Old Fashioned Bear Claw Recipe: easy to make recipe prepared with store bought puff pastry and simple almond filling.
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These old fashioned bear claws are the perfect easy pastry. Bear claws are a buttery pastry filled with almond filling and cut in the shape of a bear's claws. They make a great breakfast pastry, weekend brunch item, or sweet treat. My favorite thing about these danish pastries is the perfect combination of crispy pastry and smooth and creamy almond filling inside. This bear claw recipe is sure to become a favorite.
Ingredients
Puff Pastry
We've used frozen puff pastry for our pastry so these almond bear claws are really quick and easy to put together. The puff pastry adds a wonderful buttery taste and flakey texture to these almond bear claw pastries. Frozen puff pastry is easy to find in the freezer section of your grocery store. It comes in sheets, already rolled out and ready to use. You do need to defrost it before using it, according to the directions on the box.
Almond Filling
Bear claws are traditionally made with a sweet almond paste filling inside. The taste is very similar to an almond danish or the filling of an almond croissant. Look for almond paste at your grocery store in the baking section. This filling adds a real richness to the pastries. It's easy to make and so delicious.
Icing
Bear claws are traditionally baked with a sprinkling of sliced almonds. Some People like to also sprinkle them with coarse sugar or cinnamon sugar before baking to create a sugary crust on the outside. We prefer a quick almond icing instead of the sugar sprinkled on top. The icing glaze is made almond flavored with the addition of a little almond extract, you can use vanilla instead if you prefer. We love how the almond icing goes with the sliced almonds on the outside, and the almond filling inside.
Instructions For Making A Bear Claw
These pastries get their name from their distinctive shape. To make the signature bear claw, you will make a rectangular pastry and then cut 4 slits in the dough to make 5 claws, which is what a real bear paw has. When you bake the pastry you curve it slightly to create the bear paws.
Take care not to cut the slits too deep into the pastry.
If you make the slits too long, the pastry won't be sealed and the filling will seep out of the slits as the pastry bakes. To avoid this problem, make sure the pastry is well sealed pressing the tines of a fork to make a sealed edge that is about 1 inch deep. Then cut small slits about only ¼ inch deep to make sure the edge is still sealed tightly.
Bear Claws
Use sliced almonds to make the bear's claws on the pastry by pressing one onto each piece, after the pastry is brushed with egg. The egg acts as the glue to hold the almond slices in place. Placing a sliced almond on each cut piece gives the look of a more realistic bear claw.
Another options is to simply sprinkle the sliced almonds all over the whole pastry. This option gives more almond slices in each bite.
Variation
Chocolate Almond Bear Claws
If you are a chocolate lover, you might like to try adding chocolate to the traditional almond bear claw. To make the chocolate version add about 1 teaspoon of chocolate chips to each pastry, on top of the almond filling, before folding the pastry over and sealing it all inside.
Storage
This delicious pastry is best enjoyed the day you make it. Save any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.
Top Tip
Be sure to seal your pastry very well, and not make the slits too deep. If the slits are too deep the filling will seep out of the pastry as it cooks and overcook on the baking pan.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you're filling leaked out during the baking of your bear claw you didn't seal the side of the pastry well enough, and you also cut your slits too deeply.
Yes, many people sprinkle the sliced almonds all over the pastry before baking. We love how they look like bear claws, but either version works.
These are best eaten the day they are made. You can make the filling ahead of time and store it in the fridge. The day off you just need to put them together, bake, and then add the quick glaze on top.
Anyone with a sweet tooth will love these. They are perfect with a cup of coffee or tea. Using puff pastry is such a quick and easy way to make bear claws at home. The best part is the combination of crispy flakey pastry, contrasted with the creamy almond paste inside. These are prefect for your next special breakfast, brunch, or just as a sweet treat.
Recipe
Old Fashioned Almond Bear Claw Pastries
Ingredients
- 2 sheets frozen puff pastry dough
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup butter
- 4 oz. almond paste
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 3 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon milk
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
Instructions
- Divide each of the 2 puff pastry sheet into 6 equal rectangles, giving you 12 rectangles in total.
- To make the filling combine the almond paste, butter, flower, and ¼ cup powdered sugar in a food processor. Beat an egg in a small bowl, and add half of the egg into the food processor, and save the other half for later. Combine all these ingredients until a smooth almond filling is formed.
- Divide the almond paste mixture evenly between the 12 pastry pieces and place it in the center of each rectangle. Fold dough over and seal the edges, using a fork to press down firmly along the edges of dough. Use a sharp knife to make 4 short slits along one side of the pastry, taking care to make sure the edge is still very well sealed so that the filling doesn't seep out of the slits as it bakes.
- Brush the pastry with the leftover egg wash, and then sprinkle with sliced almonds, or add one sliced almond to make 5 bear claws. Arrange the bear claw pastry on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper or sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Place dough with a slight curve, to create the bear claw shape.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 400 F for 12 minutes until they are golden brown. Let the pastries cool on a wire rack.
- To make the glaze, combine 3 tablespoon powdered sugar, milk, and almond extract in a small bowl and stir until well combined. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled individual bear claws.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
With this homemade old fashioned bear claw recipe, life really is a party.
More Recipe Inspiration
You might also like the Rainbow Pop Tarts recipe here.
Also check out Easy Food Processor Scones here.
You might also enjoy the Butter Tarts with Raisins recipe here.
Dannyelle Nicolle-Ramjist says
These pastries are crispy on the outside and soft and creamy in the middle with the perfect addition of sliced almonds and icing on top.