After it has risen, punch it down and flatten. Wrap in film and freeze until frozen about ¾" in from the edge and it is very cold all the way through.

Combine the water and the yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer for a few minutes until dissolved. Add the melted butter.

Combine the flour and salt. Add it to the bowl with the liquid and mix with a dough hook on low until it comes together. Raise the speed of the mixer to medium or whatever is recommended by your mixer and beat for 3 minutes to knead the dough.

Place in a sprayed bowl, turn it over, cover with film and allow to rise for about 1 hour until doubled. Punch down and flatten. Wrap in film and freeze until frozen about ¾" in from the edge.

½ pound salted butter (8 ounces, 1 cup, or 225 grams) Cut each stick of butter in half lengthwise. Cut each piece in half. Cut each piece in half again for eight pieces. Cross cut the butter into about ¾ inch pieces. Freeze the butter pieces until hard.

When the butter is frozen and the dough is partially frozen, cut the dough into quarters. Cut each quarter into 3 pieces. Place 4 pieces of dough into the processor. Add one third of the butter and pulse until the dough and butter are cut into uneven pieces. Pour it out onto a work area. Repeat two more times with the remaining dough and butter.

Flour the work area. Push the dough and butter into a rectangle about 6 inches long and 4 inches wide. Dust the top with flour. Roll about 18 inches x 6 inches, scraping under the dough to keep it from sticking and flouring  as necessary.

Keep the ends as square as possible and the sides as straight as possible by pushing the sides with your hands.  This will keep errant pieces of butter from skittering away. Brush any flour off the dough. Fold the top down to the middle and bottom up to the middle. Brush flour off again. Fold the top over the bottom.

This is the first turn for the Kouign Amann.  You will notice as you complete the remaining turns that the butter becomes less obvious as it is rolled in, and the sides will become smoother.

Turn the dough 90° so the edges are to your right and roll again to about 18x6 inches, lightly flouring the board and top of the dough as necessary. Brush the flour off and fold as above. Wrap in film and refrigerate for about an hour or up to three days. It can also be frozen at this point. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before final turns.

Once the sugar has been rolled in, the dough should be completed the same day.  If you try to hold it, the sugar will liquefy in the refrigerator and the dough will become wet. At this point, while still good, it will not bake into a flaky Kouign Amann but be more bread like.

For the third and fourth turns, roll the dough out to about 18x6 inches. Brush the flour off and sprinkle with ⅓ cup granulated sugar. I spread the sugar as evenly as I can with my hand, then use my ruler to even it out. Place a piece of waxed paper over the sugar and lightly roll it in. Fold the ends to the middle, and then fold the top down over the bottom as before. Repeat once more, rolling in the other ⅓ cup of sugar. Fold the dough, wrap in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for an or two hours.

Spray two 6 hole Texas muffin tins very well. Set aside.

Make one or both of the fillings at the bottom of the page before shaping . Set them aside.

Place one square of dough on top of the muffin tin. Press it gently but firmly into the tin. Put about 1 tablespoon of filling into the center and then fold the dough around it.

Cover the tins with a towel and let rise for about 1 hour or until puffy but not doubled.

Preheat the oven to 325°F.  Place the rack in the middle of the oven.  Sprinkle the Kouign Amann with sugar.  Bake for between 35 to 45 minutes, covering the tops loosely if they start browning too much.  It is fine if they become a deep brown on the bottom. Just don't burn them. Remember, the sugar is going to caramelize making a very crunchy treat.

Combine the apricots and the water in a small saucepan. Simmer until most of the water is absorbed. Combine the apricots and the remainder of the ingredients in a processor and process until smooth. Cool and set aside.

Combine all of the ingredients in a processor and process until smooth. Refrigerate while preparing the Kouign Amann.