Kouign-Amann Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

What is the fattiest pastry in the world? ›

The Kouign Amann (queen uh-mon) has numerous nicknames, all highlighting the pastry's most iconic ingredient — butter, and lots of it.

But there's no yeast, baking soda, or baking powder in puff pastry, so what makes it ascend to these heights of puffy glory? The secret is steam and hundreds of paper-thin layers of dough. Puff pastry starts out as a lean dough of just water and flour.

Freezing Yeasted Puff

To freeze unbaked, shaped pastries, place them close together (but not touching) on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Wrap the baking sheet tightly and freeze until the pastries are solid.

kouign m (plural kouignoù) cake, bun, brioche.

Although the process of making the pastry is similar — layering “laminated dough” to maximize flaky deliciousness — the dough used to make a kouign amann is different. Eater notes that croissant dough contains milk and butter, but kouign amann dough does not.

Vinegar is occasionally incorporated into puff pastry dough to hinder gluten development, leading to a more delicate and flaky pastry. It also helps regulate the dough's pH, impacting its texture and rise. Typically, only a small quantity of vinegar is required in the dough recipe.

Here the strands become more settled in their new form and so the dough becomes easier to shape, roll and fold, and will not shrink in the oven. A little lemon juice can also aid gluten relaxation and help stop discolouration of pastry during handling.

Puff pastry, also known as pâte feuilletée, is a flaky light pastry made from a laminated dough composed of dough (détrempe) and butter or other solid fat (beurrage). The butter is put inside the dough (or vice versa), making a paton that is repeatedly folded and rolled out before baking.

Yes, but it may affect the quality. You can refreeze both cooked and uncooked puff pastry, but not more than once. Refrozen raw puff pastry may have less rise, crispness and colour.

Is yeast killed when frozen? ›

There is a chance that freezing the dough will kill about 30%-50% of the yeast in the dough. Therefore, it's recommended that you put in double the usual amount of yeast to make up for the yeast that will die. You also want to make sure you're using a strong, high protein flour like our Lighthouse Bread & Pizza Flour.

According to MaryJane, yeast dough will never rise as well post-freeze as it would if you baked it the day you made it. This is because some of the yeast will inevitably die in the cold of the freezer. (May the deceased yeast rest in peace.)

For some pastry chefs, butter is the obvious choice. “My preferred fat for pie crusts will always be butter. To me, it is all about flavor, and no other fat gives flavor to a crust like butter does. Other fats, even though they have great pros, lack flavor,” De Sa Martins said.

About a third of puff and shortcrust pastry is fat, and if it's made with butter or palm oil, it contains more saturated fat than if it's made with unsaturated fats such as sunflower spread. These are our most commonly used pastries, but it's worth trying to keep them for a treat. Not all pastry is high in fat.

Your Ultimate Guide to Get to Know Kouign Amann, The Fattest Pastry in The Whole World. Kouign amann, pronounced "kween ah-MAHN," is a Breton pastry known for its rich layers of butter, sugar, and dough. Originating in 19th-century Brittany, it has recently gained popularity in America.

Even better, switch your pastry from shortcrust or puff to filo. This is the lowest-fat pastry by far, with 2.9g fat per 100g. This compares with 26.2g for puff or 31.4g for shortcrust. Filo is the lowest-calorie option too, and it's easy to use.