and sprinkle sliced almonds over the top. Cut into 3 to 4 inch pieces, then cut 1/2 inch slits into the sealed edge to make the ''claws''. Place the bear claws at least two inches apart on baking sheets. Refrigerate and repeat with the second half of the dough.
• Bake in the preheated oven until almonds are toasted and pastry is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool and dust with confectioners' sugar right before serving.

CRESCENT BEAR CLAWS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375ºF. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, beat egg lightly with whisk. Place 1/2 of the egg (about 1 1/2 Tbs.) in a custard cup and beat in the milk until well blended. Set this aside, it will be used as a wash later.
• To the remaining egg in the bowl, stir in the remaining filling ingredients until well blended.
• Meanwhile, in 1-quart heavy saucepan, mix glaze ingredients. Heat to boiling and remove from heat; cool while making rolls.
• On a lightly floured work surface, unroll dough; press into a 12x8-inch rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal.
• Spoon filling into a 12x2-inch strip lengthwise down the center 1/3 of the dough.
• Fold 1/3 of dough over filling. Then fold the filling-topped section over the last 1/3 of dough so the seam is on the bottom.
• With hand, gently flatten 1-inch wide strip of dough along one long side of folded dough.
• Cut folded dough crosswise into 6 (2-inch) pastries. Along flattened edge of each pastry, cut 1-inch long cuts about 1/2 inch apart.
• Lightly brush the egg-milk mixture from earlier over each pastry. Place almonds on a plate and invert each pastry onto almonds. Press gently so almonds stick to dough.
• Place almond side up on the cookies sheet, spreading each cut slightly to form claw like shape. Sprinkle remaining almonds over top of pastries.
• Bake for 15-18 min or until golden brown. Remove to wire rack and cool for 5 minute.
• Drizzle cooled glaze over each pastry.
• In another small bowl, mix icing ingredients until smooth - if too thick, add 1/2 teaspoons water at a time until drizzling consistency. Drizzle icing over cooled pastries.

EMERIL'S BEAR CLAWS, DANISH TWISTS, DANISH POCKETS

Steps:

• **Divide the dough in thirds. A separate recipe for each type of Danish is preferred. Increase the fillings for each type. This recipe makes about 6 of each, depending on size of Danish.
• Bear Claws: Roll the dough out to 1/8-inch thick. The longer the dough the more claws yielded. Egg wash the entire piece of dough. Spread a thin layer of almond filling horizontally down the center third of the dough. Fold the bottom third of the dough up to cover the filling. Fold the top third of the dough down, like your folding a business letter. Egg wash the dough. Sprinkle with crushed almonds. Cut 2-ounce portions. Make three slashes into the side of each portion, and spread gently into a horse-shoe shape to separate the toes. Proof until dough in size about 15 to 20 minutes. Bake until golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Brush with apricot glaze.
• Danish twists: Roll the dough 1/8-inch thick. The longer the length the more twists yielded. Egg wash the dough lightly, sprinkle the entire surface with cinnamon sugar. Fold the dough in half from top to bottom. Slice 2-ounce strips with a pastry wheel. Twist loosely into desired shapes. Place on a baking sheet. Egg wash each twist. Proof until the dough doubles in size, about 15 to 20 minutes. Bake until golden, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush with apricot glaze.
• Filled Pockets: Roll the dough about 16 by 24 inches by 1/4-inch thick. Egg wash the dough. Cut the dough into 4 squares. Fold two opposite corners to overlap the center of the square. Egg wash the center portion of the pastry. Fill the open corners with the cheese or fruit filling. Proof the dough until dough in size, about 15 to 20 minutes. Bake until golden, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush with apricot glaze.

ALMOND BEAR CLAWS

Steps:

• In a bowl, toss butter with 3 cups flour until well coated; refrigerate. In a large bowl, combine yeast and remaining flour. , In a saucepan, heat cream, sugar and salt to 120°-130°. Add to yeast mixture with 1 egg. Beat until smooth. Stir in butter mixture just until moistened., Place dough onto a well-floured surface; roll into a 21x12-in. rectangle. Starting at a short side, fold dough in thirds, forming a 12x7-in. rectangle. Give dough a quarter turn; roll into a 21x12-in. rectangle. Fold into thirds, starting with a short side. Repeat, flouring surface as needed. (Do not chill dough between each rolling and folding.) Cover and chill for 4 to 24 hours or until firm., For filling, in a bowl, beat egg white until foamy. Gradually add confectioners' sugar and almond paste; beat until smooth. Cut dough in half widthwise. Roll each portion into a 12-in. square; cut each square into three 12x4-in. strips. Spread about 2 tablespoons filling down center of each strip. Fold long edges together over filling; seal edges and ends. Cut into 3 pieces., Place on parchment-lined baking sheets with folded edge facing away from you. With scissors, cut strips 4 times to within 1/2 in. of folded edge; separate slightly. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Lightly beat water and remaining egg; brush over dough. Sprinkle with sugar and almonds. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

ALMOND BEAR CLAWS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat almond paste with an electric mixer to break it apart. Add the almonds, sugar, and salt; continue to mix until the almond paste is no longer lumpy. Stir in the butter, egg whites, almond extract and amaretto liqueur on high speed until its as fluffy as you can get it. Set aside.
• Using half of the dough at a time, roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle that is about 8 inches wide and 1/4 inch thick.
• Trim the edges of the dough. Cut the dough in half lengthwise to make two 4 inch wide strips.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Fill a pastry bag halfway with the almond filling and pipe a stripe of filling down the center of each strip.
• Whisk together the egg and water.
• Brush onto one edge of each strip. Fold each strip over the filling and press gently to seal it.
• Brush each piece with egg wash and sprinkle sliced almonds over the top.
• Cut into 3 to 4 inch pieces, then cut 1/2 inch slits into the sealed edge to make the ''claws''.
• Place the bear claws at least two inches apart on baking sheets Refrigerate and repeat with the second half of the dough
• Bake in the preheated oven until almonds are toasted and pastry is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Cool and dust with confectioners' sugar right before serving.

CINNAMON BEAR CLAWS (ONCE A MONTH COOKING)

Steps:

• On a lightly floured pastry cloth or floured board, roll dough to an 18x9-inch rectangle.
• Brush with half of butter, then sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar mixture, leaving a 1/4-inch edge all around. Combine nuts, raisins and peel.
• Sprinkle evenly over sugared surface.
• From longer side, fold one third of dough over.
• Then bring opposite side over this, to make a three layer strip 18x3-inches.
• Pinch together, to seal. With a sharp knife, cut strip crosswise into 6 sections.
• On folded side of each, make 3 1-inch cuts, evenly spaced TO FREEZE: Arrange on tray.
• Separate "claws" slightly.
• Brush tops with rest of butter. Wrap tray with foil; seal, label and freeze TO BAKE: Line a cookie sheet with brown paper.
• Arrange "claws" 2 inches apart on ungreased brown paper.
• Let rise in warm place until double in bulk about 1- 1 1/4 hour. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Mix the ingredients for the sugar glaze together in a small bowl.
• Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
• Let cool slightly on wire rack.
• Drizzle glaze over warm rolls.
• Note: You can serve these in the morning for breakfast by pulling them out of the freezer the night before and let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight on a brown paper lined sheet.

BEAR CLAWS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°.
• In a small bowl, combine apple pie filling and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and set aside.
• On a floured surface, roll out each biscuit to a 6" long oval.
• Spoon apple mixture into the center of each and fold the dough over top to bottom and pinch the edges to seal.
• At even intervals, cut three 1" long slits toward the center of each biscuit from the rounded edge.
• Arch the tops of the biscuits just enough to open the slits.
• In small bowl, combine granulated sugar and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.
• Sprinkle evenly over biscuits.
• Place on lightly greased baking sheets and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.
• Combine powdered sugar and milk and drizzle over the bear claws.
• Can be served warm or cooled completely.