California Fig Sugar Kouign Amann

Directions

For the Poolish and Laminating Butter

1. Mix the flour and water together with a pinch of yeast. Let sit covered for 12 hours.

2. Soften butter in microwave, until pliable (30 seconds).

3. Roll between two parchment papers into a rectangle 9-by-11-inches. Reserve somewhere cool. The texture before laminating is very important.

For the Dough

1. In a mixing bowl combine milk and yeast, whisk together to hydrate. Whisk in poolish. Put those at the bottom of the mixing machine.

2. Add the bread flour, 60 grams of sugar, salt, and malt powder.

3. Add in the melted butter on top of the flour. Use a dough hook to mix everything on speed 1 for 3 minutes. The dough will look choppy, let that bench rest for 20 minutes.

4. Prep your cooling sheet pan. Wipe the inside of pan getting rid of any residue. Spray the sheet pan and dust with flour.

5. Roll your dough into the same size as the sheet pan. Carefully transfer the dough onto the sheet pan, pushing the edges from the center to fully cover the entire sheet pan. Cover the dough on the sheet pan. Store in lowboy for 30 minutes.

6. To laminate flip the dough out, and cut the rectangle in half, you are aiming to make each the size of the block of butter (9-by-11-inches).

7. On one half of the dough, carefully pour the 300 grams of sugar. Spread sugar over the dough, leaving a ¼-inch edge around all sides.

8. Add the butter block on top of the sugar and dough. Press the butter gently into the bottom dough. Place the other half of the dough on top and crimp the edges all around the rectangle.

9. Use a rolling pin to start rolling the dough from 9-by-11-inches to 9-by-26-inches.

10. Cut ¼-inch of both ends off, then fold the dough into thirds. Single fold: folding the left portion into the middle and folding the remaining right fold over both the left and middle parts.

11. Let dough rest in cooler for 20 minutes.

12. With the flap facing upwards, roll dough until 9-by-26-inches, and now do a double fold. Take the left fold and meet the right fold, kissing the edges together, making sure both sides are equal parts. Then fold in both sides, stack the left side on top of the right side.

13. Let dough, sit in fridge for 20 minutes before shaping.

14. Once dough has rested, roll until it’s 30-inches long.

15. To shape, cut all the edges off the laminated dough, using a pizza cutter. Cut the long rectangle in half and cut into 4 ½ inch squares.

16. Fold the squares in all the corners to the center of the square.

17. Spray a large muffin pan with non-stick spray. Proof the squares fold-side up for 30 to 45 minutes, until double in size. Proof in oven turned off with the lights on, add a pan of hot water at the bottom to help if in a cold kitchen. Once you can see the layers separating, they should be ready.

18. Take out proofing pastries and begin preheating oven to 375°F.

19. Bake for 20 minutes, until dark golden brown

For the California Fig Sugar

1. Mix together the sugar and California Fig Powder together in mixing bowl.

2. Unmold the Kouign Amanns into the California Fig Sugar and roll until it covers the pastry. Allow to cool before eating.

Developer Note