Kouign-amann

Combine water, some of the sugar and the yeast; wait five minutes.

Add the flour, remaining sugar, salt and butter and mix with the fingertips until it comes together.

Knead on the counter, gathering and pressing with the palm and stretching; after 3 or 4 minutes it gets smoother. Form a ball and tap it against the counter until very smooth and supple, about 10 minutes in all.

Shape into a tight ball and let rise about an hour, until tripled.

Form a perfectly even slab of butter in a freezer bag or between two sheets of parchment and chill.

Deflate the dough completely, fold over all sides, flip and form a tight rectangle. Wrap and freeze 30 minutes, then unwrap, flip, wrap and freeze another 30 minutes.

Flour the counter and dough, roll out to twice the size of the butter slab, place the butter over half, fold the other half over and seal both sides.

Tap and roll out into a large rectangle and fold in four for a double turn. Wrap and refrigerate overnight, or an hour.

Flour both sides, roll into a large rectangle, sprinkle sugar on both sides and fold in thirds for a single turn. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Butter a silicone mat or parchment generously and top with sugar so the bottoms caramelize; grease pastry rings with softened butter and coat with sugar.

Cut the dough into three-inch squares and fold up the four corners of each, or shape into a log. Each portion about 2 ounces, 60 grams.

Proof, then bake at 350F, 180C, for 35 minutes. Cool to room temperature.