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 I love breakfast pastries, especially if they are made with almonds. I am forever searching for a pastry that tastes like my childhood favorites, bear claws. Do you remember bear claws? They are a light yeast pastry filled with almonds and almond paste topped with frosting and a sprinkling of slivered almonds. Bear claw pastries are pretty labor intensive and are hard to find at most bakeries these days, and when you do they typically are not very good. The search for the “perfect bear claw” has led me to numerous almond pastry recipes, because I am searching for the taste and flavor of bear claws without all the work.

While an  almond braid pastry is obviously not a bear claw it tastes very similar to what I remember. Recently I tried this recipe from Willow Bird Bakery for Buttery Braided Almond Bread and while my finished product did not come out as beautifully braided as Julies’ it was melt in your mouth delicious!

How to Make a Buttery Almond Braid Pastry

Buttery Almond Braid

Recipe From Willow Bird Bakery

Dough Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3 ounces cream cheese
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 egg whisked with 1 teaspoon water for egg wash

Filling Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• dash of salt
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• 1 egg
• 7 ounces almond paste, frozen until firm and then grated with hand grater
• 1 cup sliced almonds, divided

Icing Ingredients

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• sliced almonds for topping

Instructions

1. MAKE THE FILLING: Cream together the butter and sugar until light fluffy and pale yellow. Mix in the salt and almond extract. Beat in the egg until just combined and then stir in the almond paste flakes and about 1 cup of the slivered almonds. Set aside.
2. MAKE THE DOUGH: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In the bowl of a food processor, mix the flour, powdered sugar, baking powder, and salt. Then add the cream cheese and butter into the flour and pulse about 6 times. Next, add the milk and almond extract and blend until it’s just starting to come together into a loose dough.
3. Turn the dough out onto a Silphat baking mat or a piece of parchment paper and knead very lightly for just 4-5 strokes. DO not to overwork the dough or it will be tough, don’t worry about getting it smooth.  Sprinkle the top of the dough lightly with flour and roll it out to a 10- by 12-inch rectangle. Measure and mark the dough lengthwise into thirds. Spread the butter mixture over the middle third of the dough.
5. MAKE THE BRAID:  Make diagonal cuts at 1″ intervals on each side of the long sides of the dough, on either side of the filling. Do not cut into the center filling area. Fold the strips, one from one side and then one from the other side in an alternating fashion, over the filling. It will look like a braid. Using the  Silphat baking mat or the parchment paper carefully transfer your braid to a baking sheet. At this point you can cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate the braid overnight, or you can bake it. Brush the pastry braid with the egg wash mixture and bake in the 425 degree oven for 20-22 minutes, until the dough isa golden brown on top and the filling is set.
7. Make the Glaze: Let the the braid to cool for about 30 minutes, while it is cooling make the powdered sugar glaze. To make the glaze: whisk together the powdered sugar, almond extract, and milk in a small bowl or measuring cup. ONCE the braid has cooled for 30 minutes, drizzle the glaze over the over the top of the braid. Sprinkle with sliced almonds, slice, serve and enjoy!

NOTES: My dough was very sticky but I was afraid to keep adding flour for fear it would get tough. Because it was my first time making it I had a hard time with the braiding, so mine did not look as beautiful as Julies.’

If your dough is sticky Julie suggest putting it into the freezer for 10 minutes or so.

FILLING: Eye the filling, if you think you have too much do not use it all. You do not eat to have a sticky mess.

Lastly, I made lots and lots of glaze/frosting to cover up my wonky braid. I think it look and tastes excellent.

This Buttery Almond Braid is just like the pastry that you get at the bakery. The pastry is light and flaky and the inside is buttery, sweet, creamy and has a delicious almond flavor. Add the glaze and the slivered almonds and I think this is a breakfast treat that you will want to have in your recipe file to make for holidays and special weekend brunches or breakfasts.

Do you like to make pastry? Do you have a recipe for bear claws or an almond bread that you absolutely love that you think we need to make? If so please leave the recipe link in the comments.

Have a great week!

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