Bear Claws Pittsburgh Style Recipes

BEAR CLAWS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Stir in sugar, salt and egg; mix well. Add the flour all at once, stirring until mixed. Set aside., For butter mixture, sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour on a work surface; place butter on surface and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon flour. Press and roll out with a rolling pin. Scrape butter from rolling pin and continue to work the butter until it forms a smooth mass without any hard lumps. Knead in remaining flour, working quickly to keep butter cold. , Place butter mixture on a sheet of plastic wrap and shape into a small rectangle. Cover with another sheet of plastic wrap; roll into a 9x6-in. rectangle. Set aside., Turn dough onto a floured work surface; roll into a 14x10-in. rectangle, with a 10-in. side toward the bottom. Unwrap butter mixture; place on dough 1 in. above bottom edge and 1/2 in. from each side edge. Fold top half of dough over butter and pinch edges to seal., Turn dough a quarter turn to the right; sprinkle lightly with additional flour. Lightly roll into a 16x8-in. rectangle. Fold bottom third of rectangle up and top third down, as when folding a business letter, making a 5-1/2x8-in. rectangle (this is called one turn). Rotate dough a quarter turn to the right. Lightly roll into a 16x8-in. rectangle and again fold into thirds, finishing the second turn. Repeat rotating, rolling and folding two more times for a total of four times. Wrap loosely in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 30 minutes., Roll dough into a 12-in. square; cut square into three 12x4-in. strips. Spread 2 tablespoons filling down the center of each strip to within 1 in. of long edge. Fold lengthwise over filling and pinch seam to seal. Cut each strip into three pieces. With scissors, cut each piece four times from pinched seam to about 1/2 in. from folded side. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Curve folded side slightly to separate strips and allow filling to show. Cover and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 1 hour., Preheat oven to 400°. Brush bear clasws with egg. Bake 10-14 minutes or until puffy and golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks. Combine glaze ingredients; brush over warm rolls. Cool.

BEAR CLAWS, PITTSBURGH STYLE!

Steps:

• FOR THE DOUGH: Scald milk. Stir in sugar, salt, and butter. Cool to lukewarm.
• Measure warm water into large bowl and sprinkle on the yeast. Stir until dissolved. Stir in lukewarm milk mixture, eggs and half of the flour -- beat until smooth. Stir in remaining flour to make a stiff dough. Turn out on a floured board and knead 8 minutes or place in an electric mixer with a dough hook until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease top of dough.
• Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk. Punch down and shape as desired.
• Divide dough in half. Roll out half of dough on floured board into a 9-by-18-inch rectangle. Brush with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter.
• Combine dates, raisins and lemon rind with 1/2 cup of the nuts and 3 tablespoons of the sugar. Sprinkle half of this filling over the dough.
• Fold outside third of dough over center; fold again to make a 3-layer strip 18 inches long. Pinch ends to seal.
• Cut and divide into 9 2-inch sections. Make four 1/4-inch cuts in one side of each section. Place on greased baking sheets and shape into bear claws by separating the four cut sections.
• Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
• Combine egg yolk and water. Brush rolls and sprinkle with 1/4 cup nuts and remaining sugar.
• Let rise, uncovered, until doubled in bulk, about one hour. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden.

PUFF PASTRY BEAR CLAWS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Beat 1/3 cup superfine sugar and butter together in a bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs yolks and beat well; beat in almond extract. Stir ground almonds and flour into butter mixture until mixture has a thick paste-like consistency.
• Cut puff pastry into 8 equal pieces. Place 1 tablespoon almond mixture in the lower center of each piece. Fold top of puff pastry down over the filling and press edges together to seal. Make three 1/2-inch cuts equal lengths apart on the bottom edge to make the "claws". Transfer pastries to a baking sheet.
• Whisk egg and water together in a bowl. Brush each bear claw with egg mixture and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons superfine sugar and sliced almonds.
• Bake in the preheated oven until puffed and golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

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.

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.