Name: Kouign-Amann
Prep time: 3 h 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 240 min
Yield: 12 Kouign-Amann
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 1 cup warm water; 1 teaspoon dry active yeast; 1 tablespoon sugar; 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter; 2 1/2 cups bread flour, plus more as needed; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 2/3 cup white sugar, for seasoned sugar; 2 teaspoons sea salt or kosher salt (use less if using fine table salt); 8 ounces (2 sticks) ice-cold unsalted butter, for the pastry; 1 tablespoon melted butter, for the muffin pan

Method

16 steps

Combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast in a bowl. Let stand for about 10 minutes to proof.
Stir in the melted butter, most of the bread flour, and the kosher salt until a very wet, sticky dough forms. Add the remaining flour as needed.
Turn the dough onto the remaining flour and knead until soft, elastic, and slightly sticky. Transfer to a lightly buttered bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for about 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled.
Mix the white sugar with the sea salt or kosher salt to make seasoned sugar. Taste and adjust the salt to your preference.
Brush a muffin pan generously with the melted butter. Spoon seasoned sugar into the cups, turn to coat, and shake out the excess; reserve the sugar.
Deflate the risen dough and transfer it to a floured surface. Press and roll it into a rectangle about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.
Grate one stick (4 ounces) of very cold butter over the dough, leaving about a 1-inch border. Press the butter gently into the dough with floured fingers, fold the dough into thirds like a letter, and square it up.
Wrap the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Roll the chilled dough back into a rectangle. Grate the second stick of very cold butter over it, press it in, and fold the dough into thirds.
Roll the dough out and fold it into thirds two more times, without adding more butter. Transfer to a sheet pan, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Sprinkle the work surface and dough generously with seasoned sugar. Roll the dough, adding more sugar to both sides as needed, into a rectangle about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.
Trim the edges and cut the dough into 12 squares in a 3-by-4 grid.
Transfer the squares to the prepared muffin pan. Fold the four corners of each square into the center to form a crown, then sprinkle with more seasoned sugar.
Let the pastries proof in the pan for 10 minutes.
Bake on the center rack of a preheated 375°F (190°C) oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until browned and puffed.
While hot, carefully transfer the pastries from the pan to a rack so the caramelized sugar does not set and stick. Cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.