Baked Claws

No St. Nicholas without (baked) claws!

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. In a small bowl, first mix all the ingredients for the yeast starter. Let it rise for about 10 minutes, after which it should have nicely grown.
For the dough, first sift the flour into a larger bowl. Add sugar, vanilla sugar, and a pinch of salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the risen yeast starter.
Place a small pot on the stove, add milk and cubed butter. Heat until the butter melts, then remove the pot from the heat and wait for the mixture to cool to lukewarm. Pour the mixture into the flour and knead the dough. Knead until the dough becomes smooth and doesn't stick to your hands. Place the dough ball in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for at least one hour.
Place the risen dough on a lightly floured surface, flatten it slightly with your hands, then cut it into 4 pieces with a large knife, from which you will shape the claws. First, determine where the head will be on each piece, then use a knife or scissors to cut out the arms and legs. Also, make a slit where the tongue will be. Take 2 raisins or cranberries for the eyes, cut the almonds in half, and attach them to the arms and legs as claws. Beat an egg, mix it with a tablespoon of milk, and brush the claws with this mixture using a brush. Bake them in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes.
Once the claws are baked and cooled, insert a red ribbon into the mouth opening (use scissors to help).