I cannot express to you how quickly you should stop whatever it is you’re doing and go and make these right now.
It’s very quickly. Like immediately. Because these are, dare I say, the best thing I’ve ever baked. And I’m including that Milo Cake. These flaky, buttery, sugar-crisped and raspberry puddled pastries are heavenly. They are little, teensy, cheat’s kouign amanns.
Never heard of a Kouign Amann? Let me Google that for you. Nah I’m just kidding, I’m not that much of a jerk. Let me explain! As you might have guessed, they are French in origin, from the Breton region. We love the Breton region! They gave us salted butter, salted butter caramel, and of course, the Kouign Amann.
And of course, being from the butter capital of France, these little babies are not short on it. In fact, the dough is a wayyy simplified croissant dough. Things are looking good already, right?
Unlike croissants, these little babies do not get rolled out on a floured surface. No, they get rolled out on a sugared surface. So, you take your already bound to be delicious, butter-laden pastry, and then you give it a solid coating of sugar on all sides. And you know what’s going to happen when that sugar hits (SUGAR HIT, geddit) the oven? CARAMELISATION.
Because I can’t stand to leave any ante un-upped, I crushed up a handful of dark red raspberries and scattered them across the already sugar-crusted dough.
Instead of trying to copy the elaborate folding of a traditional Kouign Amann, and because it’s easy and I’m lazy and Rachel Khoo said I could, I just rolled em up like a cinnamon buns, sliced the roll into twelve, and baked them in a muffin tin.
Hear me on this one; you’re going to want to use a non-stick muffin tin, or grease it like you’ve never greased before.
Caramelised sugar is not kidding around when it comes to sticking power.
But when they come out of the oven, after a maddening half hour of nutty, buttery, tantalising smells wafting throughout your house, and you flip them onto a cooling rack, and then you slice one in half and you see the layers?
It’s game over.
They’re the best thing ever. There’s no denying it. FEAST YOUR EYES, FRIENDS!
Remember that time I made an easy Kouign Amann recipe, with raspberries in it, all for you? It was amazing.
On another note, I entered a photo into this competition, and it would mean the world to me if you could sling me a vote! Just like and then unlike the page if you’re not into following them. The vote still counts! Go onnnnnn….be a pal…..aww, thanks! I knew you would.
xx Sarah.
- 1 + ⅔ cups (250g) plain flour
- 1 tsp dried yeast
- ¾ cup (175ml) warm water
- 2 sticks (200g) salted butter
- ½ cup (100g) caster sugar
- ½ cup (100g) frozen raspberries, crushed.
- In a medium mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer, with the dough hook attached) combine the flour, yeast and water.
- Mix the ingredients together until they form a dough, and then knead for about 10 minutes (5 in a mixer) until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a bowl, cover with plastic and leave in a warm place for an hour or until doubled in size.
- Slice the butter into ¼ in (1/2 cm) slices, and place on a plate in the freezer for the last half hour of the dough's resting time.
- Once the dough is risen, lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough into a 12 by 16in (30cm by 40cm) rectangle with the short side facing you.
- Lay the butter in the middle of the dough, leaving a quarter of the dough exposed at the top and bottom.
- Fold the top and bottom pieces of dough over the butter, so that they meet in the middle and the butter is covered.
- Then, fold the right and left hand edges of the dough into the middle, and then fold the whole thing in half, so that the seam is on the left. Press the dough firmly down to seal it, and then roll it back out to 12 by 16in (30cm by 40cm).
- Repeat the same folding process once more, and then wrap tightly in plastic, and place in the fridge for 2 hours.
- When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400F/200C.
- To shape kouign amanns for baking, dust your work surface with about ¼ of the sugar, then take the dough out of the fridge and dust the top with another ¼ of the sugar.
- Roll the dough out into a 12 by 16in (30cm by 40cm) rectangle (using more sugar if necessary) and then spread any remaining sugar over the surface before scattering on the raspberries.
- Roll the dough up tightly like a swiss roll, slice into 12 rounds, and place into a non-stick or very well greased muffin tin.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until well risen and a deep golden brown. Leave to cool for a minute in the tin, before carefull turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Adapted from Rachel Khoo’s recipe for Kouignettes in My Little French Kitchen.
These are GORGEOUS! I’ve always wanted to try making Kouign Amanns!
They are so delicious! I am drooling!
I want to taste the most delicious dessert ever! I must make these on a lazy Saturday! Off to vote for ya :)
these are beautiful and speaking right to my buttery-dough-caramlized-sugar-raspberry-lovin’ soul. Swoon!
PS, I totes voted for ya!
It’s hard to imagine anything being as amazing as your milo cake so I can hardly wait to try these! They look gorgeous!
I’m taking breakfast for Sunday school in a few weeks and this looks so good. Although, I’ve already got frozen blackberries so I’m gonna use those, I think.
I have never even heard of Kouign Amann, but that’s not enough to stop me from tearing through a batch or two! These sound so delicious–I love the idea of the caramelized sugar crust.
I’m about to eat a million of these when I go to France this year!
What a great idea using muffin cups to bake these!
Oh my! I had one of these from a bakery the other day and it was the best pastry i’ve ever had. I’m definitely going to try these. Thanks!
You have major talent like none other for making Kouign Amann.
Holy freaking heck.
I love that custardy looking center! I want to dive right in
Yep, they look amazing! So flakey and carmely!
These are amazing! They look stunning. I love your photos/graphics. so good.
Pinning!
Oh goodness. I just did something totally obscene to my computer screen as I was scrolling through these pictures. Please send kouign amann stat before my whole computer is slobbery. You have outdone yourself this time.
these look insanely delicious. I will be baking them for brekky this weekend – I don’t care how hot it is!
I love love LOVE traditional kouign and these look EVEN MORE AMAZING – You’re right. I really need to stop what I am doing immediately and make these (although that may or may not result in me being fired for leaving my job inexplicably in the middle of the day) – Worth it? Probably…
Hmm… as a certified francophile, I’m surprised I’ve never heard of this treat before. Looks divine!
Um yeah. I saw these on pintrest and was like “whaaaaaaaaaaat!” and “I neeeeeeed them”. So yeah Express delivery please :)
oh wow. they look delicious x
Oh My, thank you for sharing this recipe, I made them yesterday, they are totally delicious and I felt like a real fancy baker ! x
That’s awesome! I would love to see a pic!
Hahaha, sorry, unfortunately they all got eaten before i could get my camera any where near them! But i’ll defo be making them again! x
This. Just. This. I want it in my mouth. now. I will be making them this weekend. Thanks for sharing!
http://howtomakehome.blogspot.com
Made these today – blooming marvelous! I should have doubled the quantity because they didn’t last the afternoon! Will definitely be making them again! Thanks so much!