Paul Hollywood.
Laminated Dough.
Cardamom.
Cinnamon.
Sugar.
Need I say more?
I don’t, but I will! Haha! I remember first hearing about Kouign-Amann years ago. I had no idea how to pronounce it (it’s QUEEN AH-MAHN), no idea what was in it, all I knew was I wanted to try it. It really intrigued me for some reason! I was on a big Great British Bake Off kick right before we moved to Boise and they made Kouign-Amann in a technical challenge. I became obsessed! I knew I had to get good enough to make them myself because there was no way I would find these queens near my home. BUT then Boise happened and there was one place, Jan Jou Patisserie, that made them. I bought one and was in heaven! There are a few distinct food memories I have in my life and this is a big one! I love these things and I love making them now.
Basically, you’re going to love this recipe. I’ve added my own little twists, but the basic recipe is Paul Hollywood’s.
Kouign-Amann is my favorite pastry, which is quite the statement coming from me! It is a real. MVP to have in your back pocket. If you get this down you’re set to impress anyone with your baking prowess, including yourself. Just follow this recipe to a t and you have nothing to worry about! These babies take time, but they are SO worth it! Let me know if you try it by using #sebbakes
Paul Hollywood’s Kouign-Amann
Yeild: 12
Time Prep: 4 hours
Time Cook: 30-40 minutes
Ingredients:
- 300g flour (2 cups and 2 tbsp)
- 5g yeast (1 packet)
- 1 tsp salt
- 200 mL water
- 25g unsalted butter, melted (about 2 tbsp)
- 250g cold unsalted butter (about 2 sticks)
- 100g brown sugar* (about 1/ 2cup)
- Capful vanilla extract
- Granulated sugar, cardamom and cinnamon for sprinkling**
Method:
1. Put all ingredients in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment and mix on a slow speed for two minutes, then on a medium speed for five minutes.
2. Sandwich the butter between two sheets of parchment paper and smoosh with a rolling pin, then roll out to a square about 14cm/5½in. Place in the fridge to keep chilled.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a 20cm/8in square. Place the butter in the center of the dough diagonally, so that each side of butter faces a corner of the dough. Fold the corners of the dough over the butter to enclose like an envelope.
4. Roll the dough into a 45x15cm/18x6in rectangle. Fold the bottom third of dough up over the middle, then fold the top third of the dough over. You will now have a sandwich of three layers of butter and three layers of dough. Place dough into a large Ziploc bag or wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
5. Repeat this process twice more, so you have completed a total of three turns, chilling the dough for 30 minutes between turns.
6. Roll the dough into a rectangle as before. Sprinkle the dough with the granulated sugar, cinnamon and cardamom, as pictured, and fold into thirds again. (Ignore the crazy amount of flour, Albie had some fun playing in it earlier haha!) Working quickly, roll the dough into a large 40x30cm/16x12in rectangle. Sprinkle the dough with caster sugar and cut the dough into 12 squares.
7. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin well with butter. Gather the dough squares up by their four corners and place in the muffin tins, pulling the four corners towards the center of the muffin tin, so that it gathers up like a four-leaf clover. Sprinkle with caster sugar and leave to rise, covered with a clean tea towel, for 30 minutes until slightly puffed up.
8. Preheat oven to 220C/200C(fan)/400F/Gas 7. Bake the pastries for 30-40 minutes, or until golden-brown. Cover with foil halfway through if beginning to brown too much. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for a couple of minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Be careful not to burn yourself on the caramelized sugar, but don’t leave them to cool for too long, or the caramelized sugar will harden, and they will be stuck in the tin.
9. Serve warm or cold.***
NOTES:
*Paul Hollywood uses caster sugar, but I like the extra flavor brown sugar gives.
**You can skip the cinnamon and cardamom, but again, I like the extra flavor they give. I used about 1/ 4 cup sugar.
***I like them cooled MUCH better!
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