Spam Musubi and Kimchi Croissant
Croissants are my top ranking weakness when it comes to sweets. Their buttery and crispy layers are just begging for a giant bite.
Servings 10 croissants
Calories 575kcal
Ingredients
For the croissant dough:
- ½ cup lukewarm whole milk
- 1 tablespoon dry yeast
- 3 1/3 cups all purpose flour, plus additional for rolling
- 1½ teaspoons table salt
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted high-quality European butter, cold (I like Kerrygold™)
For the spam:
- 2 (12-ounce) cans reduced sodium Spam®, sliced into 12 even slices, about ¼” thick
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
For assembly:
- 1 cup diced napa cabbage kimchi, squeeze out any excess moisture
- 1 egg, beaten
- Toasted white sesame seeds
- ¼ cup Nori Kizami, finely shredded seaweed
Instructions
For the croissant dough:
- Add the milk, ¾ cup lukewarm water and yeast to a small mixing bowl and stir to combine. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough attachment, add the flour salt and sugar. Make a well in the middle of the bowl and pour the yeast mixture in the center. Mix on medium speed, until the dough is elastic and smooth, about 8 minutes.
- Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 1 hour.
- Turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured surface. Press the dough into a large rectangle, fold it into thirds and allow to proof for 20 minutes.
- Lay the butter in between two pieces of plastic wrap then use a rolling pin to pound it until it becomes flat. Once the butter is pliable, roll the butter out into a 7” by 10” rectangle. Transfer the butter to the refrigerator to chill.
- Roll the dough out into a 24” by 8” rectangle. Place the butter sheet into the middle of the dough and fold the sides of the dough into the center to enclose the butter, like you would fold a letter. Pinch the edges to seal them.
- Flatten the dough and butter slightly with the rolling pin and turn it over. Roll the dough back out into a 24” by 8” rectangle. Fold over one of the short sides of the dough, then the other, so that the dough is again folded into three layers, like a letter and forms a square.
- Again, press the open ends with the rolling pin to seal them. Repeat this process of turning the dough two more times, rotating the dough 90-degrees each time. The dough should have been turned a total of 4 times.
- Wrap the dough in plastic and chill an hour minutes until firm. At this point the dough can also be chilled overnight.
For the spam:
- Heat a large non-stick sauté pan over medium heat, add the spam and fry, about 2 minutes each side.
- In a small bowl stir together the sugar and soy sauce until combined, then pour over the spam and continue to fry, until the spam is crispy on both sides and the soy sugar sauce has caramelized, about 5 minutes total. Remove and gently pat the spam dry so there is no excess sauce then set aside.
For assembly:
- Divide the dough in half with a knife. Working with one half at a time, turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured work surface. Carefully roll out the croissant dough into an 8” by 16” rectangle. Use a pizza butter to even out the edges of the dough, only trim about 1/8” on each side.
- Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into 3” by 7” rectangles. You should have 5 of them. Place a piece of spam in the center of each rectangle, leaving a 1/4-inch border all around. Top with a spoonful of kimchi. Starting from one short end and working toward the other, carefully roll to enclose.
- Brush the edges with water and gently press to adhere. Repeat with the remaining dough and place the finished croissants on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Set in a warm spot and let the croissants rize until they have doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Brush the croissants with the egg wash. Top each with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and nori. Bake for 20 minutes, rotating halfway through, then reduce the heat to 375º and continue to bake until the croissants are golden brown, about 10 additional minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow the croissants to cool before serving. Serve warmed or at room temperature.
Nutrition
Calories: 575kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 115mg | Sodium: 1418mg | Potassium: 368mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 611IU | Vitamin C: 0.001mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 3mg