Rhubarb and Custard Kouign-Amann

Ingredients

• Strong bread flour350g
• Instant yeast7g
• Fine salt8g
• Water (cold)210g
• Unsalted butter (for dough)25g
• Unsalted butter (for lamination, cold)220g
• Caster sugar (for lamination)160g
• Rhubarb stalks300g
• Caster sugar (for rhubarb)80g
• Whole milk200g
• Double cream50g
• Egg yolks3
• Caster sugar (for custard)50g
• Cornflour18g
• Vanilla bean1
• Unsalted butter (for custard)20g

Method

1. 1.Mix flour, yeast, salt, water, and 25g butter to a smooth dough. Knead 5 minutes, shape into a rectangle, wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
2. 2.Beat cold lamination butter into a 18×18cm square (beurrage). Refrigerate until firm but pliable.
3. 3.Encase the butter block in the dough. Give 3 single folds (tourage), resting 30 minutes in the fridge between each fold.
4. 4.Cut rhubarb into 3cm pieces. Toss with 80g sugar, spread on a tray, and roast at 190°C for 12 minutes until just tender. Drain and cool.
5. 5.Heat milk and cream with the split vanilla bean. Whisk yolks, 50g sugar, and cornflour together. Pour hot milk over, whisk, return to the pan.
6. 6.Cook custard over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick and boiling. Remove from heat, beat in 20g butter. Press film directly on the surface and chill.
7. 7.Roll dough to a 28×28cm square. Scatter 160g caster sugar evenly over the surface — press it in gently.
8. 8.Transfer dough to a buttered 24cm round cake tin, tucking the edges under to form a rough round. Rest 45 minutes at room temperature.
9. 9.Bake at 200°C for 28–32 minutes until deeply golden and caramelised at the edges. Immediately invert onto a rack — leave the tin over it for 1 minute to let the caramel drip down.
10. 10.Pipe or spoon chilled custard into the natural folds of the cooled kouign-amann. Arrange drained rhubarb pieces on top. Serve within 2 hours.