Name: Kouign Amman (Breton Butter & Sugar Pastry)
Yield: Makes one 10-inch (25-cm) cake, about 12 generous servings
Ingredients: 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (spoon flour into a dry-measure cup and level off); 1 teaspoon salt; 2½ teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast; 1 cup sugar; One 10-inch (25-cm) cake pan 2 inches (5 cm) deep, buttered and the bottom lined with a disk of parchment cut to fit; 8 ounces (2 sticks/225 grams) unsalted butter, chilled; ¼ cup flour (you may not need all of it); 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted; ¾ cup warm water, about 110°F (45°C)

Preparation info

Makes one
10 inch
cake, about 12 generous servings

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

The Modern Baker

By Nick Malgieri

Published 2008

About

This Breton specialty is like a cross between croissant dough and palmiers—rolling and folding in butter and lots of sugar at the same time. The result is flaky, buttery, and irresistible.

Ingredients

Dough

2½ teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
¾ cup warm water, about 110°F (45°C)</

Method

Whisk the yeast into the water and set aside.
Stir the flour and salt together with a large rubber spatula in a medium bowl.
Whisk the melted butter into the yeast mixture and gently stir the mixture into the flour and salt to make a soft dough. Avoid overmixing or the dough will become elastic and difficult to handle later on.
Cover the bow