Kouign Amann

Why this recipe works Kouign-amann originated more than a century ago in Brittany, where it was made with leftover bread dough that was layered with local salted butter and sugar to create a rich, caramelized cake. (Kouign means “butter” and amann means “cake” in Breton.) Contemporary bakers have created a flaky caramel-crusted interpretation that has taken the pastry world by storm. Our goal was to come up with a clear, straightforward method to prepare these exquisite pastries. The process is similar to that of making croissants, where butter is folded and rolled into yeasted dough in “turns.” Our challenge was to determine the best method for incorporating the sugar so that it would produce a delicate caramel crust without burning. We achieved the best texture when we first completed two turns of dough with only butter, followed by two turns in which we incorporated sugar; this ensured that the sugar didn’t puncture our dough and compromise the pastry’s distinct layers. To work the sugar into the layers, we dusted the counter and the dough with it, as we would with flour, when we rolled out the dough. As we shaped individual dough pieces into bundles, we gave them a fine coating of sugar. And, finally, we sprinkled sugar and sea salt over the tops before baking. Many bakeries use ring molds to shape individual kouign-amann, but we scaled our recipe to fit into a 12-cup muffin pan. If you can’t find King Arthur all-purpose flour, you can substitute bread flour, though the dough may be more difficult to roll. Our favorite European-style butter is Plugrá. Do not attempt to make these kouign-amann in a room that is warmer than 80 degrees. If at any time during rolling the dough retracts or softens, dust it lightly with flour, fold it loosely into thirds, cover it, and return it to the freezer to rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

MAKES: 12

RESTING TIME: 5 hours

RISING TIME: 2½ to 3 hours

BAKING TIME: 25 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 9½ to 10 hours, plus 10 minutes cooling time

KEY EQUIPMENT: rimmed baking sheet, rolling pin, 12-cup muffin tin, pastry brush

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups (15 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 2¾ teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 1¼ cups (10 ounces) whole milk, room temperature
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (7¾ ounces) sugar
• 4 tablespoons European-style unsalted butter, melted, plus 16 tablespoons (8 ounces) chilled
• ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Whisk flour, yeast, and salt together in the bowl of a stand mixer. In a 4-cup liquid measuring cup, whisk together milk, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 2 tablespoons melted butter until the sugar has dissolved. Slowly add the milk mixture to the flour mixture using the dough hook attachment on low speed. Mix until a cohesive dough starts to form and no dry flour remains, approximately 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Increase the speed to medium-low and knead for 1 minute. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
2. Transfer the dough to a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet. Press it into a 9 by 6-inch rectangle, about 1 inch thick. Wrap the dough tightly with greased plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
3. Fold a 24-inch length of parchment paper in half to create a 12-inch rectangle. Fold over the three open sides of the rectangle to form a 6-inch square with enclosed sides. Firmly crease the folds. Place the chilled butter directly on the counter and beat it with a rolling pin until it is just pliable but not warm, approximately 60 seconds. Then, fold the butter in on itself using a bench scraper, creating a rough 6-inch square.
4. Unfold the parchment envelope and transfer the butter to the center of the parchment. Refold the parchment at the creases to enclose the butter. Turn the packet over so that the flaps are underneath and gently roll it until the butter fills the parchment square, ensuring even thickness. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes.
5. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured counter and roll it into a 13 by 7-inch rectangle, with the long side parallel to the counter edge. Unwrap the butter square and place it in the center of the dough. Fold two sides of the dough over the butter so they meet in the center. Press the seam together with your fingertips.
6. Using a rolling pin, press firmly on each open end of the packet. Roll the dough into an 18 by 6-inch rectangle, with the short side parallel to the counter edge. Fold the bottom third of the dough over the middle, then fold the upper third over it like a business letter to form a 6-inch square. Turn the dough 90 degrees counterclockwise and repeat the rolling and folding into thirds. Return the dough to the parchment-lined sheet, wrap it tightly with greased plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
7. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sugar into a rough 6-inch square on a clean counter. Place the dough on top of the sugar so that the top flap of dough is facing right, and sprinkle it evenly with 2 tablespoons of sugar.
8. Roll the dough into an 18 by 6-inch rectangle, with the short side parallel to the counter edge. Gently flip the dough and redistribute the sugar on the counter as needed.
9. Fold the bottom third of the dough over the middle, then fold the upper third over it like a business letter to form a 6-inch square. Turn the dough 90 degrees counterclockwise and repeat the rolling and folding into thirds with ¼ cup of sugar. Return the dough to the parchment-lined sheet, wrap it tightly with greased plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. Some moisture may appear around the seams.
10. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin with 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Coat the bottom and sides of the muffin cups with 2 tablespoons of sugar and tap out any excess.
11. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured counter so that the top flap of dough is facing right. Roll the dough into a 16½ by 12½-inch rectangle, with the short side parallel to the counter edge. Gently flip the dough and flour the counter as needed.
12. Using a pizza cutter or chef’s knife, trim ¼ inch of dough from each edge and discard. Reshape the dough as needed; the remaining rectangle should measure 16 by 12 inches. Cut the dough vertically into 3 (16 by 4-inch) strips, then cut horizontally into twelve 4-inch squares.
13. Spread ¼ cup of sugar onto the bottom of a shallow dish. Working with one dough square at a time, coat both sides with sugar, pressing gently to adhere. Fold the four corners of the square into the center and press firmly on the pointed ends to seal.
14. Place the squares into the muffin cups, folded side up, and gently press the dough into the corners. Cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and let rise until nearly doubled in size, 2½ to 3 hours. Unrisen kouign-amann can be refrigerated for up to 18 hours; let them rise at room temperature for 3 to 3½ hours before baking.
15. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Gently press down on any pointed ends in the center of the kouign-amann that have become unsealed. Brush the tops with the remaining 1 tablespoon of melted butter and sprinkle them with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and sea salt if desired.
16. Bake the kouign-amann until deep golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the muffin tin halfway through baking. Let the kouign-amann cool in the muffin tin for 3 minutes, then invert them individually onto a wire rack and let them cool, still inverted, for 10 minutes. Serve them warm or at room temperature.