Imagine a sticky bun and a croissant put together and you have a delicious Kouign Amann! It’s a laminated sweet dough that you will absolutely fall in love with. Don’t be intimidated by this recipe, I break it down step by step into simple to follow instructions that will turn out great every single time! I am an absolute sucker for a French pastry. I used to be too intimidated to make them at home, until one day I finally took the plunge. And guess what? It wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be, AND it was super fun! I absolutely loved the whole process, and I think you will too. If you aren’t convinced yet, then start with an easier recipe like this Apple Danish or these Strawberry Cream Cheese Danishes. Another easy and fun dessert that has layered dough is Baklava, you’ve got to try it!
What is Kouign Amann?
If you are sitting here trying to figure out how to pronounce kouign amann, then you are in good company! The first time I saw this name I didn’t even know where to start. It’s pronounced kween uh·man and LITERALLY means butter cake. So you know it’s going to be good! It’s like a buttery and fluffy croissant, and yet caramelized like a sticky bun. It’s honestly one of the best things I’ve ever made. I know, layering dough sounds scary right? Well, it’s actually a lot easier than it sounds! You only have to turn it twice and each time you are putting shredded butter in between. This helps to add layers to the dough. If you are ready to step out of your comfort zone of banana bread, or maybe you are already baking more complicated loaves like brioche bread, you are going to love this recipe. It’s super simple and looks really impressive. You can also add chocolate to make it even sweeter!
Ingredients
Another reason this recipe is so easy is the list of ingredients. Kouign amann just needs 6 ingredients, and you already have them all on hand. You don’t have to be a professional baker to make this recipe! It’s actually really simple and you will love the taste of it. It is a very sticky dough once you add the sugar so don’t worry if it looks wet or runny. That will help make the delicious caramel that is on the outside of the laminated pastry. You can find the measurements below in the recipe card.
Bread Flour: Bread flour has more protein than a regular all purpose flour, so it will soak up more water. I really recommend using bread flour for this recipe. Water: Make sure it’s luke warm, this helps to activate the yeast. Instant Yeast: Active dry yeast or instant yeast will work. Salt: This helps balance out the sweetness, and aids in the baking of the bread. Granulated Sugar: This is a sweet bread, so the sugar helps to sweeten the bread and to make the sticky outside glaze. Unsalted Butter: You will need LOTS of butter. Make sure it’s unsalted so you don’t end up with really salty bread.
Kouign Amann Recipe
I know I’ve avoided making laminated dough like kouign amann in the past. I thought it would be too hard or not worth the effort, but I was totally wrong! First of all, dough with layers of butter is so delicious it’s worth extra effort. This dough doesn’t even take that many extra steps. Turning the dough just means that you will add layers of butter. You roll out the dough into a big triangle, add butter, and fold into thirds. Do that twice and then you are ready to bake.
Make Kouign Amann Dough
First Turn
Second Turn
Bake Kouign Amann
Soft Dough: The dough is very soft. When folding the dough over the grated butter I used a metal bench scrape to help lift the dough off the countertop and still maintain the rectangular shape. About the Butter: The butter can be frozen or chilled in the fridge before being grated. You can dip your hands in flour and press the butter down into the dough to prevent it from becoming lumpy. Added Sugar: Don’t be worried if the sugar-dusted dough becomes sticky or syrupy. This sugar syrup will become the caramel layer on the bottom of the baked pastry, so feel free to scoop sugar off the counter and add it back on as you roll out the dough the final time. Temp the Pastries: Use a thermometer to make sure the inside of the pastries are fully baked. The thermometer should read 212 degrees Fahrenheit when they are fully baked. The outside layers should be very deeply golden brown.
On the Counter: Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. In the Freezer, Baked: Baked kouign-amann can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Let it come to room temperature before heating in a 200 degree Fahrenheit oven for 5-10 minutes. In the Freezer, Unbaked: Unbaked kouign-amann dough can be frozen after it has been rolled into shape. Place rolled dough on a parchment lined cookie sheet and freeze for at least 4 hours before transferring to a plastic freezer bag. When ready to bake, remove from the bag and thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Bake as directed.
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All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
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