Kouign-amann
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 adding 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 for the region's best kouign-amann, giving the winner a big boost to 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 and 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/
The unconventional kouign-amann, Cyril Lignac, Paris
It's no secret that Cyril Lignac likes to revisit the classics with the help of his long-time pastry chef, Benoit Couvrand. Kouign-amann is no exception, and the duo have come up with a truly delicious recipe based on traditional bread dough. However, Cyril Lignac has taken a few liberties, as revealed in his book La Pâtisserie, such as using soft butter. While purists will certainly cry scandal, others will be seduced both by the taste of this kouign-amann and its "snail" appearance, ideal for extracting individual portions.
