Kouign Amann, butter cake

Eva 18 noviembre, 2016

Este post también está disponible en Spanish

A perfect weekend is which I will suggest you, make Kouign Amann. Sure! I don´t know if you know this incredible pastry, but if you don´t, please… hurry!!

The name Kouign Amann derives from the Breton language words: cake “kouign” and butter “amann”. It is a speciality from Douarnenez, Brittany, a Breton cake. This pastry was made with bread dough (actually with a viennoiserie dough) with layers of butter and sugar folded in.

{From now, I will write in both languages (Spanish and English) I will try to make the best I can. As you can imagine, english is not my maternal language so if you read mistakes, please, let me know to make it better. Many thanks in advance and welcome! }

Kouign Amann was originated around 1860 by Yves-René Scordia. This recipe has evolved since 1945 to get more perfect and being part from High Confectionery.

To make a good quality kouign amann we must keep in mind...

Choose good quality products because we don´t want only a perfect visual product. We want to eat them! So buy a good butter and a good flour. Always work with a cold dough, is better for handling. Butter must not be too cold because when we will roll the dough, it could break inside the dough. If butter is warm, it will be absorbed by the dough rather than forming layers. And, finally but not less important, get a perfect caramelized crust.

Which is the best way to get a perfect caramelized?

In my case I used muffins pan because I had not enough pastry rings (I need more). We have to rub them generously with butter and sprinkle with sugar. This way we will get a perfect caramelized crust while the kouign amann is baking.

But... if I am baking in pastry rings? We will make the same. Rub with butter rings and a silpat or baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar removing excess. You could see how to do it in this video from Michalak.

KOUIGN AMANN 16 INDIVIDUAL PASTRIES:

Recipe from book Le Grenier á Pain, which I love. but I have changed the process.

1 3/4 cup (250 grams) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (185 grams) semi-skimmed milk
1 tsp (5 grams) active dry or instant yeast
3/4 tsp (3,5 grams) salt
7,5 ounces (225 grams) cold unsalted butter
3/4 cup (100-150 grams) sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:

THE NIGHT BEFORE I made dough about 22:15 pm.

Combine flour with milk, yeast and salt in a bowl of a stand mixer or mixing bowl if you are going to knead by hand.
Fit your mixer with a dough hook attachment and knead the dough at low speed for 12-14 minutes.
Dough must be elastic and smooth and it will separate from the sides of the bowl.
Put the dough into a bowl, cover with film and chill overnight. This step makes a better flavour and prevents the butter for melting when we make folds.

THE NEXT DAY I took out the dough from fridge at 13:00 pm, it must have double size.

Begin pounding butter to make folds with dough.

First important point: Pound cold butter, it will be easier to soft and reshape.
Second important point: Work with a cold dough.
Third important point: When you pound butter it turn soft but chill. It will be easily manageable.
Fourth important point: Butter mustn´t be at room temperature or warm, because it will be absorbed by the dough rather than forming layers.

Sprinkle table or counter with a few of flour. Lay the butter on top and sprinkle with a few more of flour.
Begin tapping the top of the butter with your rolling pin, and then pound more forcefully once the flour sticks to the butter.
Make a square with 9 - 10 inches. Cover with film or put between two baking sheets and chill while you roll the dough. Don´t refrigerate longer than 15 minutes.

Make the dough, first folds.

Sprinkle table or counter with a few of flour and put the dough on top.
Roll the dough into a square roughly 14 inches.
Remove the butter from the fridge and transfer it to the middle of the dough, set like a diamond. Fold the corners to the middle and press.
Roll the dough into a rectangle roughly 18 x 10 inches.
Fold the top third down and the bottom third up, like folding a letter.
Rotate the package of dough and butter so that the narrower, open end is facing you (90 degrees), like you're about to read a book. then roll again into a rectangle roughly 18 x 10 inches.
Fold the top third down and the bottom third up. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate 25-30 minutes.

Second folds.

Sprinkle lightly with flour. Remove the dough from the fridge and transfer it to the counter. With the open end facing you, roll the dough out to a rectangle 21 x 10 inches.
Sprinkle it, generously, all over with sugar and press lightly with the rolling pin to help it stick.
Fold the top third down and the bottom third up.
Rotate 90 degrees and roll again.
Sprinkle it, generously, all over with sugar and press lightly with the rolling pin to help it stick.Fold the top third down and the bottom third up.
Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
Sprinkle again with sugar, remove the dough from the fridge, sprinkle with more sugar and roll into a rectangle 18 x 10 inches.

Cut the dough to make Kouig Amann.

To bake the pastries I used a muffin pan and four brioche molds.

Rub the insides of the muffin pans with a coat of butter and sprinkle with sugar. Remove excess.
Slice the sides from the dough to get a better shape.
Cut squares into 2,7 inches to make 16 squares.
Fold the corners of each square toward the center then press lightly.
Put into the muffins pan, cover with plastic film and let rise 1 1/2 hour. They must be lightly fluffy.

Bake Kouign Amann.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF about 30 minutes before baking.
Place the kouign amann in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes. Pastries are finished when the tops are deep golden.
Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and remove the kouign amann from it. Set them on the cooling rack to warm.

NOTE: Do not let the kouign amann cool completely in the pan because sugar will harden and make the pastries ver difficult to remove. PRESERVATION: You can store them in a glass container for 3-4 days, but is better eat them the same day are made. I have never tasted kouign amann and I´m regretting not to try them before. But reality I have not too much time to make everything I want!