Kouign-amann

Mathilde Bourge | 9/7/23

Emblematic of Breton gastronomy, kouign-amann is a gourmet bomb. Despite its simple composition, making it is not as easy as it looks. Let's take a look at some of the pastry chefs, from the most conventional to the freest in their interpretation.

Bread dough, sugar and lots of butter... The composition of kouign-amann is as simple as it is famous. This delicacy, which means "butter cake" in Breton, is nevertheless quite complex to make, and few bakers master its art to perfection.

The difficulty lies in achieving a crisp, caramelized texture on the outside, while retaining a soft center. This is made possible by layering puff pastry with just the right amount of sugar, as well as a great deal of patience between turning and sprouting the kouign-amann.

This butter cake, a must-have on any trip to Brittany, was invented by Yves-René Scordia in Douarnenez in 1865. When he ran out of cakes to offer his customers, he took leftover bread dough, folded it and baked it with butter. Since then, the different regions of Brittany have made the recipe their own, each adding their own little touch, such as the addition of eggs on the island of Groix, or milk in the Bigouden region.

Today, a number of Parisian artisans have also ventured into this field, taking more or less liberty with the original version. From the most conventional to the most original, here are five addresses where you can devour a plump kouign-amann.

Traditional kouign-amann: La Maison du Kouign Amann, Douarnenez

It's impossible to offer a selection of kouign-amann without mentioning its stronghold in Douarnenez, Finistère. It's here that Stéphane Le Moing runs La Maison du Kouign Amann, where he offers a creation that's generous in butter and sugar, but never sickening. Just the thing to recharge your batteries after a stroll along the superb "sentier des douaniers".

5 rue Jean Jaurès, 29100 Douarnenez Tel: 02 98 92 01 40

The crowned kouign-amann: Le Fournil de Saint-Congard, in Saint-Congard

Every year, Brittany organizes a competition to crown the region's best kouign-amann, giving the winner a big boost in sales. In 2022 and 2023, it was Le Fournil de Saint-Congard, in Morbihan, which took first prize, first thanks to its former owner Ludovic Tocquet, then Laurie Lefeuvre, a young employee of the store who wanted to know if the quality was still up to scratch since the change of ownership. Her little secret? The subtle addition of vanilla!

4 Route de Redon, 56140 Saint-Congard Tel: 02 97 40 15 73

Gourmet kouign-amann, Arnaud Lahrer, Paris

A honeycombed dough, hypnotic puff pastry cuts and a beautiful layer of sugar... Arnaud Lahrer has opted for gourmandise for his now-famous kouign-amann, a tribute to the region where he grew up. The Meilleur Ouvrier de France is very attached to Brittany, to which he has also dedicated a box of chocolates.

53 rue Caulaincourt, 75018 Paris
www.arnaudlarher.com

Gilles Marchal's individual kouign-amann

If a pastry chef isn't from Brittany and offers kouign-amann on his menu, there's bound to be a story behind it. Gilles Marchal is no exception, as his recipe comes from a former Breton sous-chef who taught him his secrets, before the pastry chef came up with his own version. The result is melt-in-the-mouth, crisp, light (as far as possible)... In short, truly addictive!

9 rue Ravignan, 75018 Paris
https://www.gillesmarchal.com/

Ebony treasure from The Peninsula Paris For Easter, Anne Coruble has created a trompe-l'oeil that's truer than life, with its curves of black garlic and subtle caramelized taste. Beneath a shell of 40% Madagascar milk chocolate, eight cloves enclose a candied black garlic ganache and hazelnut praline. A precious creation that opens without being broken, so hesitant is it to open. Price: 95 euros Pre-order from March 29 and on sale from April 12. The turtle candy box from Manufacture Ducasse Set a course for the Mediterranean with this turtle-shaped bonbonnière made entirely of chocolate, from base to lid. inside are "turtle nuggets" combining vanilla marshmallow and hazelnut praline, as well as coconut praline bells. Price: 67 euros À la mère de famille hens À la mère de famille carries on the tradition with its chocolate hens, available in several sizes and named after the owners and their families who have marked the history of the house (Hélène, Julia, Adélaïde, Jane and Claude). Two recipes: a dark chocolate with woody, earthy notes, and a milk chocolate with milk and caramel accents. inside, an assortment of butterflied praline eggs, praline fritures and dry fritures. Price: 19 to 122 euros depending on format available from March 17, 2025 The Cheval Blanc Paris Easter bell Maxime Frédéric imagines a bell in motion, in homage to Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. Its dark chocolate base conceals a tablet filled with vanilla caramel and crispy hazelnut praline. The milk chocolate belfries enclose a praline tablet, while the yoke houses chocolate-coated caramelized hazelnuts. The dark chocolate bell is transformed into a mendiant, studded with dried and candied fruit. Price: 135 euros Edwart Chocolatier Three mischievous animals are part of Edwart's Easter collection: Yara, the lively, inquisitive bird, Eloa, the dreamy frog, and Taïno, the mischievous, playful monkey. All made from Grands Crus cocoa, for a playful blend of indulgence and character. Credit: Edwart Spring takes flight at Waldorf Astoria Versailles - Trianon Palace Eddie Benghanem has created a poetic tribute to spring: a little bird perched on a tree trunk with delicate sugar flowers. inside, an alliance of dark chocolate, chocolate almond cake, dark ganache and crunchy praline. Price: 45 euros Capon Head for Chaponie, where jungle animals come to life in chocolate. Léonard the leopard in milk chocolate, Suzy the zebra in white chocolate, Zoé the bonobo in milk chocolate, Bob the bear in dark chocolate. All deliciously garnished with fried food. Price: 19 euros each Cédric Grolet's trompe-l'œil chocolates Almond, hazelnut, peanut and pecan: five dried fruits sublimated in trompe-l'œil. Beneath a crunchy chocolate shell, a praline made from the fruit in question, with a hint of fleur de sel. Available in S and M sizes. Size S: 30 euros Size M: 50 euros from March 26, pre-order on our website Claire Heitzler's Bibis Chef Claire Heitzler has created three chocolate bears, tenderly nicknamed Les Bibis. Milk, dark or white, each contains an assortment of three-chocolate and praline chips. Cyril Lignac Farm animals take center stage in this collection by Cyril Lignac: hens, pigs and sheep in crunchy chocolate, topped with praline eggs and mini chocolate bears. Available in dark, milk or dulcey versions. Available from March 27 Maison Boissier lace cats This year, Maison Boissier pays tribute to felines with a box of two cats in dark and milk chocolate, finely sculpted and filled with sweet treats. Price: 125 euros Cagnes Sheep, bunny and hen take shape in dark or milk chocolate. Under their shells, a heart of chocolate chips and crunchy marbles. starting at 20 euros Arnaud Larher MOF Arnaud Larher unveils a collection of four whimsical creatures, all topped with fritures. Kim the parrot in white chocolate and Ruby, René the elephant in caramel chocolate, Émilie the gorilla in intense dark chocolate, and Élio the lion in white chocolate and caramel. Prices: from 35 to 64 euros from March 20

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