Some products are not worth making yourself and puff pastry is one of those. One of the many fabulous things you can create at home using store bought puff pastry is Bear Claws.
It is much simpler than one would think and can be made with great success. The most important thing to know with puff pastry is KEEP IT CHILLED! It is the ice cold butter in the many layers of pastry that creates steam when baked at a high heat and causes the pastry to puff. So if I forgot to tell you later, if you are not directly in contact with the pastry, keep it in the fridge.
The process is simple.
1. Thaw your puff pastry ,in the box, overnight in the fridge.
2. On the next day, preheat your oven to 425F and make the filling and glaze (see below).
3. Once you have the filling made put it into a piping bag or large zip top bag with the corner cut off. Beat an egg in a bowl with 1 tsp. water to use a the egg wash and have a pastry brush at the ready.
Bear Claw filling:
1/2 c. almond paste
1/2c. butter
2 eggs
1/3 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1/2 c. cake flour
In a mixer, using the paddle, mix half of the butter and almond paste on medium for 1-2 minutes until light and smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and mix on medium until well blended.
Apricot glaze
1/4 c. apricot jam
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. corn syrup
1 T. brandy
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and stir until the jam is melted. Strain through a sieve into a bowl. It is ready to use once it has cooled to room temperature.
These would make lovely Christmas morning gifts for neighbors!
Enjoy!
xo MamaP
It is much simpler than one would think and can be made with great success. The most important thing to know with puff pastry is KEEP IT CHILLED! It is the ice cold butter in the many layers of pastry that creates steam when baked at a high heat and causes the pastry to puff. So if I forgot to tell you later, if you are not directly in contact with the pastry, keep it in the fridge.
The process is simple.
1. Thaw your puff pastry ,in the box, overnight in the fridge.
2. On the next day, preheat your oven to 425F and make the filling and glaze (see below).
3. Once you have the filling made put it into a piping bag or large zip top bag with the corner cut off. Beat an egg in a bowl with 1 tsp. water to use a the egg wash and have a pastry brush at the ready.
You will also need to have sliced almonds ready.
4. Assemble the bear claws. Unfold the dough and if needed roll into a rectangular shape or cut into 2 pieces in order to obtain rectangles. you should work on a Silpat or parchment paper to facilitate getting the pastry onto a sheet pan. Orient the rectangle so it is horizontal in front of you. Using a piping bag or zip top bag, pipe the filling along where the middle fold of the rectangle. You can make 2-3 strips of filling depending on how much you like.
4. Assemble the bear claws. Unfold the dough and if needed roll into a rectangular shape or cut into 2 pieces in order to obtain rectangles. you should work on a Silpat or parchment paper to facilitate getting the pastry onto a sheet pan. Orient the rectangle so it is horizontal in front of you. Using a piping bag or zip top bag, pipe the filling along where the middle fold of the rectangle. You can make 2-3 strips of filling depending on how much you like.
Egg wash the bottom and sides slightly and the fold the top half of the rectangle down over the lower half so that the filling is now at the top of the folded pastry where the fold is. Press the edges closed so no filling escapes. Cut the length of pastry into individual bear claw portions.
If you are work on a Silpat, be careful not to cut the Silpat. Separate the individual portions and cut the toes along the bottom edge.
Egg wash the whole bear claw and sprinkle a generous amount of sliced almonds over it. Get it into the hot oven for 15-20 minutes until nice golden and delicious! remove from the oven and brush the glaze onto the hot pastries.
Bear Claw filling:
1/2 c. almond paste
1/2c. butter
2 eggs
1/3 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1/2 c. cake flour
In a mixer, using the paddle, mix half of the butter and almond paste on medium for 1-2 minutes until light and smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and mix on medium until well blended.
Apricot glaze
1/4 c. apricot jam
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. corn syrup
1 T. brandy
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and stir until the jam is melted. Strain through a sieve into a bowl. It is ready to use once it has cooled to room temperature.
These would make lovely Christmas morning gifts for neighbors!
Enjoy!
xo MamaP
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