Haven't Tried Kouign Amann? Today's the Day

We've ranted about national food holidays before, but it's hard to be bitter about today's celebration: National Kouign Amann Day. It's just a baby—only one year old—and last year 10% of the proceeds went to charity.

How to Make Kouign Amann

Read Article

That's because National Kouign Amann Day wasn't invented by the marketing branch of a huge corporation: Rather, it's the doing of b. patisserie in San Francisco, which, according to SF Gate, is directly responsible for the pastry's popularity in the U.S. (though it's also partly attributed to The Great British Bake Off).

Last year, b. patisserie sold speculoos, pistachio, and maple-bacon kouigns amann...

...and here's what they'll be selling today (if you can't read that small writing, here's what you need to know: black sesame kouign amann sundae with red bean ice cream and mochi on top):

If you can't make it to b. patisserie by closing time, Trader Joe's sells a frozen version ($3.99 for 4) that's been available since at least 2014, and "pleasantly surprised" Serious Eats' Jamie Feldmar.

You could also play this video from Joanne Chang of Boston's Flour Bakery and Café (also participating in National Kouign Amann Day) on repeat:

Or, try your hand at making your own kouigns amann. In my hot kitchen, that'd be a day-long battle against melting butter, so I'd try a shortcut version made with storebought puff pastry instead (and save the more time-intensive process for later in the year):

Have you tried making kouigns amann? Was it a disaster? A success? Somewhere in between? Share your experiences in the comments!