Kouign-Amann

Kouign-Amann is a traditional Breton pastry which translates to “butter cake”. It is made from a yeasted dough, similar to brioche, which is then layered with butter and sugar before being rolled and baked. The end result is a flaky, buttery pastry which is best served fresh and warm.

Ingredients

• 250g plain flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 7g instant yeast
• 150ml milk, lukewarm
• 50g sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 250g butter, softened
• Additional sugar for sprinkling

Method

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt and instant yeast.
2. Add the milk and sugar and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
3. Add the egg and stir until the dough comes together.
4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes.
5. Add the softened butter and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic. This will take about 10 minutes.
6. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours, until doubled in size.
7. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll into a rectangle about 30cm x 60cm.
8. Spread the dough with additional softened butter, then sprinkle with sugar.
9. Roll the dough up from the long side, then cut into 12-16 pieces.
10. Place the pieces cut-side up in a greased baking dish and let rise for another 30 minutes.
11. Preheat the oven to 200°C and bake the kouign-amann for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.

Potential changes & improvements

If you want a richer pastry, you could use golden butter instead of plain butter. For a sweeter kouign-amann, you could add a layer of jam or chocolate spread before rolling up the dough. You could also add a sprinkling of cinnamon or other spice to the sugar.

What other food it works well with

Kouign-amann goes well with coffee or tea. It can also be served with a dollop of whipped cream or crème fraîche.

Common Mistakes

One common mistake when making kouign-amann is not kneading the dough long enough. This will result in a tough pastry. Another mistake is not rolling the dough out thinly enough, which will make for a doughy kouign-amann.

Nutritional Information

Kouign-amann is high in fat and calories. Each piece contains approximately:

• 250 calories
• 14g fat
• 28g carbohydrates
• 4g protein

Allergens

Kouign-amann contains wheat, milk, butter and eggs. It may also contain traces of nuts, soy and sesame.