A few years ago when I first began baking in earnest, my results with yeast-risen breads and pastries were mixed at best. Sometimes I'd have gorgeous risen dough and other times I'd cry over brioche buns that could double as hockey pucks. I blamed the yeast. Living things can be unpredictable, right? That was my excuse.
I've corrected some novice mistakes since then. Simple things like checking the expiration date before purchase and use make a big difference, and proper storage is very important too.
I also have a brand of yeast I always use and recommend - Red Star dry active baking yeast
Bear claws are probably my favorite pastries, ever! The quick danish pastry I use is really easy to make and just as buttery and flaky as classic danish pastry dough. I've put together a picture tutorial of my bear claw making process to use along with the recipe. I hope it will encourage you to try them for yourself!
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Slice butter and add to the flour in the bowl of a food processor. |
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Pulse until butter is the size of kidney beans. |
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Combine yeast and flour/butter mixture until just combined. |
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Pound out chilled dough with a rolling pin. |
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Roll to a 16x20 piece. |
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Fold dough into thirds. |
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Roll out folded dough. |
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Fold again into thirds. |
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Roll to 16x18 inches and cut into four pieces. |
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Spread with filling and roll up pieces. |
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Roll to flatten and seal edges. |
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Cut into pieces. |
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Cut "toes" into filled pieces. |
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Lay on prepared baking sheet and curve them slightly. |
These are so crazy good right out of the oven. It's impossible to wait for them to cool and you shouldn't wait. They are worth the burned fingers, especially when there's milk and honey glaze ready for dipping!
Cinnamon Bear Claws
with Milk and Honey Glaze
Yield: 13-16 pastries [click for printable version]
This recipe is adapted from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book
This dough can be used to make a variety of pastries including buns, braids, bear claws and kringles.
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour (plus more for dusting)
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, very cold
2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water 105F -115F
1/2 cup heavy cream or evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
- Add flour to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Cut butter into 1/4-inch slices and add to the flour. Process until the mixture until the butter is about the size of kidney beans. If you don't have a food processor you can cut the butter into the flour with a pastry blender or other cutting tool.
- In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in the cream or milk, salt, eggs and sugar. Turn the flour-butter mixture into the liquid ingredients and with a rubber spatula mix until the dry ingredients are just moistened. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 hours, or overnight (preferred) or up to 4 days.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Dust dough with flour. Pound dough with rolling pin; roll out to make a 16x20-inch piece. Fold into thirds making three layers. Turn dough and roll out again. Fold again into thirds. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Prepare the filling while you wait for the dough to chill.
1 egg white
2/3 cup almond paste
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
- In a small bowl, beat all the ingredients with an electric mixer until very smooth. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
1 egg, beaten (for brushing pastries)
Sliced almonds
Large crystal sugar
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled pastry out to make an 16x18-inch rectangle. Cut lengthwise into 4 strips.
- Remove filling from refrigerator and spread 2 tablespoons of filling down the center of each strip. Roll each strip from the long side jelly-roll style and place seam-side down. Roll lightly to flatten and seal the edges. Cut each strip into 4-6-inch pieces, then cut 3-5 slits for "toes". Place pieces on the prepared baking sheets, curving them slightly. Allow them to rise in a warm place for 20 minutes or until puffy, or you can cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (after refrigeration let stand at room temperature until puffy).
- Preheat oven to 400F. Brush with the beaten egg and place a sliced almond on each bear "toe". Sprinkle with large crystal sugar. Bake 5-8 minutes for small pastries, 10-12 minutes for larger pastries.
- Let cool slightly on wire racks.
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tbsp. honey
1-2 tbsp. whole milk
- Stir together ingredients until smooth. Add more confectioners' sugar if too thin, or add more milk if too thick. Drizzle over warm pastries.
Supplies:
Awesome! And how cute is that lil bear?! ;)
ReplyDeleteOMG. So have to try these!
ReplyDeleteSo pretty! Those bear claws arewonderful and I bet they taste just heavenly.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Rosa
Bear claws are absolutely a family favorite and yours are gorgeous!! I will definitely be making these :)
ReplyDeleteI am completely in love with the idea of making these!!!! maybe for Christmas this year!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness!! You make me so happy!!!!!
ReplyDeletePretty sure that is the cutest picture of bear claws I have ever seen EVER!!
ReplyDeletewhat I wouldn't give to hang out with you AND to see your "prop closet"
ReplyDeletelol
I have no props sadly, but need some.
These are just glorious my dear.
You are mucho mucho talented.
These actually look surprisingly easy! Well maybe not "easy" but doable. And maybe even a good practice pastry for croissants!
ReplyDeleteI second the post by vanillasugarblog. I think you should give away a "One Day with SprinkleBakes" dream tutorial - assist the master and learn technique, tools, and trades! These are probably the most perfectly manicured bear claws EVA.
ReplyDeleteThese are BEAUTIFUL. You are, in one word, brilliant, my dear!
ReplyDeleteI've only ever seen the fried kind of bear claw. These look waaaaaay better than the fried version. Kind of like a cinnamon roll... only, again, this looks waaay better than a cinnamon roll. I think while I'm on break from school I'm going to try my hand at a few yeast recipes.
ReplyDeleteRed star yeast is the best! I've never had a bear claw, but after seeing these, I want one...right now. Also, I just got your cookbook, and it's rocking my world.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great tutorial. I always have mixed results when working with yeast. I love these bear claws and the flexibility of adding different fillings.
ReplyDeleteSo cute! I love the little bear at the top. :) Looks so tasty!
ReplyDeleteWhat a cute idea and they sound absolutely delicious. I love that top picture.
ReplyDeleteAww love these! Bear claws are such a classic in my family, but I love your take on them even better! (don't tell Grandma).
ReplyDeletethese look so heavenly! definitely will need to give them a go!
ReplyDeleteGreat! Thank you!
ReplyDeletei love this!!!! i love your blog, which i just discovered!!!! i will absolutely follow :)
ReplyDeletecome visit me,
Martina
PS don´t forget to enter my giveaway: http://homesweetbakery.blogspot.it/2012/11/giveaway.html
Love. They are adorable. They look so complicated and then you break them down so well. Thank you Heather!
ReplyDeleteThey look wonderful! Love the flavor, and much easier then I ever thought they would be!
ReplyDeleteOk, I do not store my yeast in the fridge and find the same kind of "hit or miss" in my baking. Thanks for the tip!
ReplyDeleteYummy! Thank you for the great photos too!
ReplyDeleteHmmm I am wondering if I could use my breadmaker for this? After adding the ingredients cut up the butter to into 1 inch pieces and placing it on the dough cycle. However that is only an 1.5 hr rise .... is this long enough?
ReplyDeleteI can't cope with all the deliciousness. Flaky pastry, sweet glaze, and gooey spicy-sweet insides? I wish I lived in the northern hemisphere!
ReplyDeleteLoved the tutorial. Things can look so complicated but are actually easy when it's explained.
ReplyDeletemy kids would love these. Thanks for posting
ReplyDeletelove the photo- the scene is super cute!
ReplyDeleteThese would be so good for breakie on Christmas morning...
ReplyDeleteI made croissants twice from homemade pastry dough and it was a process, but not very difficult. Just took lots of time. I love this 'quick' version of a bear claw!
ReplyDeleteYum! And so cute with the bear in the photo. :)
ReplyDeleteEver since my little grandson and I watched "The Bear" movie together I have wanted to make some bear claws...now I have the perfect recipe with your fabulous step-by-step included...woo hoo! I'll almost feel like I am baking alongside you:) I love almond paste and these look amazing!
ReplyDeleteThey look fabulous and so beautifully presented. Just stunning. Love the spicy filling you used
ReplyDeleteMaravilloso y muy bien explicado, parece facilísimo y seguro que está delicioso. Enhorabuena!
ReplyDeleteI cannot get over how not cute these little treats are but how tasty they sound! Definitely need to try them out for the holidays!
ReplyDeletehttp://lyndajanecakes.blogspot.co.uk/
x
Never had almond paste.... is there another yummy filling that could be used perhaps?
ReplyDeleteJust googled it and found that Pillsbury's recipe uses bread crumbs??? Ok, that is just wrong and gross. http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/crescent-bear-claws/6a06b3f6-be64-4b92-8f10-062a16b2cd5d
ReplyDeleteThese look amazing! My husband loves bear claw so I will definitely have to try this!
ReplyDeleteThis looks awesome! I love eating bear claws as a child for breakfast. Now, I can make my own homemade. :D
ReplyDeleteI never knew why this pastry was called "bear claws" until I saw your take on it. Perfect looking little toes!
ReplyDeleteNever thought bear claws could be this elegant!
ReplyDeleteYou are amazing Heather, incredible post!
ReplyDeleteIf I was a raccoon, I would want to live near your garbage can.
ReplyDeleteI made these today and they are amazing!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteOk So I know I just posted a comment, but I seriously can't thank you enough for posting this recipe. It was the first time I've ever worked with a laminated dough and I did not expect it to be this successful. Everyone who has tried the bearclaw can't believe I made it from scratch or didn't buy it from a bakery!
ReplyDeleteHi Janet! I'm so glad you tried the recipe. That quick pastry is the trick, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your results!
xo
-Heather
Wow i really love your receipes and it all seems yummy
ReplyDeleteGreetings from holland
Is there anything that can be used instead of almond paste? I am deathly allergic to peanuts and all tree nuts and run a nut-free baking business. Would butter work?
ReplyDeleteYou can replace the almond paste with with finely chopped apples.
ReplyDeleteHi! I was wondering if these bear claws would taste okay if I refrigerate the claws that I have filled and cut overnight and then bake them the next morning? Would the texture of the claws be okay overnight?
ReplyDeleteHi Tiffany! They will be fine left in the refrigerator overnight. The texture won't be diminished.
ReplyDeleteThese are so amazing! I made them today and they turned out just perfect! Simple to follow and just tasted fantastic, thank you! Will definitely be making these again
ReplyDeleteThese are amazing! I made them today and they turned out great. The recipe was easy to follow and they just came out wonderful! I will definitely be making these again :)
ReplyDeletes there any other way to blend flour and butter? Don't have a food processer Than kyouj
ReplyDeleteI made these for Easter and they are wonderful! I made 16 bear claws, baked 8 right away, and froze the rest. The frozen ones have baked up great straight from the freezer, just need longer to bake. I was amazed at how they puffed up! Thanks for the great post and pictures.
ReplyDeleteThis recipe is fantastic!! Thanks for the great post!! I have even made my own almond paste and it worked great in the filling. I have also used half of the dough to make a raspberry cream cheese braid- awesome! It is so amazing to me how you add the wet to the dry, mix a little, chill, and in the morning it is a totally workable dough!
ReplyDeleteJust made these today. What a hit! They looked just as if I bought them at a professional bakery. The pastry was to die for and not hard at all to make. I baked half immediately and froze the other half to make this weekend. Thanks for a wonderful recipe. My new "wow" for the next potluck brunch!
ReplyDeleteThis recipe is perfection. I got 24 large bear claws out of it, and did make a second batch of the filling so that it was generous. My husband took six of them to work and they got raves. And, he has eaten almost all of the rest of them. Definitely making them again. Very easy dough, and it is superb! And so much fun, I love a challenge.
ReplyDeleteHi I am about to try this recipe but was wondering what king of butter do you use. I know there are several types of butter but I want the best taste.
ReplyDeleteHi! Whenever I want something to taste extra special, I use French butter (look for butters imported from Brittany or Normandy). French butter has slightly more butterfat in it, which makes for flakier pastries - ALSO, the cows are grass-fed in idyllic pastures which reportedly yields better tasting butter. I my opinion, French butter tastes richer and more luxurious. If you have a chance to taste-test a common American variety versus an imported French variety, then I think you'll agree. Thanks for asking. I hope this helps. xo-h
ReplyDeleteawesome
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to thank you for this recipe! These have become a holiday tradition at our house and the kids think it's Christmas morning when they get to eat these. They turned out wonderfully. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI baked these bear claws yesterday after leaving the dough in the refrigerator overnight. At first, I thought the recipe had too much yeast in it, but so far, this is the best pastry recipe I've made and I bake three times a week making breads, cakes, pies, and main courses. I haven't had much luck with pastries like this until your recipe. I forgot to make the honey glaze before I had one in my mouth as they looked so good coming out of the oven. I glazed them later on in the day. I re-heated one this morning in my toaster oven and it was incredible. Very tasty. I'll have to freeze the rest and re-heat them in the toaster as there are only two of us at the house and this recipe is rich in flavor and probably calories. The almond paste mixture and the pastry was perfect. Thank you for this wonderful recipe that I will continue to make when guests come to our farm.
ReplyDeleteJust made these they turned out great pastry recipe will be in use at my house often. Thanks for the pictures made it easier for me. Love them.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThis is the best written out/explained recipe for bear claws I have found! I love baking and the other recipes/instructions I’ve found seemed confusing and a bit intimidating for me-an avid baker. Thank you, Heather, for this well thought out and put together recipe!! I’m going to give it a wirl today!! Yum! Hugs-Rebecca
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