Cardamom
pear
claws
with
salted
milk
glaze
I
was
deep
into
making
a
perfect
fruit-filled
yeast
fritter
at
work
last
year.
During
a
test
bake
with
pear
(not
the
classic
apple),
just
before
I
began
chopping
the
dough
log
into
frittery
nubbins,
my
head
caker
Aurelie
Matthieu
walked
past
and
asked,
‘Bear
claws?’
I
heard
‘pear
claws’,
and
here
we
are.
Fresh
pears
are
incredible
in
that
they
retain
more
balancing
acidity.
The
pieces
pushed
to
the
exterior
get
a
kiss
of
caramelisation,
and
the
internal
fruit,
protected
by
dough,
melds
with
the
supple
yeast
dough.
Every
mouthful
is
something
else – puffy,
fruity,
sweet
and
glazey.
Every
moment
you
spend
with
these
is
a
reminder
that
life
can
be
quite
pear-fect.
Spray
a
shallow
plastic
tray
with
cooking
oil.
Prep
the
pear
cubes
right
before
assembling
so
they
don’t
have
time
to
oxidise.
Peel
the
pears,
then
cut
two
or
three
5
mm
(¼
in)
slices
off
each
side
until
you
reach
the
core.
Dice
the
slices
and
weigh
240
g
(8½
oz).
Set
aside
in
a
bowl.
Lightly
whisk
the
egg
white
and
set
aside,
along
with
a
pastry
brush.
On
a
lightly
floured
work
surface,
halve
the
cold
dough
and
chill
one
half.
Working
one
portion
at
a
time,
roll
out
to
a
15
cm
×
32
cm
(6
in
×
12½
in)
rectangle.
Position
the
dough
with
the
long
side
facing
you.
Lightly
brush
the
dough
with
enough
egg
white
to
make
a
tacky
bed
for
the
pears
(no
need
to
use
it
all).
Place
half
the
pear
cubes
evenly
over
the
entire
surface – it’s
okay
that
there
are
a
few
gaps.
Combine
the
flour
and
ground
cardamom,
scatter
over
the
top
and
press
the
pears
down
firmly
into
the
dough
with
your
hands,
then
fold
the
dough
into
thirds
and
pinch
the
seam
closed.
Turn
the
log
seam
side
down
and
gently
compress
with
your
hands
to
widen
it
to
6
cm
(2½
in).
continued
…
Keeps
Best
eaten
very
soon
after
frying.
Makes
6
pear
claws.
Takes
With
the
overnight
dough
made,
around
2
hours
to
roll,
proof
and
fry.
cooking
oil
spray
2–3
semiripe
pears – Williams
or
Packham
variety
(beurre
bosc
flesh
is
a
bit
gritty)
30
g
(1
oz)
egg
white
(from
approx.
1
egg)
OR
1
whole
egg
1
×
batch
Sweet
yeast day-
before
dough
(page 84)
15
g
(½
oz)
plain
(all-purpose)
flour,
to
dust
3
g
(½
teaspoon)
ground
cardamom
approx.
1.5
litres
(51
fl
oz/
6
cups)
rice
bran
oil,
for
frying
(or
other
neutral-flavoured
oil
such
as
canola
or
peanut
oil)
Milk
glaze
240
g
(8½
oz)
icing
(confectioners’)
sugar
60
g/
ml
(2
oz)
full-cream
(whole)
milk
6
g
(⅛
oz/
1¼
teaspoons)
pink
salt
flakes