In the kitchen

down home meal :: chocolate kringle :: first farm apples :: crumb top :: mayo :: bear claw

I sat down to type this thinking that it had been an uneventful week in the kitchen. Looking back at the photos, it wasn't nearly as boring as I thought. Last Thursday, I felt guilt for sending Julian off with a skimpy lunch (I'd forgotten we had no sandwich bread) so I over compensated by fixing a wonderful down-home dinner. The okra was from our garden, everything was delicious. Then, knowing we were traveling this weekend, I made two roasts, a pork loin and a beef chuck roast, and we've eaten off them bit by bit throughout the week to keep things simple. 

The culinary adventures of the week were on the periphery of our meals: my first homemade mayonnaise, the first apple pie of the season, a failed attempt at a chocolate kringel, and bear claws. Did you know bear claws were filled with almond paste? I didn't, but now I do!

Bear Claws

Makes 8

One box of frozen puff pastry, thawed but still cool

1/2 c. almond flour/meal (Bob's Red Mill is good and easy to find)

6 Tbsp. brown sugar

One large egg, separated

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

3 Tbsp. butter, soft

Sliced almonds

Confectioners sugar

About 1 Tbsp. milk

Preheat oven to 375F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine almond flour, egg white, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter in a food processor and whiz until a paste forms (you can just mix it really well if you don't have a processor). Cut each sheet of puff pastry in even quarters. Blob a spoonful of the almond mixture in the center of each of the squares, making each of the eight squares gets an even amount. Fold each piece in half long ways, making sure to seal the edges well by pinching them closed with your fingers. Cut the "claws" (use a pizza cutter if you have one) and then pull the corners back to give it a little curve and open the claws. Combine egg yolk with a Tbsp of water and brush across the top of each pastry, making sure to avoid any cut edge. (It will glue your puff pastry closed and it won't puff if you let it go to the edge.) Sprinkle each one with a few sliced almonds.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and buttery. Remove from the oven and whisk about 1/4 confectioners sugar together with 1 Tbsp. milk. Drizzle glaze over top and eat, eat, eat.

Next week, we're going to talk more about PIE. Apple pie. I hope you'll join me for it!

What's happening in your kitchen? Show and tell with Heather @ Beauty That Moves.

PS Here is a sign of the times - it is still summer so the hummers are still here but it has gotten very cool. Earlier this week, our chickadees showed up and the hummingbird feeder and were very confused why they couldn't get it to work! So, we are now in the in-between with both feeders up on the kitchen window.