Kouign Amann

You may have clicked on this page without knowing what a kougin amann even was. Here is a brief breakdown:

It is a round viennoiserie (or laminated dough, rolled and folded with layers of butter) that also has a ton of sugar rolled into the last fold. It has fewer layers than puff pastry and most croissants, and it noted for it's crunchy caramelized exterior and buttery, slightly sticky (from the sugar) interior. Dominique Ansel (inventor of the Cronut) sells the DKA, which stands for Dominique's Kougin Amann, However, he serves his upside-down, because he thinks the caramelized bottoms are the most beautiful part. Personally, I like the little pinched-seams on top.

Summarized: a caramelized croissant shaped like a circle.

For more information about lamination, check out my crappy croissant page.

Ingredients

275 g bread flour
8 g kosher salt
5 g dry active yeast
175 g water, 75°F
10 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
225 g butter (2 sticks)
225 g sugar

Instructions

(Preheat oven to 375F once you start proofing your shaped kouign amann.)
Dissolve yeast in water. Add melted cooled butter, flour, and salt.
Mix until all flour is incorporated. Let the dough rest 5-10 minutes. Mix/knead again until smooth (either by hand, with a bread machine, or with a dough hook on a stand mixer).
Let the dough rest in a lightly oiled bowl for 30 minutes, covered with plastic wrap.
While dough is resting, prepare the butter for lamination: Pound the butter with a rolling pin and form into a square about 6 inches. You can adjust it to fit the dough when you roll it out.
Take the dough and place it on a floured work surface. Flatten slightly with your hand. Roll the dough about to twice the size of the butter rectangle. Place butter on one half of the dough, and pull the other side over the butter. Seal edges with your fingers
Take a rolling pin and press to even the dough. Roll to about 15 inches and fold into thirds. Press lightly with the rolling pin to even it out. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until the dough and butter are both cold and pliable.
Rotate the dough 90 degrees and repeat step 7 (always rolling a little wider, but mostly lengthwise), and refrigerate for 45 minutes. While the dough is resting, prepare your molds. Either grease the cups of a standard 12-cup muffin tin and sprinkle with sugar on the bottom (like I did).
- An alternative way is to line a sheet tray with a greased Silpat. Place a dozen 4-inxh tart rings on the Silpat, and sprinkle a little sugar into each tart ring.
Take dough out of the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature 15 minutes. Roll dough out to 15 inches and sprinkle half the sugar in the middle third of the dough. Fold one of the sides over the center, and sprinkle the remaining sugar on top of that. Bring the last third over the top. Press down with a rolling pin to even the dough. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Let the dough sit out for 10 minutes, and then begin to press with the rolling pin. Roll the dough to 12x16 inches. Cut into 4-inch squares.
Take squares and pull up each corner to meet the in the middle. Press "pouches" down slightly.
Place pouches into the prepared molds. Sprinkle tops with a bit more sugar for crunch.
Let kouign amann proof about 40-45 minutes at slightly above room temperature. If the environment is too warm, the butter will melt and seep out or seep into the dough, destroying all your lamination. If it's too cold, the dough will take much longer to proof.
Place kouign amann into the preheated oven for 15 minutes. If using tart rings, remove the rings after the first 15 minutes. Continue baking for another 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from molds right away to avoid sticking. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Fold breakdown:

Lock in (seal) the square of butter inside
- Roll and tri-fold, rest in fridge
Roll and tri-fold, rest in fridge
Roll and tri-fold, adding the sugar into the folds. Rest in fridge
Final roll (no folds), shape, and proof