Kouign-Amann
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 cup warm water (105115 F.)
- a 1/4-ounce package active dry yeast (about 2 1/2 teaspoons)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 sticks (1/8 cup) unsalted butter, softened slightly
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- Melt butter.
- In a bowl stir together water, yeast, and sugar and let stand 5 minutes, or until foamy.
- In another bowl stir together flours and salt.
- Stir yeast mixture and melted butter into flour mixture until a dough is formed.
- (Dough will be soft and slightly sticky.)
- On a floured surface knead dough 1 minute and transfer to a lightly floured bowl, turning dough to coat it.
- Let dough rise, covered tightly with plastic wrap, in a warm place 45 minutes.
- Line bottom of 2 buttered 9-inch round cake pans with wax or parchment paper and butter paper.
- In a bowl with an electric mixer beat butter with 3/4 cup sugar until just combined.
- On a large sheet of wax paper form butter mixture with a rubber spatula into a 4- by 2-inch rectangle.
- Chill rectangle, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm but still malleable, about 30 minutes.
- On a well-floured surface roll out dough into an 8-inch square.
- Lay butter-sugar rectangle diagonally in center of square and roll out corners of dough until they extend 6 inches beyond butter.
- (Dough will form an X around butter.)
- Fold dough over butter to enclose it completely.
- Put rolling pin on dough 1/2 inch from farthest edge and press gently back and forth once, but do not roll pin over edge.
- Repeat process on closest edge.
- (This seals dough, preventing air and butter from being expelled.)
- Roll out dough into a 16- by 6-inch rectangle, but do not roll pin over edges.
- Turn dough over and brush off any excess flour.
- Fold top third of rectangle over center and bottom third over top, forming a rectangle about 6 by 4 inches.
- (Dough should resemble a folded letter.)
- This completes 1 "turn".
- Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, 20 minutes.
- Arrange dough so that exposed flap of "letter" is on your right.
- Make 2 more "turns", chilling dough 1 hour between turns and arranging dough so that flap is on your right.
- Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, 1 hour.
- Cut dough in half and roll out each half into a 9-inch square.
- Trim edges to form a 9-inch round and put rounds in pans.
- Let dough rise, covered tightly with plastic wrap, in a warm place 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Sprinkle each round with 1 tablespoon sugar and bake rounds in middle of oven 35 minutes, or until tops are golden.
- Invert pastries onto racks and turn right side up to cool slightly.
- Serve pastries warm.
unsalted butter, warm water, yeast, sugar, flour, cake flour, salt, unsalted butter, sugar
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/kouign-amann-14245 (may not work)