Description
This recipe for the laborious and delicious kouign-amann uses a shortcut food-processor dough. The dough takes no time to mix and can be used for all sorts of pastries, namely the buttery, sugary, heavenly kouign-aman.
Source: Nigella Lawson’s How to Be a Domestic Goddess
Notes: This processor Danish pastry dough should rest in the fridge overnight, and the shaped kouign amann also rest in the fridge overnight.
Ingredients
for the pastry:
- 1/4 cup (60 grams) water, room temperature or tap
- 1/2 cup (125 grams) milk, 2% or whole
- 1 large egg
- 2 1/4 cups (286 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 2 teaspoons (7 grams) instant yeast
- 1.5 teaspoons (6 grams) Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons (25 grams) sugar
- 1 cup (227 grams) butter, salted or unsalted, cold, cut into thin slices
for the kouign-amann:
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
Instructions
- Mix the dough: In a medium bowl or 2-cup liquid measure, whisk together the water, milk, and egg. In a food processor, blend together the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar until well combined. Add the cold butter, and pulse 10 to 12 times at 1-second intervals, until the butter is in small pea-sized pieces. Transfer the contents of the food processor to a large bowl. Add the water-milk-egg mixture, and, using a spatula, stir until you have a wet, sticky mass. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (but ideally for 24 hours) or up to 4 days.
- Roll it out: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it into two equal portions, each roughly 384 grams. Pat each portion into a rough square. Set one aside while you begin working on the next: using flour as needed, roll the square out, flipping it as needed to prevent sticking, until you have a shape 10- to 11-inches wide/tall — it’s OK if, at this point, it looks a little misshapen. Fold the dough envelope-style: the top third down over the dough, then the bottom third up. Then fold the right third of the dough from right to left and then from left to right, to ultimately create a square. (see photos for reference). You’ve now completed one set of folds. Repeat this process 3 more times: roll the dough out into a large, thin square, then fold the dough envelope-style from top to bottom and from right to left. By the end of the four sets, the dough will be smooth, and there should be little to no visible signs of butter flecking the dough.
- Chill it: Transfer the folded dough to an airtight container and transfer to the fridge for 30 minutes or up to 2 days. At this point, the dough can be frozen. Repeat with the remaining portion of the dough.
- To make the kouign-amann: Butter a 12-cup muffin tin. Working with one portion at a time, roll the dough into an 8×12-inch rectangle. Sprinkle the surface with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Gently pat the sugar into the dough. Flip the rectangle. Sprinkle with another 2 tablespoons of sugar. Gently pat again. Cut the dough into 6 squares (each 4×4 inches). Lift the corners of each square and press into the center (see photos above for a visual representation). Fit each pinched parcel into a muffin cup. Repeat with the remaining dough to create 12 kouign-amann in total. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but ideally overnight.
- Bake: About an hour before baking, remove the pan from the fridge. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Sprinkle the remaining two tablespoons of sugar over the top of the pastries. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden on top. Let cool briefly before serving.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Pastry
- Cuisine: American, French