Kouign Amann are a delicate pastry made with a type of puff pastry, similar to the kind that is made with these Italian Chocolate Chip Sweet Buns. Sweet and deliciously buttery pastry that is perfect for breakfast or even snack.
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What is does Kouign Amann mean and what is it?
Kouign Amann, pronounced queen-a-maghn, is a type of puff pastry that is from the Breton area near France, the translation means Butter Cake.
Made with a dough layered with good quality salted butter and sugar then folded. Similar to puff pastry. Slightly sweet and buttery, baked until golden. Better than a croissant? Maybe!
It really isn’t very complicated or difficult, it is just a time consuming and follow the directions type of recipe. The end result is positively amazing! In my opinion there is nothing like a sweet pastry or bread. From this Nutella Pull-Apart Bread to Traditional Italian Easter Bread to of course Homemade Italian Bomboloni!
Recipe Ingredients
- Flour – all purpose flour
- Yeast – dry active yeast
- Salt
- Water – lukewarm water
- Butter – cold salted butter good quality
- Sugar – caster, fruit or also known as fine sugar
What is fine sugar?
Fine or Caster sugar is slightly finer and dissolves more easily than regular granulated sugar. You can substitute it at a 1 for 1 basis or you can make your own fine sugar just by blending granulated sugar until fine.
What is the best temperature for the water
Make sure your water isn’t too hot or too cold. Too hot and you will kill the yeast, too cold and it will take a long time for the dough to rise. The perfect temperature is 100-110F.
How to make Kouign Amann
I actually cut this recipe in half and it turned out perfectly. These are the directions for the full recipe.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, stir in the salt then add, the yeast, water and melted butter stir to wet the ingredients.
Attach the dough hook and knead on low for approximately 2 minutes. Continue to knead for about 6 minutes. The dough should be tacky but not really sticky.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured flat surface and form into a ball.
Place the ball in a lightly greased bowl, roll the dough in the bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled in bulk in a draft free warm area.
Meanwhile make your butter block. Place the butter between two pieces of parchment paper and with a rolling pin, roll to form a square, wrap it with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to chill.
Once the dough has risen, place it on a lightly floured flat surface, roll the dough into a square. Place the chilled butter block on an angle in the middle of the dough and fold the corners of the dough (like an envelope) to cover the dough completely.
Roll the dough again into a rectangle. Fold the bottom third of the rectangle into the middle, then fold the top third over that. You will have a square, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Remove it from the fridge and repeat the rolling and folding two more times, alway refrigerating the dough for 30 minutes after each roll.
The last chill, roll the dough into a rectangle, sprinkle the dough with one third of the caster sugar, then fold into thirds again.
As fast as you can roll the dough into a larger rectangle. Sprinkle the dough with another one third of the caster sugar and cut into 12 squares, they have to be perfect squares, it will still work.
Butter a 12 medium size muffin tin, take the squares by their four corners and place them in the prepared muffin cups. Gently squeeze the corners together. Sprinkle with the remaining caster sugar.
Cover the tin with a clean tea towel and let rise until puffy.
Bake until golden brown. If they are browning too quickly then cover them very loosely (like a tent) with foil.
Remove them from the oven and let them cool for approximately 1-2 minutes then remove from muffin tin and place on a wire rack. Let cool to warm before serving.
Tips for making the best Kouign Amann
- Be sure to use good quality salted butter.
- Follow the recipe steps, don’t skip any chilling time!
- Use fine sugar.
- Don’t use excess flour, the dough will be slightly tacky.
- I would advise though if you are interested in baking bread a kitchen scale is a must, since a lot of bread recipes are in grams including this one, although I do include imperial measurements.
What is the difference between Kouign Amann and other sweet breads?
Kouign Amann is not considered a bread it is a breton pastry, a lot like a croissant pastry, except it is made with yeast. It has a rich caramelized sugar sweetness to it that is very delicious. It really isn’t too difficult to make you just need patience and time.
Can they be made in advance?
Yes you can make them in advance, once the pastry squares are placed in the muffin tin, cover the tin lightly with plastic wrap, refrigerate overnight. When ready to bake remove the tin from the fridge and let sit at room temperature for 1 1/2 hours. Then bake.
How to store the Kouign Amann
They should be stored at room temperature and will last 1-2 days. They are of course best the day they are made.
How to freeze them
Individually wrap each completely cooled Kouign Amann with plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag or container. Thaw and re-heat in a 350F/180C oven for approximately 5-10 minutes before eating.
If you are feeling the need to make something a little different why not give this Kouign Amann recipe a try and let me know how it goes. Enjoy!
Kouign Amann
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups +2½ tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour (300 grams total)
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast (5 grams)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup +1⅓ tablespoons lukewarm water (200 ml total)
- 1¾ tablespoons salted butter (melted & cooled) (25 grams
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons cold salted butter (250 grams total)
- ½ cup sugar (fine, caster or also known as fruit sugar)
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, stir in the salt then add, the yeast, water and melted butter stir to wet the ingredients. Attach the dough hook and knead on low for approximately 2 minutes. Continue to knead for about 6 minutes on speed #2. The dough should be tacky but not really sticky.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured flat surface and form into a ball. Place the ball in a lightly greased bowl, roll the dough in the bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit to rise for approximately 1 hour, until doubled in bulk in a draft free warm area.
- Meanwhile, make your butter block. Place the butter between 2 pieces of parchment paper and roll to form an approximate 5½ inch (14cm) square, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate to chill.
- Once dough has risen place on a slightly floured flat surface, then roll the dough into an approximate 8 inch (20cm) square. Place the chilled butter block on an angle in the middle of the dough and then fold the corners of the dough (like an envelope) to cover the butter completely.
- Roll the butter dough into an approximate 6 x18 inch (15×46 cm) rectangle. Fold the bottom third of the rectangle into the middle, then fold the top third over that (see photos). You will have a square, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and repeat the rolling and folding 2 more times, always refrigerating the dough for 30 minutes after each roll.
- The last chill, roll the dough into an approximate 6×18 inch (15x46cm) rectangle, sprinkle the dough with 1 third of the caster sugar, then fold into thirds again (making a square).
- As fast as you can roll the dough into an approximate 16×12 inch (41×30 cm) rectangle. Sprinkle the dough with another 1 third of the caster sugar and cut into 12 squares (they don't have to be perfect squares, don't worry it works perfectly).
- Butter a 12 medium size muffin tin, take the squares by their four corners and place them in the prepared muffin tins. Gently squeeze the corners together. Sprinkle with remaining caster sugar.
- Cover the muffin pan loosely with plastic wrap, and let sit until slightly puffy, approximately 30 minutes.
- Pre-heat the oven to 375F (190C). Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Check after 15-20 minutes and if they are browning too quickly then cover them very loosely (like a tent) with foil, and continue baking.
- Remove them from the oven and let them cool for approximately 2 minutes then remove from the muffin tin and place on a wire rack. Let cool approximately (10 minutes) before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Updated from January 18, 2016.
Source: Paul Hollywood’s Version: BBC Food Recipes
Rosalie says
They look delicious! Is it possible to make them as mini using a mini muffin pan?
Rosemary says
Hi Rosalie, I think you could, the baking time will be less I would say 15-18 minutes. Start checking a bit before just to be sure they don’t burn. Let me know how it goes. Take care and have a great weekend!
Rosemary says
Hi Christy, sorry about that I have corrected the recipe so it should read 1 cup + 2 tablespoons cold butter or 250 grams. Hope that helps and let me know how goes.
Rosemary says
Hi Angelina, I had never heard of them before either and they were delicious. Nice and buttery and flaky.
Rosemary says
Hi Carlee, I hadn’t heard of them either before, but they are really really good. Give it a try and let me know.
Katell says
Kouign amañ is from Brittany where unsalted butter is a heresy (joke aside, it’s better with salt because that’s how we do it, salt is our go to. And more sugar)
Rosemary says
Hi Katell, thanks for the info, and they are so delicious, lucky you.