There's something so beautiful about freshly risen dough, the science and care it takes to coax a few ingredients into fluffy slices and pillowy buns.
I was paleo once. It was wonderful too. I lost thirty pounds, took up new activities like biking & daily working out, felt great mind, body & soul. And it really reset my life in my mid-twenties--I now pay attention to what I put in my body and stay healthy as much as possible.
But then there's bread.
Bread is the reason I'm no longer paleo and the reason I've broken every attempted diet since. And I don't feel bad about that anymore.
Years ago on a food tour for my mom's birthday, our tour guide asked everyone if they could eat only one food on a deserted island, what would it be? My husband said chicken wings (wha). I said bread (once you think about it though, I was cheating brilliantly--I thought!--because bread encompasses anything from pita to loaf to cinnamon rolls).
I've given up gluten more times than I can count (to be healthy, to lose weight) but now no more! When I found out I had to stop eating dairy and soy for the sake of my precious baby, I fully embraced my love of bread because, frankly, there's only so much a gal can volunteer to do without.
And I've come to realize that age-old saying: everything in moderation. I have greens at every meal, work out every day, make everything from scratch with the best ingredients. So what if I indulge in a scone? Or three? I gotta live!
That brings me to this newest, more beloved recipe: Coconut Oil Kouign Amann. (The reason I stress coconut oil and not just say 'dairy-free' is that a lot of dairy-free recipes use dairy-free butter which I, personally, cannot stand. Just don't like the stuff.)
Kouign amann (pronounced queen ah-mahn) has been my favorite pastry since my husband found an article in the local monthly magazine raving about a bakery/coffee shop that's near where my parents now live. The line was out the door when we showed up (it always is, for good reason) and inside was my idea of heaven. A fully open bakery in one room, where you can see the trays full of proofing croissants and bagels, and a counter lined with goods and a (soon-to-be-empty thanks to me) sample plate with about a dozen of their bread choices. This is where my discovery of kouign amann came to be and, truly, if you haven't had this pastry, please make it a priority. It's prepared very similarly to a croissant, with layers of butter, but with the addition of sugar so it gets a caramely soft inside and a crunchy outside.
I knew I was going to miss these when I went dairy-free so I've been working on this recipe and am very pleased with the end result. Yes, I know, there's no one-of-a-kind taste of butter that makes all such pastries to die for, but the coconut oil makes it crispier in the best way and the dough is still light and sweet. Give the recipe a try and you'll see what I mean!
Makes 12
1 packet instant-rise yeast
1/2c warm water
1-3/4c flour
1tsp salt
3/4c coconut oil, cold & cubed
1/4c ice water
1c sugar
Dissolve together warm water and yeast for 5min. Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse together flour and salt. Add in the oil an pulse only a few times until chunky breadcrumb consistency. Stir the cold water into the yeast mixture and add into the food processor. Pulse 4 times to just bring the dough together.
Flour a work area and dump out the dough onto it. Form into a ball then flatten into a rectangle. Use as much flour as you need to keep from sticking but remember to brush it off before each roll or fold. Use a rolling pin to flatten the rectangle to 12x16". Fold the long side up into the center, then fold the top over, to make a long skinny letter (see pics below). Roll up the dough from the short end into a large swirl. Flatten the roll slightly and wrap loosely
with plastic wrap. Set at room temperature for 30min. Flatten the dough again and refrigerate 1hr.
Grease a muffin tin generously. Clean your work area of flour and put down about half the sugar. Place the dough atop the sugar and sprinkle it with the other half of sugar. Roll out into a 20x14" rectangle, sprinkling with sugar as you need to keep from sticking. Trim the sides slightly to make even. Cut dough into squares, 3 columns and 4 rows.
Place the squares into the muffin tin, pressing in the center so the corners come together slightly like petals. Bake 40min, until deep golden brown. Take out of tin immediately and cool on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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