BlackBarn’s Kouign Amann

Here at BLACKBARN, we’re celebrating black truffles this month with a specially curated menu created by our very own Chef John Doherty and Chef Matteo Bergamini. Like this months Chef’s Table where we’re serving our Seared Diver Scallops with celery root ribbons, black truffle, and sunchokes emulsion.

You may wonder → when are they in season? Black truffle season generally goes from mid-November to early March. Right now they’re early in the peak season, which means they are fragrant, tasteful and in high demand. As the Summers in Europe become hotter and hotter, black truffles become more scarce while more people are eating them than ever before.

But what are black truffles → black truffle goes by many names including Tuber melanosporum, Périgord truffle, or more common the French black truffle. These fragrant little beauties are the most precious and expensive of all the black truffles in the world. Hence, they are referred to as the “black diamond” of the kitchen.

While white truffles are in season from early November through late fall — those generally come from Alba, Italy. And it’s a very different product. It must be shaved raw and they are very fragrant, mild in flavor, and if they’re cooked or frozen or even preserved — their pungent aroma is destroyed. Black truffles on the other hand, can be preserved well through flash freezing, jarred or canned for later use. However, much of their flavor is lost in the juice which is often used for other products.

Black winter truffles are not to be confused with black summer truffles. By comparison, the summer truffle has a very delicate flavor and aroma profiles. These beauties, John Doherty suggests, are best shaved raw over risotto or salads. As cooking will diminish the little flavor that they have. Périgord winter truffles are best when cooked because the heating process releases the coveted truffle flavor.

Where it derived from…

Kouign Amann is a pastry that first originated in the 1800s in Brittany, France. The pastry derives its name from the Breton words for cake “kouign” and butter “amann.” It is a cross between a croissant and a palmier, with layer after layer of buttery, flaky pastry on the inside, yet caramelized with ever-so-slightly-burnt sugar on the outside.

Photo by A Albanese Photography

We prefer our Kouign Amann to be on the lighter side; somewhere between the airiness of a croissant and the denseness of bread. We went behind-the-scenes, with Chef Anwuli Obidi, to discover her secret to making the perfect Kouign Amann.

Photo by Negine Jasmine

I start out with making the dough which consists of flour, yeast, salt, sugar, and water. I knead the dough until it’s soft and pliable. Then I form it into a rectangle and let it rest and proof in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight.

Once the dough has rested, I roll it out and top it with butter. This ensures that it’s twice as long, but the width is just about ½ an inch wider. I enclose the butter in the dough, then roll it out to make my first turn.

I put the dough back in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill so it’s easier to work with. It’s critical to keep your butter cold but pliable. It needs to be the same consistency as your dough from start to finish.

Next I roll the dough for the second time and sprinkle it with sugar just before I fold it. Then, I roll it out again for the final time and cut the dough into squares. I butter the molds, then coat them in sugar. Right before baking, I’ll sprinkle a little extra sugar the tops of each Kouign Amann to achieve the caramelized crispiness on the outside. I proof the pastries and bake them to perfection.

As soon as they come out the oven, I remove the Kouign Amann from the container and place on a cooling rack to avoid the caramelized sugar from sticking.

Join us for our famous Kouign Amann — Served during Brunch.

Saturday 11:30am – 3pm / Sunday 11:30am – 4pm