Blueberry Bear Claws

Source: Sugar Salt Magic

Click here to read about my experience making this recipe for my state meal challenge!

Servings: 18

Total Time: 5 hours, 45 minutes+

INGREDIENTS

Pastry

• 1 cup cold milk
• 1 packet active dry yeast (2 ½ tsp)
• 3 ½ cups flour
• ⅓ cup sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup cold butter

Filling

• 3 Tbs softened butter
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 7 oz almond paste
• 2 egg whites, divided
• ½ tsp almond extract
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 Tbs water

Glaze

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 Tbs softened butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 Tbs whole milk

DIRECTIONS

• In a small, microwave-safe bowl, warm ½ cup of the milk until about 105 degrees F, about 40 seconds. Add a pinch of sugar and stir in the yeast. Set aside for 5 minutes, until foamy.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. 
• Add to the yeast mixture the remaining milk and the egg and stir to combine well. 
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to form a rough and sticky dough.
• On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for a minute or two just until it comes together.
• Roll out the dough into a large rectangle about 12×16”. Use a cheese grater to grate the cold butter on top of the dough quickly before it can soften too much. 
• Fold the dough over the butter like a letter, folding one short side over the middle third, then bringing the other side over that. Fold the whole thing in half the opposite direction to form a square.
• Roll out the square of dough into a large rectangle again, then repeat the same folds you did before.
• Repeat three more times. If your dough is too stiff, set it aside for five minutes before working it again, and don’t be afraid to pound it with your rolling pin to help flatten it. If it starts to get too soft, refrigerate for 15 minutes or so before resuming.
• Cut the dough in half, cover them with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• For the filling, add the butter and sugar to a large bowl and use a handheld electric mixer on low to combine.
• When it starts to come together, add half of the almond paste, broken up into pieces ot make easier. Beat to combine.
• Add ONE egg white, almond extract, and salt and beat until smooth, then work in the rest of the almond paste.
• Transfer to a piping bag with a ½” opening.
• Roll out one of your halves of dough to 11” square, trimming the edges to make as even of a square as you can.
• Cut the square into 3 even strips, 3 ½” wide.
• Pipe a line of the almond paste mixture down the center of each dough strip. Top with a line of blueberries.
• For each strip, run a damp finger along the right-hand edge, then fold the long edges together over the filling. Pinch the seams together and gently flatten the filled part slightly.
• Cut each log into 3 even pieces 3 ½” long.
• For each pastry, cut the NON-seam side with 4 slits about ½” deep to form 5 “claws.”
• Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the pastries with the seam side curved a little so that the “claws” splay open.
• Let the pastries sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to rest and puff a little bit. 
• Preheat the oven to 395 degrees F.
• Make an egg wash with the remaining egg white and 1 Tbs water and brush over the tops of the pastries. 
• Bake until golden brown, 15-18 minutes.
• Let the pastries cool to room temperature, then mix together the icing ingredients and drizzle overtop.
• Enjoy!