Bear Claws Step 1

*UPDATE AT THE BOTTOM*


I don't want anyone to be alarmed that this post has "Step 1" in the title. It is an easy step, but one that must be done in advance. And that little gem right there is how I am looking out for you. It must be done in advance, do you know what that means? It means, my dear ones, that it is ready and waiting for you when you need it most, when you are busy.

What is this crazy "it" that I keep talking about. "It" is a yeast dough for bear claws and danishes that you need to mix and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or, and  this is where it gets good, up to three days. Three days! You know that you are going to have to feed some people breakfast on Thanksgiving, so why not have it waiting to go?

This dough is simple and doesn't even require kneading. I am so confident that you are going to make something tasty with this. I just know it.

I'm going to give you the recipe now and the rest of the directions in the next post. I just want to note that this dough is so simple that I am not going to post pictures. I took some while I was making it, but they are so boring and straightforward that I felt like they weren't necessary.

Recipe:
(Here is the link to the original recipe)


3/4 C. milk
1/2 C. sugar
2 t. salt
3/4 C. butter
1/2 C. water 105°F.
2 pkg. active dry yeast
2 eggs
4 3/4 C. flour (This needs to be more like 5 3/4 cups to 6 1/4 cups, adjust until it is no longer sticky!)

The milk needs to be warmed to activate the yeast, so heat it on the stove until it is a little warmer than your skin. It cannot boil. If the milk is too warm it will kill your yeast, and that is never a good thing. Put the milk into a mixing bowl and stir in the sugar and salt. Add the butter and let it melt, stirring to speed things along. In a measuring cup add the yeast to the warm water. Again be careful that this is warm but not hot or your yeast die. Add the eggs to the milk mixture and stir. Add the water and yeast to the milk then stir in 3 cups of the flour. Mix until well combined (about 3 minutes beating on high with a mixer). Add the remaining flour and stir to combine. Brush the top of the dough with melted butter, vegetable oil or some non stick spray. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.

I'll see you here for the next part: Shaping and Baking!

See how easy this is going to be? Isn't your family going to be impressed? You bet they are!

*UPDATE* I want to give you all a heads up about making this recipe. I made it exactly as it was written from the original site. That dough was wet. Sticky, wet, impossible to work with. So, I took it out of the fridge and put it in my mixer and added about 1 or 1 1/2 cups more flour to it and mixed it with the mixer until it made a smooth dough ball that was no longer sticky to the touch. Then I popped it back into the fridge and let it rest again. My final ones may not turn out as great as they should, but if you learn from my experience yours will be more than fine :)