Muffin Tin Kouign-Amann

Individual kouign-amann baked in a standard muffin tin — each one a burnished, caramelized puck of laminated yeasted dough with shatteringly crisp sugar edges and a soft, pull-apart interior. The dough is cut into squares, folded directly inside the muffin cups, and left to proof fold-side up, giving every piece its own caramel-crusted sides, distinct caramelized folds, and a dramatic puff — no special ring molds required.

Ingredients

• warm water (about 95°F / 35°C) – ¾ cup
• active dry yeast – 2¼ tsp (1 packet)
• granulated sugar – 1 tsp
• all-purpose flour – 2 cups
• kosher salt – ¾ tsp

• unsalted butter, cold (European-style preferred) – 10 tbsp

• granulated sugar – ½ cup + 2 tbsp
• flaky sea salt – ½ tsp
• unsalted butter, softened (for greasing tin) – 1½ tbsp
• granulated sugar (for dusting tin) – 2 tbsp

Instructions

1. Combine warm water, yeast, and 1 tsp sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir briefly and let sit 5–8 minutes until foamy — this confirms the yeast is alive. Add the flour and salt, then mix with the dough hook on medium-low for 4–5 minutes until a smooth, slightly tacky dough forms. It should clear the sides of the bowl but feel soft. Shape into a ball, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
2. While the dough chills, prepare the butter block. Place the cold butter between two sheets of parchment and beat it with a rolling pin into a rough square, then roll it out to a 5×5 inch / 13×13 cm square. The butter should bend without cracking — if it snaps, let it sit at room temperature for 3–4 minutes. Rewrap and refrigerate until the butter and dough are at the same temperature (both around 55–60°F / 13–16°C), firm but pliable.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a 9×9 inch / 23×23 cm square. Place the butter block in the center at a 45° angle (like a diamond), fold all four dough corners up and over the butter like an envelope, and pinch the seams firmly shut. No butter should be exposed. Lightly flour the surface and roll the package out to a rectangle approximately 7×14 inches / 18×35 cm — work steadily but don't rush, and keep edges as square as possible.
4. Perform a single (letter) fold: fold the bottom third of the dough up, then the top third down over it — like folding a letter. This is Turn 1 (3 layers). Rotate the dough 90° so the open seam faces right. Roll out again to 7×14 inches / 18×35 cm and repeat the letter fold — this is Turn 2 (9 layers). Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate 25–30 minutes. Remove, rotate 90°, roll again to 7×14 inches, fold once more — Turn 3 (27 layers). Refrigerate 20–30 minutes more.
5. Mix the ½ cup + 2 tbsp sugar with the flaky salt. Generously butter all 12 cups of a standard muffin tin, making sure to coat the sides well. Dust each cup with a little of the sugared salt mixture — about ½ tsp per cup — tapping out any excess (it will caramelize on the bottom). Set the remaining sugar aside.
6. Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it out on a lightly floured surface to a 12×9 inch / 30×23 cm rectangle, about ¼ inch / 6mm thick. Scatter the remaining sugar-salt mixture evenly across the entire surface. Using a rolling pin, gently press the sugar into the dough so it adheres. Using a bench scraper or sharp knife, cut the dough into 12 equal squares, each approximately 3×3 inches / 7.5×7.5 cm.
7. Take one dough square and lay it flat into a prepared muffin cup, pressing it gently into the base so it sits centered. Fold all four corners into the center of the square, pressing lightly where they meet so the tips adhere — use your fingertips to tuck them in within the cup. Repeat with the remaining squares. The sugar will already be seeping and that's exactly right. Loosely cover the tin with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let the pieces proof at room temperature (70–75°F / 21–24°C) until puffed and noticeably jiggly when the pan is tapped, 45–70 minutes. They won't double in size — look for puffiness and a soft, airy feel.
8. Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C (convection: 375°F / 190°C). Bake for 20–24 minutes until deeply golden brown on top — the caramel at the edges should be bubbling and amber. Don't pull them early; pale kouign-amann is sad kouign-amann. Let cool in the tin for exactly 5 minutes (no longer or the caramel will weld them in place), then invert the entire tin onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Any caramel left in the tin can be spooned back over the tops. Eat warm.