Maple Pecan Bear Claws - A Recipe from Scratch

      These Maple Pecan Bear Claws are an exquisite indulgence for your holiday gathering, featuring a flaky, buttery Rough Puff Pastry made with Plugrá® Premium European-Style Unsalted Butter. They are filled with a delightful mixture of pecan and almond flours, maple syrup, and a touch of maple extract, then topped with a drizzle of maple glaze and toasted pecans. Each bite of these pastries adds a sense of bakery-level sophistication and rich flavor to your table.

      Yields 6 pastries

      1¼ cups (150 grams) confectioners’ sugar

      ½ cup (48 grams) pecan flour

      ¼ cup (24 grams) almond flour

      ½ teaspoon (2 grams) kosher salt

      2 tablespoons (30 grams) maple syrup

      1 large egg white (30 grams)

      ¼ teaspoon (1 gram) maple extract

      1 large egg (50 grams)

      1 tablespoon (15 grams) water

      Rough Puff Pastry (recipe below)

      Maple Glaze (recipe below)

      For garnish: toasted chopped pecans

      Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar, pecan flour, almond flour, and salt by whisking. Next, add the maple syrup, egg white, and maple extract; mix with a spatula until well incorporated. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon (15 grams) of water. On a lightly floured surface, roll the Rough Puff Pastry into an 18x12-inch rectangle. Trim the edges to create a 15x11-inch rectangle. Cut the rectangle in half lengthwise, then divide each half into three 5½x5-inch rectangles.

      Place the sugar mixture into a pastry bag and cut a ½-inch opening in the tip. With one long side of the pastry facing you, pipe a line of filling down the center of each rectangle (approximately 1½ tablespoons or 40 grams each). Brush the edges with the egg wash, fold the dough over the filling, and press the edges to seal. Use a pastry wheel to trim the edges for a tighter seal. Make four cuts on the sealed edge of the dough, about 1 inch apart, being careful not to cut through to the filling. Transfer the pastries to the prepared pans, curving them gently to spread the cuts. Freeze for 10 minutes. Brush the tops of the dough with the egg wash. Bake until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Drizzle with Maple Glaze as desired and garnish with pecans if preferred.

      We’d love to hear how it turned out!

      Rough Puff Pastry

      Yields 6 pastries

      In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the flour, cold butter, and salt at low speed until the butter is coated with flour. With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add 2/3 cup (160 grams) of ice water, mixing just until the dough forms, around 1 minute. Stop to scrape the sides of the bowl and turn the dough for even hydration. (It's alright if there are still large pieces of butter and a few dry bits remain.)

      Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and roll it into a 9-inch square. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 45 minutes to 1 hour. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12x7-inch rectangle, dusting the surface and top of the dough as needed. Fold the dough in thirds like a letter. Rotate it 90 degrees, roll it into a 12x7-inch rectangle again, and fold it in thirds like before. Repeat this process for a final turn. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (If at any time the butter becomes too soft during a fold, wrap the dough in plastic and freeze until the butter firms up again, checking every 5 minutes.)

      We’d love to hear how it turned out!

      Maple Glaze

      Yields about ½ cup

      In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, maple syrup, melted butter, and 1 tablespoon (15 grams) of water. Use immediately.

      We’d love to hear how it turned out!