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Classic Bear Claws

These classic bear claws are made with buttery, flaky Danish pastry wrapped around a sweet almond filling. Topped with sliced almonds, brushed with shiny sugar syrup, and finished with a drizzle of white icing, they're bakery-worthy treats you can make at home!
Course Breakfast/Brunch
Cuisine American
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Rise Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 512kcal
Author Jennifer Field

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Almond Filling

  • 75 grams almond paste 2.6 oz or about 1/3 cup, packed
  • 30 grams granulated sugar 1 oz or 2 Tbsp + 1 teaspoon
  • 30 grams unsalted butter 1 oz or 2 Tbsp + 1/2 teaspoon
  • pinch salt just a tiny pinch since this is a small amount of almond filling
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 20 grams cake flour about 2 1/2 Tbsp

For Shaping and Filling

  • 1 master Danish dough recipe
  • the almond filling recipe above

For Finishing and Baking

  • 4 Tbsp egg wash 1 egg whisked together with 1 teaspoon water and a tiny pinch of salt. You'll use the egg wash both as glue to close the pastries and as a proper egg wash to help them brown beautifully.
  • ¼ cup sliced almonds you won't need a lot, and I didn't measure. I just added a few to each pastry

For the Heavy Syrup

  • 100 grams granulated sugar 3.5 oz or about 1/2 cup
  • 50 grams water 1.8 oz or about 1/4 cup

For the White Icing

  • 100 grams confectioners sugar 3.5 oz or 1 cup minus 2 Tbsp
  • 18 grams water a generous 1 Tbsp
  • 6 grams corn syrup about 1 teaspoon
  • pinch salt tiny pinch--this is a small amount of icing
  • 4 grams vanilla extract about 1 teaspoon

Instructions

To Make the Almond Filling

  • Break the almond paste into small pieces and place them in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat until the paste is broken up into small bits.
  • Add the granulated sugar. Beat until smooth and creamy, scraping the bowl as necessary.
  • Add the softened butter and cream again, scraping the bowl as necessary. We're trying to make sure there are no (or minimal) little lumps of almond paste in the filling. That's what's up with all the beating.
  • Add the salt and egg yolk and mix until thoroughly incorporated.
  • Add the cake flour and mix just until completely combined. Scrape the bowl to make sure no flour or unmixed filling remains.
  • Transfer the almond filling to a piping bag fitted with a #10 piping tip, or use a zip-top bag and cut a ⅓-inch (8 mm) opening in one corner when you're ready to pipe. Set aside if continuing immediately. Otherwise, you can make this the day before and refrigerate it. Let it sit out at room temperature at least an hour so it loosens up and is easily piped.
  • Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F / 190°C.

To Shape and Fill

  • On a lightly floured work surface, roll the Danish pastry dough into a rectangle approximately 16" x 12" (40 x 30 cm). Trim the edges to make a neat rectangle.
  • Cut the dough into 8 rectangles, each approximately 6" x 4" (15 x 10 cm).
  • Pipe a line of almond filling along one side of the center of each rectangle, leaving enough room around the filling to seal the dough. Be restrained with the filling so it doesn't escape during baking. You may have a little filling left over.
  • Lightly brush the edges of the dough with egg wash, then fold the dough over the filling. Press firmly along the edges to seal.
  • Using a bench knife, make 4 evenly spaced cuts along the folded edge of each pastry to form the bear's toes.
  • Gently curve each pastry into a slight arc to separate the toes and give the bear claws their distinctive shape.
  • Transfer the pastries to a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving room between them. Cover and let proof for 30–45 minutes, or until slightly puffy and relaxed.

To Finish and Bake

  • Once the bear claws look relaxed and a little puffy, brush each one with a thin coat of egg wash.
  • Sprinkle each pastry with a few sliced almonds. Don't be too precious with placement, but distribute them reasonably evenly.
  • Bake in the heated oven for about 20 minutes, or until the pastries are deeply golden brown and puffed. If your oven heats unevenly, rotate the pan 180° after 10 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack.

To Make the Heavy Syrup

  • While the bear claws are baking, heat the water and sugar together in a small pan until it reaches a boil. Allow it to boil for about 20 seconds, and then remove from the heat. Keep warm.

To Make the White Icing

  • While the bear claws are cooling, add all ingredients to a small saucepan.
  • Whisk over medium heat until smooth and the glaze is warm, about 100°F / 38°C.

To Gild the Lily

  • Immediately brush the baked bear claws with the heavy syrup. (procedure above)
  • Once the pastries have cooled to barely warm, drizzle a little white icing (procedure above) over the bear claws. Admire your work. Devour.

Nutrition

Calories: 512kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 26g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Potassium: 58mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 126IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 0.4mg