Kouign-amann
This cake was invented in Douarnenez around 1865 and will melt the heart of every gourmand. The ingredients are simple, but making it requires skill: they say anyone can try but few really get it right. It is made from a bread mixture with added sugar and salted farm butter, repeatedly folded in much the same way as puff pastry. The quality of the salted butter and the resting time of the mixture are key factors in making a successful Kouign-amann. When baked, the butter and sugar mixture melts and gives the whole cake a melting texture on the inside and a caramelised glaze on the outside. It’s very hard to resist! It’s a national institution that you can try anywhere in Brittany, but the best place to taste this speciality is in Cornouaille, where there’s a group of bakers and pastry cooks known as the Association du ‘Véritable kouign-amann de Douarnenez’ (Association for the true Douarnenez Kouign-amann).
