Découvrez le plus célèbre gâteau au beurre de France ! (2024)

FAQs

What does kouign-amann mean in French? ›

whose name is also typically Breton, "kouign" meaning cake and "amann" meaning butter. In order to make the most of its soft interior and its crunchy exterior made crunchy by the caramelisation of the sugar, it is advisable to taste the warm kouign-amann with a good glass of chouchen or a few pieces of apple.

Its origin

We are not entirely sure of the origins of the kouign-amann, but we owe this famous pastry to the baker, Yves-René, in around 1860 in Douarnenez.

They are made from laminated dough, which you would use for croissants or puff pastry, but then towards the end, sugar is folded into the dough, which is the key difference between croissant dough and kouign-amann dough.

The name comes from the Breton language words for 'cake' (kouign) and 'butter' (amann), and in 2011 the New York Times described the kouign-amann as "the fattiest pastry in all of Europe."

The Kouign Amann.

The New York Times calls it “the fattiest pastry in all of Europe,” while others have dubbed it “Europe's most buttery pastry” and “the world's most difficult and best pastry.” There's no doubt she lives up to her name.

Some Bretons claim that this signature treat (which is pronounced “queen ah-MAHN”), made by artisans across the region, is the fattiest pastry in the world. Epicure & Culture calls the kouign-amann Brittany's equivalent to the Paris croissant.

Crème Brûlée: Le Petit Cler

If you haven't tried crème brûlée, this is a must in Paris! This classic French dessert consists of vanilla custard with a caramelized sugar crust. And you can find great crème brûlée at great restaurants all over the city. The version at Le Petit Cler café is delicious!

The term madeleine, used to describe a small cake, seems to appear for the first time in France in the middle of the 18th century. In 1758, a French retainer of an Irish Jacobite refugee in France, Lord Southwell, was said to prepare "cakes à la Madeleine and other small desserts".

Fondant French Fancies are small delicate sponge cakes with a buttercream topping and covered in different coloured fondant toppings, then finished with a chocolate drizzle to complete.

How do you say latte in France? ›

Un Café Crème: A café crème is somewhat equivalent to a cappuccino or latte. It's made up of equal parts espresso, steamed milk, and foam. Un Café Au Lait: Similar to 'un café crème' but usually has a lot more milk and is served in a bigger cup or even a bowl.

Kouign amann means “butter cake” in Breton, a Celtic language spoken in Brittany. That and the fact that it is so dense, sweet, salty and wonderfully buttery should make clear that it's no diet food.

Some Bretons claim that this signature treat (which is pronounced “queen ah-MAHN”), made by artisans across the region, is the fattiest pastry in the world. Epicure & Culture calls the kouign-amann Brittany's equivalent to the Paris croissant.

So where does puff pastry come from. Well it comes from France, where it is called pâte feuilletée. It was invented in 1645 by Claudius Gele, a pastry cook apprentice. He wanted to bake an improved bread for his father who was sick and was on a diet of flour, butter and water.