Best Crescent Bear Claws Recipes

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.

CRESCENT BEAR CLAWS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375ºF. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, beat egg lightly with whisk. Place 1/2 of the egg (about 1 1/2 Tbs.) in a custard cup and beat in the milk until well blended. Set this aside, it will be used as a wash later.
• To the remaining egg in the bowl, stir in the remaining filling ingredients until well blended.
• Meanwhile, in 1-quart heavy saucepan, mix glaze ingredients. Heat to boiling and remove from heat; cool while making rolls.
• On a lightly floured work surface, unroll dough; press into a 12x8-inch rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal.
• Spoon filling into a 12x2-inch strip lengthwise down the center 1/3 of the dough.
• Fold 1/3 of dough over filling. Then fold the filling-topped section over the last 1/3 of dough so the seam is on the bottom.
• With hand, gently flatten 1-inch wide strip of dough along one long side of folded dough.
• Cut folded dough crosswise into 6 (2-inch) pastries. Along flattened edge of each pastry, cut 1-inch long cuts about 1/2 inch apart.
• Lightly brush the egg-milk mixture from earlier over each pastry. Place almonds on a plate and invert each pastry onto almonds. Press gently so almonds stick to dough.
• Place almond side up on the cookies sheet, spreading each cut slightly to form claw like shape. Sprinkle remaining almonds over top of pastries.
• Bake for 15-18 min or until golden brown. Remove to wire rack and cool for 5 minute.
• Drizzle cooled glaze over each pastry.
• In another small bowl, mix icing ingredients until smooth - if too thick, add 1/2 teaspoons water at a time until drizzling consistency. Drizzle icing over cooled pastries.

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.

HALLOWEEN CRESCENT CLAWS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. In small bowl, mix egg and taco seasoning mix with fork until well blended; set aside.
• Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray. Separate crescent dough into 8 rounds; unroll into strips. Fold each strip in half; starting at folded end, twist 2 to 3 times, leaving 1 inch untwisted on other end. Place on cookie sheet.
• Using a paring knife or kitchen scissors, cut each untwisted end to make 4 claws. Cut a small slit in each claw. Place 1 cashew in each slit; press to seal cashew in place to make nail. Brush entire claw with egg mixture. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
• Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet.

ALMOND BEAR CLAWS

Steps:

• In a bowl, toss butter with 3 cups flour until well coated; refrigerate. In a large bowl, combine yeast and remaining flour. , In a saucepan, heat cream, sugar and salt to 120°-130°. Add to yeast mixture with 1 egg. Beat until smooth. Stir in butter mixture just until moistened., Place dough onto a well-floured surface; roll into a 21x12-in. rectangle. Starting at a short side, fold dough in thirds, forming a 12x7-in. rectangle. Give dough a quarter turn; roll into a 21x12-in. rectangle. Fold into thirds, starting with a short side. Repeat, flouring surface as needed. (Do not chill dough between each rolling and folding.) Cover and chill for 4 to 24 hours or until firm., For filling, in a bowl, beat egg white until foamy. Gradually add confectioners' sugar and almond paste; beat until smooth. Cut dough in half widthwise. Roll each portion into a 12-in. square; cut each square into three 12x4-in. strips. Spread about 2 tablespoons filling down center of each strip. Fold long edges together over filling; seal edges and ends. Cut into 3 pieces., Place on parchment-lined baking sheets with folded edge facing away from you. With scissors, cut strips 4 times to within 1/2 in. of folded edge; separate slightly. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Lightly beat water and remaining egg; brush over dough. Sprinkle with sugar and almonds. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

ORANGE DATE CRESCENT CLAWS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F
• In a small bowl, combine walnuts, sugar and orange peel;blend well. Reserve 1/4 cup of mixture for topping. Stir dates into remaining mixture; set aside.
• Separate dough into 4 rectangles; firmly press perforations to seal. Cut each rectangle in half crosswise; press or roll out each to form eight 4-inch squares. Brush each with margarine. Spoon about 2 tablespoon date mixture across center 1/3 of each square to within 1/4 inch of edges. Fold sides of dough over filling; pinch center seam and ends to seal. Place seam side down on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Using scissors or sharp knife, make three 1/2-inch cuts in one folded edge. To form claws, separate cut sections of each roll by gently curving into crescent shape. Brush top of each claw with remining margarine; sprinkle with reserved sugar-nut mixture. Bake at 375F.for 8 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.

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.

BLUE RIBBON ALMOND BEAR CLAWS

Steps:

• In a bowl, toss butter with 3 cups flour until well coated; refrigerate. In a mixing bowl, combine Fleischmann's yeast and remaining flour. In a saucepan, heat cream, sugar and salt to 120 to 130 degrees. Add to yeast mixture with 1 egg; mix well. Stir in butter mixture just until moistened.
• Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead 10 times. Roll into a 21x12-inch rectangle. Starting at a short side, fold dough in thirds, forming a 12x7-inch rectangle. Cover and chill for 1 hour.
• For filling, in a mixing bowl, beat egg white until foamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and almond paste; beat until smooth. Cut dough in half widthwise. Roll each portion into a 12-inch square; cut each square into three 12x4-inch strips. Spread about 2 tablespoons filling down center of each strip. Fold long edges together; seal edges and ends. Cut into three pieces.
• Place on greased baking sheets with folded edge facing away from you. With scissors, cut strips four times to within 1/2-inch of folded edge; separate slightly. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Lightly beat water and remaining egg; brush over dough. Sprinkle with sugar and almonds. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.