Meaning 'butter cake' – 'cake' kouign and 'butter' amann – in the Celtic language native to Brittany, France, it's no shocker that kouign-amann (pronounced queen-ah-mon) has been dubbed the "fattiest pastry in all of Europe," according to The New York Times.Made from a croissant-like viennoiserie dough, laminated with butter and sugar, and folded over onto itself, this round, multi-layered parcel is the flakiest of treats.Image by Sophie Steiner/That'sImage by Sophie Steiner/That'sSitting at the cross-section of a sticky bun and a croissant, the kouign-amann hails from the town of Douarnenez in Finistère, Brittany, where it first made its appearance back in 1860.The original recipe is a macro-friendly makeup of 40% viennoiserie bread dough, 30% butter, and 30% sugar – just three ingredients that adequately cover all the requisite food groups of Cookie Monster's balanced diet.Image by Sophie Steiner/That'sLike a sophisticated biscuit, the steam from the dense butter stratum expands the dough as it bakes, leading to a caramelized sugar burnished exterior that fractures like glass, whilst the inside remains equal parts elastic and plush, each pleat peeling away with a crackly stretch. Image by Sophie Steiner/That'sCulminating in an irresistible amalgamation that spans sweet to salty, crispy to gooey, flaky to melting – this is a sublimely good pastry. So, we did what we do best here at That's Shanghai, and put together a sweet treat showdown, allowing you – dear readers – to benefit from the fruits of our back- … errr… stomach-crushing labor, so you'll know where to hit (and where to skip) when the need for a sugar rush arises.
Alimentari Mulino
Caramel Amann (RMB18)
Alimentari Mulino is just one of eight Alimentari locations in Shanghai that make up the POPOLO Group – each with its own focus; from grilled proteins to all-day dining, from the OG Italian-style neighborhood market to casual café, there's always a time and place for Alimentari. Image by Sophie Steiner/That'sFound at the halfway point of a croissant supreme and a kouign-amann Venn diagram, the Caramel Amann (RMB18) at Alimentari Mulino (the Maoming Lu outpost of everyone's favorite fast-casual Italian brand) is a patisserie lover's wet dream – bigger, rounder, and fuller than any other on this list.Image by Sophie Steiner/That'sCopiously stuffed with a salted caramel cream that oozes with each crumbly bite, the contrast in consistency between the candied sugar crust and cushy center is what pushes this pastry into stardom status.A piped salted caramel swirl studded with toasted nuts serves as a clever crown adorning the head of this queen of desserts. AWARD: Best Textural Contrast & FillingAlimentari Mulino, #4, Lane 245 Maoming Lu, by Nanjing Xi Lu 茂名路245弄4号近南京西路La Boulangerie
Kouign-Amann (RMB26)
La Boulangerie is part of the Capella Shanghai, Jian Ye Li estate, alongside French restaurant, Le Comptoir de Pierre Gagnaire.Bringing the best of authentic French boulangerie experiences to the community of Xuhui District, La Boulangerie offers the kind of products that can only be produced by world-class talents.Image by Sophie Steiner/That'sFollow the wafting scents of homemade bread, warm croissants and pain au chocolat, and you'll arrive at La Boulangerie... but only those in the know plan their visit around the baking schedule of the Kouign-Amann (RMB26).With only 20 of these coveted confectionaries released daily – between the hours of noon and 2pm – once sold out, eager baked treat acolytes that missed the kouign-amann must roll the dice again the next day.Image by Sophie Steiner/That'sUsing French-imported dried butter (for a lower hydration rate), the dough is proofed for 24 hours before being flecked with a duo of muscovado and white sugar crust.Torched to finish, the ensuing brûléed sugar shell shatters in saccharine shards juxtaposed against the stretchy layers of slathered dough… leaving fingers glossy, bellies happy, and ear-to-ear honeyed smiles in its sugar-dusted wake. AWARD: Most Traditional & Crackliest Sugared Crust La Boulangerie, 480 Jianguo Xi Lu, by Yueyang Lu 建国西路480号, 近岳阳路Crave
Lemon Kouign-Amann (RMB22)
After opening its original Xinle Lu location in the spring of 2021, Crave has maintained quite the cult following, one that has afforded an expansion to a second outpost on Xizang Zhong Lu.In short, it's a lot of carbs and a lot of cute. Image by Sophie Steiner/That'sPastry chef Olivia Hsu takes a slightly different approach with her Lemon Kouignn-Amann (RMB22), employing a croissant-style pastry dough that is prepared 48 hours in advance but never proofed, with the resultant baked good being overtly crispy and airy. Image by Sophie Steiner/That'sUsing the classic twist and fold method, everything about this kouign-amann is traditional, until you get to the stuffed center – where the sweetness comes into play.Although the pastry itself is lacking that crucial syrupy, sticky bottom, the addition of mint-infused lemon curd filling leaves us equally satisfied.The lemon center will run through September, when it will be swapped for a winter seasonal flavor, like sesame. AWARD: Best Summertime Filled RenditionCrave, 218 Xinle Lu, by Donghu Lu 新乐路218号, 近东湖路FOTY
Kouign-Amann (RMB28)
Standing for 'From Oven to You,' FOTY is a bakery backed by Luneurs and Belloco dishing out one thing and one thing only – Kouign-Amann (RMB28).While the display counter may not be stacked tall with frosted cakes, tarts, sweet buns, and the like, the warming aroma of freshly-baking pastries mingles with the smell of treacly glazes emanating from the tiered oven in the back of the kitchen.And said oven is pumping out a new round of kouign-amann in 20-minute intervals, ensuring patrons receive only the warmest, freshest baked treat. Image by Sophie Steiner/That'sThe kouign-amann at FOTY is notably brittle compared to its breadier counterparts (for example, the TonTon rendition below), with the slow-melted sugar and butter concoction hardening quickly into a glass-like glaze.Using a ratio of 1,000 grams of French imported butter for every 30 kouign-amann (also only made with French-imported Moulins Bourgeois Flour La Millésime and Korean-imported refined sugar), the consequential pastry is delicately flaky, hugging the line of charred on the outer edges to lush on the innermost concentric circle – not unlike a Shanghainese-style palmier in appearance.A final spritz of sugar water in the last 15 seconds of baking ensures the crackliest veneer.Image by Sophie Steiner/That'sThe kouign-amann can be purchased for RMB28 a pop in four flavor combos – original, sea salt, cinnamon, or a mix of the latter two, plus some imaginative seasonal releases for RMB32 each. Think potato and cheese, chai tea, or chestnut.There's also kouign-amann topped with ice cream and kouign-amann 'sandwiches' stuffed with various flavored cream. AWARD: Freshest Baked Kouign-AmannFOTY, #A103, 1107 Yuyuan Lu, by Fenggang Lu 愚园路1107号A103, 近凤冈路TonTon
Nut Kouign-Amann (RMB36)
One of Shanghai's hottest new bakeries, TonTon swung open its doors along the cafe-lined street of Yongkang Lu to hordes of Dianping power users, Xiaohongshu KOLs and foodie trendsetters in September 2023.Image by Sophie Steiner/That'sThe initial draw being donuts, the team has since expanded with a stellar lineup of cinnamon rolls, citrus loaves, fruit tarts, chocolate cakes, and so much more, warranting the regular block-long line that snakes out the door on the daily.Image by Sophie Steiner/That'sFirst and foremost a boulangerie for freshly-baked breads, it's no surprise that TonTon's Nut Kouign-Amann (RMB36) leans towards the bun category, topped with a mix of toasted pine nuts and walnuts. Instead of a crunchy coating or pleated layers, the base is pillowy – akin to a savory brioche.Undeniably the least conventional on this list, this kouign-amann is still unquestionably scrummy and yummy. AWARD: Plushest Bready Center TonTon, 178 Yongkang Lu, by Xiangyang Lu 永康路178号近襄阳路READ MORE
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