I was in new york the first time i took a bite of a kouign amann, a yeasted buttery flakey caramelized sugar filled pastry whos origin came from the brittany region of france. The name comes from the breton language words for cake kouign and butter amann. Jan 30, 2011 kouign amann is one of the most elusive pastries to make, not very tricky, but it involves a few stepsand a whole lotta butter. It is considered one of the fattiest pastries in europe but i say when you are climbing up and down the ramparts and rue du jerzual, who cares. That fount of all knowledge also tells me the strict recipe of douarnenez requires a ratio of 40 percent dough, 30 percent butter, and 30 percent sugar. The kouign amann has to be eaten the same dayor, as the douarnenez association specifies, up to 10 hours after its fabrication.
Being a bit tired of profiteroles and eclairs hard to believe but its possible, ive decided to make some kouign amann today. Sep 20, 20 for those of you familiar with regional british baking, it is a french designer equivalent of lardy cake. A pastry from brittany making waves stateside the new. Write a usage hint or an example and help to improve our dictionary. But it is a whole world away from the buttery, crunchy, crisp confection of a freshbaked kouign amann.
Its like a cross between a croissant and a palmier, with layers of buttery, flaky pastry on the inside, yet caramelized with eversoslightlyburnt sugar on the rim. Oct 16, 2019 the kouign amann has to be eaten the same dayor, as the douarnenez association specifies, up to 10 hours after its fabrication. Like most desserts, the kouignamanns creation is shrouded in legend, and oodles of gossip. They are a bit like a croissant, and a bit like puff pastry and they are all kinds delicious. Ive long considered the sticky bun to be my number one pastry in the world, but that was until my friend marko gnann, a world traveler and inveterate sweet tooth, told me about kouign amann pronounced kehween ahmahn, a butter and sugar rich yeast pastry from brittany. Free kouign amann recipe included by pastry chef david lebovitz, author of the great book of chocolate, and the perfect scoop, the ultimate. Patisserie is the destination for the most amazing french pastries and the best kouign amann in san francisco.
Her family was at a fancy dinner party, and haruhi helped her daughter get out of having to go, and she instead sent yn to saikis home. Here, five generations of pastry chefs have crafted kouignamann, a regional specialty that features croissant dough laminated in salted butter and rolled in. A kouign amann pronounced kween amahn is a traditional pastry from brittany, france, thats like a cross between a croissant and a brioche, and is packed with obscene amounts of butter. In fact, the name comes from the breton language and translates to butter cake, and i dont know of any cake or dessert, for that matter that has more butter than this. I asked charles whether the kouign amanns of finistere are. That brings us back to the kouign amann, one of those many french pastries with a somewhat clear history. Kouign amann brittanys buttery, caramelised, layered. Kouign amann is made with a yeasted laminated dough, lamination being the process of incorporating a slab of butter into dough, with successive rolling, folding, and rotating the threestep. Kouign amann science and history of a french pastry. It is actually very similar to a croissant, but with less butter and a lot more sugar. She was just going to be having dinner and a sleepover, since the dinner party was going to be running late. The cake derives its name from the breton words for cake kouign and butter amann. Savoring kouignamann is an important experience to have when visiting brittany, france.
The story of frances most extraordinary pastry msn. If pushed, i might even confess that our second trip to dinan happened because i needed to have another raspberry kouign amann from this bakery. Whats quite probable, though, is that the beginning of kouignamann was a coincidence. Kouign amann a 150yearold pastry no one ever heard of. Her book takes you through the dishes of several regions of france represented by women she knew growing up there friends, family and friends of the familyfrom 1934 to the 1970s. Unwrap pans and sprinkle kouignamann with remaining 2 tbsp.
Chocolate kouign amann sponsored by scharffen berger the. Kouign amann is a cake that first originated in the 1800s in brittany, france. I decided to try to bake the kouignamann s for a book club meeting. Attach the dough hook and, starting on low speed, mix until the flour mixture is moistened, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Kouign amann science and history of a french pastry food.
Sprinkle half the remaining sugar all over the kouign amann dab the extra butter all. See all formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Mar 17, 2020 in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a hand whisk, mix together the flour, yeast, and then the salt. Aug 18, 2019 that brings us back to the kouign amann, one of those many french pastries with a somewhat clear history. The complete history of the cronut conde nast traveler. Think of the kouign amann as a denser version of a croissant, and then gild that buttery, flaky lily with a generous dose of sugar. Apr, 2016 a classic french pastry called the kouign amann pronounced kween ahmon, plural kouignou amann had been sold at the soho bakery since it first opened in 2011, and the buttery, crunchy baked. A pastry from brittany making waves stateside the new york. Kouign amann a 150yearold pastry no one ever heard of the. The kouign amann, a flaky buttery caramelized sugar filled pastry, is easy to make if you follow my stepbystep photo instructions. Kouignamann is a french pastry with a croissantlike dough, laminated with butter and sugar for a flaky, rich treat with a caramelized outer crust. The technical challenge throws them into uncharted territory with a pastry none has heard of.
Anytime you look up a recipe for croissants you inevitably come across mentions of a delicious flaky croissant like pastry called kouign amanns. French culinary traditions are a neverending story. The kouign amann pastry that hails from brittany, france is pronounced queen amahn. Bake until pastry is golden brown all over and sugar is deeply caramelized, 2530 minutes make sure to bake. Breads, cakes, croissants, kouign amanns, macarons, scones, tarts is a bakers dream. Nov 29, 2011 kouign amann pronounced kween ahmon and derived from the breton words for butter and cake is something like a croissant but with extra layers of salted butter baked between the sheets, and a crispy coating of caramelized sugar. Kouignamann is a breton cake, described in the new york times as the fattiest pastry in all of. I had flown into the city for a few days as a quick layover before i. Kouign amann is one of the most elusive pastries to make, not very tricky, but it involves a few stepsand a whole lotta butter. Kouignamann pronounced kween ahmon and derived from the breton words for butter and cake is something like a croissant but with extra layers of salted butter baked between the sheets, and a crispy coating of caramelized sugar. Kouign amann pronounced queen aman is what would happen if a croissant went on a sugar bender. It may look like a strange name, but the kouign amann pronounced queenamahn means butter cake in breton.
The origin of kouign amann kouign amann is a pastry from the breton area in france. Les madeleines website 216 e 500 s, salt lake city, utah, 84111, united. Visit the place where kouign amann was invented, where its seen in various bakeries and pastry shops of brittany. So, ive been obsessing over the idea of a salted kouign amann for a few years now.
I first learned of kouign amann through reading madeleine kammans lovely book, when french women cook a gastronomique memoir, written in 1976. Allegedly the birthplace of kouign amann david lebovitz. It is made by folding sheets of dough on top of each other, with butter and sugar spread between the layers, then is typically crowned with sugar. Jan, 2020 a kouign amann is a breton specialty the words translating to butter and cake and is laminated croissant dough thats 50 percent butter and 50 percent yeasted dough. Thats one good thing about this shelterinplace order to flatten the curve on the spread of the coronavirus. This is a perfect breakfast pastry or afternoon snack and today we are sharing the recipe. The bakers are tasked with making 12 invidivdual kouignamann, a traditional breton pastry. Paul tests the bakers patience in a challenge to create this. Luckily yn had some spare clothes that she leaves at saikis place, just in case she f. Ansel himself says that dominiques kouign amann dka, a sort of round, caramelized croissant, is his favorite thing on. Sep 18, 2014 last nights episode featured a recipe that seemed exceptionally obscure kouign amann, a yeasted french pastry from brittany, made from layers of dough with butter and sugar folded into it.
Breads, cakes, croissants, kouign amanns, macarons. In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine the milk and yeast, and let sit until foamy, 8 to 10 minutes. Dec 04, 2017 i decided to try to bake the kouignamann s for a book club meeting. In the picturesque village of locronan, this familyrun bakery has been making beloved kouignamann over five generations. Theres no universally agreed version of the origin of the pastry. Its where i had my first kouign amann and it was love at first bite. Kouign amann is a croissant dough with sugar layered in during the last turn so after its baked the pastries are sweet, crunchy, buttery and super flaky. When i first received the book, i was drawn to the kouign amann.
Kouign amann is a french pastry from bretagne that uses lamination and plenty caramelization for a delicious treat. One of the popular stories mentions a 19 th century baker from a town of douarnenez in the district of finistere. Theres a local pastry restaurant, les madeleines, that makes the most heavenly kouign amann. Kouign amann is made with a yeasted laminated dough, lamination being the process of incorporating a slab of butter into dough, with successive rolling. Free kouign amann recipe included by pastry chef david lebovitz, author of the great book of chocolate, and the perfect scoop, the ultimate guide with recipes for making homemade ice cream, sorbet, sherbet, and granita. Brush the milk all over the top of the unbaked kouign amann. You get the soft crumb from the croissant, but the flaky, crisp, buttery layers from the puff. Patisseries kouign amann is the best weve ever tasted anywhere, and weve tried them all over the united states, holding out hope that one would live up. Last nights episode featured a recipe that seemed exceptionally obscure kouign amann, a yeasted french pastry from brittany, made from layers of. Using a bread lame or a scoring tool blade, score some shallow cuts all over the kouign amann. It contains layers of butter and sugar folded into a yeast dough. Its flaky and buttery like a croissant, but crusty and rich with caramelized even burnt sugar. Kouign amann is a tiny breton cake that makes for a real taste treat. The great british baking show kouign aman pbs youtube.
In the united states, this opulent pastry is having a moment among foodies. Its flaky and buttery like a croissant, but crusty and. The irresistible combination of sweet, salty, sticky, buttery, crispy, flaky, and tender is something you must experience to believe. Kouign amann is a speciality of the town of douarnenez in finistere, brittany, where it originated around 1860. Now i love lardy cake theres a recipe in my book, she shamelessly plugged its delicious. For those of you not familiar with the delicious, buttery, flaky, pastry that is kouign amann, heres a bit of history. Pronounced queenamahn, kouignamann wouldnt be one of the worlds greatest pastries if it also werent a legendary labor of love. The best recipe for kouignamann my 100 year old home. After that little adventure, i decided to make my favorite french pastry, kouign amann.