Kouign-Amann

Name: Kouign-Amann
Cook time: 205 min
Total time: 205 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 250g Bread Flour; 5g Sea Salt, fine; 5g Instant Dry Yeast; 160ml Water, room-temperature; 200g Salted Butter, cold; 200g Granulated Sugar; 10g Salted Butter, softened, for greasing; 2 tbsp Granulated Sugar, for coating

Kouign-Amann is a rustic Breton pastry of laminated dough studded with layers of caramelized sugar and butter; its exterior bakes to a crackly, caramel crust while the interior remains tender and flaky. This indulgent treat is all about technique—simple ingredients transformed into glossy, buttery spirals with deeply caramelized edges.

Kouign-Amann is a rustic Breton pastry of laminated dough studded with layers of caramelized sugar and butter; its exterior bakes ... Show more

Traditional French Recipe

Health Grade

E- · Indulgent

Rating

4.6

Time

3 hrs

Price

0,36 €

Calories

420 kcal

vegetarian

holiday/special occasion

french

gourmet

Method

Make the dough

In a large bowl, stir together the Bread Flour, Sea Salt (fine), Instant Dry Yeast, and Water (room-temperature) until a shaggy dough forms. Knead for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and just slightly tacky.

Proof the dough

Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for 45 minutes, or until doubled. While it rises, flatten the Salted Butter (cold) between two pieces of parchment into a neat square, then chill it so it stays firm.

Lock in butter

Roll the dough into a rectangle and set the butter square in the center. Fold the dough over it like an envelope, pinch the seams, then roll the packet out gently. Sprinkle on about half of the Granulated Sugar, and keep the 2 tbsp coating sugar aside for the pan. Fold the dough into thirds like a letter.

Chill and fold again

Wrap the dough and chill it for 30 minutes so the butter firms up again. Roll it out once more, scatter on the remaining sugar, and fold it into thirds one more time.

Cut and pan

Use the softened butter to grease an 8-cup muffin tin, then dust the cups with the reserved coating sugar. Roll the laminated dough into a square and cut it into 8 equal pieces. Fold the corners of each piece toward the center, then set each bundle seam-side down in a cup.

Proof in pan

Let the shaped pastries proof for 20 minutes until they look puffy, and preheat the oven to 375° F while they rest.

Bake until caramelized

Bake for 30 minutes, or until the pastries are deep golden brown and the sugar is bubbling into amber caramel around the edges. If the tops color too quickly, loosely lay a piece of foil over the tin for the last few minutes.

Cool and serve

Let the kouign-amann rest in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn them out carefully while the caramel is still hot and fluid. Be careful — the caramel is very hot. Serve warm, when the shell is crisp and the centers are tender and buttery.