Best 6 Kougan Recipes

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Kougan, also known as Chinese donut or twisted cruller, is a traditional Chinese fried dough pastry. It is a well-loved breakfast item and a popular street food across China. With its sweet and savory flavor, crispy exterior, and soft, chewy interior, Kougan has won the hearts of many. Whether you prefer it as a simple snack or as part of a larger meal, there are countless variations of Kougan recipes to suit every taste and occasion. In this article, we'll guide you through the process of making Kougan, providing tips and tricks to help you create the perfect batch of this classic treat, no matter your skill level or dietary preferences.

Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!

KOUIGN-AMANN



Kouign-Amann image

Pronounced 'queen-a-mahn,' kouign-amann wouldn't be one of the world's greatest pastries if it also weren't a legendary labor of love. The irresistible combination of sweet, salty, sticky, buttery, crispy, flaky, and tender is something you must experience to believe. Made with bread flour, the dough is a little different from croissants or puff pastry. Salt is also key here; the authentic ones are about as savory as they are sweet.

Provided by Chef John

Categories     Bread     Yeast Bread Recipes

Time 4h35m

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 ½ cups bread flour
1 tablespoon melted butter, or more as needed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
⅔ cup white sugar
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 sticks ice-cold unsalted butter, divided

Steps:

  • Combine water, sugar, and yeast in a bowl. Let rest until foamy, about 5 minutes.
  • Add melted butter, 2 cups flour, and salt to the yeast mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon to form a very sticky dough. Dust your work surface with remaining 1/2 cup flour.
  • Turn dough out onto the floured counter. Knead, folding in the excess flour as needed, until dough is soft, slightly sticky, and elastic. Place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 1/2 hours.
  • Combine sugar and most of the sea salt together in a bowl. Mix, taste, and add more salt as needed.
  • Butter a 12-cup muffin tin. Spoon some of the seasoned sugar into the cups and shake to coat. Turn tin over and return excess sugar to the bowl.
  • Transfer dough onto a floured surface and press into a rough rectangle. Roll dough into a rectangle about 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick. Grate cold butter onto the dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Flatten butter using lightly floured hands. Fold rectangle widthwise into thirds. Press gently to square out the edges. Place dough onto a silicone-lined baking sheet. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Roll dough into a large rectangle again, pulling and stretching the corners as needed. Grate the second stick of butter over the surface. Pat down with floured fingers and fold into thirds. Roll back out into a rectangle and fold into thirds. Repeat rolling and folding one more time. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  • Sprinkle a generous amount of the seasoned sugar onto your work surface. Place dough onto the sugar and sprinkle more sugar on top. Roll into a large rectangle about 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick, turning and topping with sugar between rolls.
  • Use a pizza cutter to trim away uneven edges. Cut dough into 12 even pieces. Sprinkle more sugar on top. Lightly pinch each pastry into a crown shape by bringing all four corners to the center; place into the muffin cups. Sprinkle more sugar on top. Let rest for 10 minutes.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until browned and puffed, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer onto a cooling rack while still hot. Let cool for 15 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 290.7 calories, Carbohydrate 30.4 g, Cholesterol 45.7 mg, Fat 17.7 g, Fiber 0.7 g, Protein 3.3 g, SaturatedFat 11 g, Sodium 470.3 mg, Sugar 12.2 g

KOUIGN-AMANN



Kouign-Amann image

This recipe -- a tradtional cake from the Brittany region of France -- is brought to us by renowned pastry chef Florian Bellanger, of New York City's Fauchon.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Dessert & Treats Recipes     Cake Recipes

Yield Makes 15

Number Of Ingredients 6

1 3/4 cups room temperature mineral water
1 1/2 teaspoons fleur de sel (sea salt)
1 pound (4 sticks) plus 2 tablespoons high-fat unsalted butter, chilled, plus more melted butter for tart rings
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon firmly packed fresh yeast
3 cups sugar, plus more for rolling

Steps:

  • In a small bowl, combine mineral water and salt. Let stand until salt has dissolved. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine flour and the melted butter on low speed. Add water-and-salt mixture, and continue to mix until well combined, about 2 minutes. Add yeast, and mix for 1 minute more.
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Punch the dough down, wrap in plastic, and place on a baking sheet. Chill for 2 hours in the refrigerator.
  • Meanwhile, on a Silpat (a French nonstick baking mat) or parchment paper, roll the remaining 1 pound butter into a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle. Wrap in parchment paper, and return to refrigerator until chilled, about 30 minutes. Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to an 18-inch square. Center the chilled butter rectangle on the dough so that each side of the butter faces a corner of the dough. Fold the corners of the dough over the butter to enclose. Seal the edges by pinching them together. Roll the dough into a 24-by-8-inch rectangle. Fold the dough into thirds, aligning the edges carefully and brushing off any excess flour. (The object is to ensure that the butter is distributed evenly throughout so that the pastry will puff evenly when baked.) Wrap the dough in plastic, and chill for 20 minutes; this completes one turn.
  • Repeat process once, then repeat process twice, dusting the work surface and the dough with sugar, and using 1 1/2 cups for each turn. You will now have completed four turns.
  • Using a pastry brush, brush 15 ring molds (3 1/2 by 3/4 inches) with melted butter. Transfer to prepared baking sheets, and set aside. Remove dough from refrigerator. On a lightly sugared surface, roll the dough into a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle. Cut into 15 squares (4 1/4 inches). Fold up the corners of one square toward the center; repeat process. Lightly press to adhere. Turn square over, and gently coat with sugar. Invert, and place in a prepared ring mold. Repeat with remaining squares.
  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Let rise in a warm place until puffed, 30 to 40 minutes. Bake until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Immediately remove ring molds, and place on a wire rack until completely cooled.

KOUIGN-AMANN FRENCH PASTRY RECIPE



Kouign-Amann French Pastry Recipe image

You don't have to be a French pâtissier to master the art of kouign-amann.

Provided by Tasting Table Staff

Categories     Dessert

Time 40m

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 cup milk, heated to 115 F
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, chilled, plus more for greasing
1 cup sugar, divided

Steps:

  • Make the dough: In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine the milk and yeast, and let sit until foamy, 8 to 10 minutes. With the motor running, add the sugar and salt, followed by the flour. Run the mixer until a dough comes together, 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Transfer to a lightly floured bowl, and cover. Let sit in a warm place until it has doubled in size, 1 hour.
  • Meanwhile, make the butter insert: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Sprinkle the sugar, flour and salt onto a clean work surface and toss the butter in it.
  • Using a rolling pin, beat the butter until pliable, flipping as needed.
  • Roll the butter into a 9-by-12-inch rectangle and transfer it to the prepared baking sheet. Chill for 45 minutes.
  • Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Roll into an 18-by-14-inch rectangle that's ¼ inch thick.
  • Place the chilled butter insert on one half of the dough, then fold the dough over to enclose it, pressing the edges to seal.
  • Assemble the pastries: Grease a muffin tin with butter and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sugar, then place the tin on a baking sheet.
  • Working quickly, sprinkle a clean work surface with a heavy pinch of sugar.
  • Place the dough on top and sprinkle with another heavy pinch of sugar.
  • With one of the short ends of the dough facing you, fold the dough like a letter, bringing the bottom third of the dough up over the middle, then the top third of the dough on top of that. Roll the dough into a 12-by-16-inch rectangle, using sugar as you would typically use flour to prevent sticking. Repeat this process 3 more times for a total of 4 folds.
  • After the dough is rolled out for a final time, cut the rectangle into twelve 4-inch squares. With each square, bring all the corners into the center and fit into one of the molds of the muffin tin. Repeat with the remaining squares of dough. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining sugar.
  • Cover in plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place until the dough has expanded to fill each mold, 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 375 F.
  • Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
  • Immediately remove each kouign-amann from the tin and transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly, then serve.

KOUGAN



KOUGAN image

Categories     Bread     Nut     Breakfast     Bake     Christmas

Yield 2 large loafs

Number Of Ingredients 12

5 1/2 to 6 1/2 cups unsifted flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 packaged dry active yeast
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups very hot tap water
2 eggs room temprature
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 to 1/2 cup honey
1/4 stick butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon optional
1/3 cup packed brown sugar

Steps:

  • In a large mixing bowl thoroughly mix 2 cips flour, sugar, salt, undesolved yeast, and btter. Blend togeather in mixer, slowly add very hot tap water. Mix 2 miniutes on meduim scraping side of the bowl occasionaly. Add eggs and 1 cup of flour, beat in high 2 miniutes. Stir in enough flour to make a soft dough, turn onto floured board, keed till smooth and elastic about 8 to 10 miniutes. Place in buttered bowl, cover with waxed paper and a towl. Let rest in a warm place till dough doubles, about 20 miniuted. Combine brown sugar and nuts (cinnamon if desired). Punch down dough, divide in half, roll each half on a floured surface, into 16 x 8 rectangle. Bruck with metled butter, drizzle with honey, pread 1/2 sugar nut mix, roll up, plabe on greased baking sheet. Repeat with other half. Cover and allow to rise, Bake 375 oven for 20 to 25 minutes untill golden brown.

KUGA -- GERMAN BREAKFAST BREAD



Kuga -- German Breakfast Bread image

A Russian-German treat courtesy of Mary Eisner. An alternative to using fruit is to sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Baking time approximate.

Provided by Molly53

Categories     Yeast Breads

Time 3h20m

Yield 36 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 16

2 (1/4 ounce) packages yeast
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus
1 tablespoon granulated sugar, for yeast mixture
1 cup water, about 110F
1 cup milk, warmed
1/2 cup butter or 1/2 cup margarine, melted
1 teaspoon salt
6 1/2 cups flour
3 eggs, beaten
fruit (of your choice-sliced apples, apricots, peaches, berries, or seedless grapes are all good)
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 cup sour cream, thickened with a little flour (a tablespoon or two should do it)
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour

Steps:

  • Dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in lukewarm water.
  • In a separate bowl, combine milk with sugar, butter and salt; let cool to lukewarm and add 2 cups of flour to make a batter.
  • Add yeast mixture and eggs; beat well.
  • Add remaining flour or enough to make a soft dough.
  • Knead well, cover and let rise till doubled in bulk, about 2 hours (depending upon the temperature in the kitchen).
  • Punch down and let rise again until doubled in volume.
  • This will make 3 portions for 9" x 12" pans or 6 portions for 9" round pans.
  • Divide into desired portions, roll out evenly and spread into greased pans.
  • Mix topping ingredients together and spread 1/3 on each cake; place fruit on top.
  • Mix rivels ingredients together.
  • Sprinkle 1/3 of the crumbs on each cake.
  • Let it rise again in the pan.
  • While rising, preheat oven to 375°F
  • Bake until golden brown; serve either warm or cool.

CHERRY KUCHEN



Cherry Kuchen image

This is my grandmother's recipe, and it was one of my favorite breakfast treats when I was growing up. Okay, so it still is! It's so easy, sweet, and delicious!

Provided by Kree6528

Categories     Breads

Time 50m

Yield 1 9x13inch pan

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 cup margarine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 can cherry pie filling

Steps:

  • Mix the first six ingredients together to make a batter.
  • Pour most of the batter into the bottom of a greased 9x13-inch pan.
  • Pour can of pie filling on top.
  • Glop the rest of the batter on top of the filling.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 4151.8, Fat 194.4, SaturatedFat 35.2, Cholesterol 423, Sodium 2743, Carbohydrate 561.8, Fiber 10.3, Sugar 201.8, Protein 42.6

Tips:

  • For the best kougan, use fresh, high-quality ingredients.
  • Make sure the water is boiling before adding the flour.
  • Stir the flour and water mixture constantly to prevent lumps.
  • Cook the kougan over medium heat to prevent burning.
  • Flip the kougan frequently to ensure even cooking.
  • Serve the kougan hot with your favorite toppings.
  • To make a vegan version of kougan, use plant-based milk and butter.
  • For a gluten-free version of kougan, use gluten-free flour.

Conclusion:

Kougan is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It is a great way to use up leftover rice and vegetables, and it is also a good source of protein and fiber. With its simple ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions, kougan is a great recipe for cooks of all levels. Whether you are a fan of traditional Chinese cuisine or you are simply looking for a new and exciting dish to try, kougan is sure to please. So next time you are looking for a quick and easy meal, give kougan a try. You won't be disappointed!

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