Sunset is inspired by a memory. In my early twenties I have fond memories of watching sunsets on the patio of a coffee shop — always with two things: a tea and a Kouign-Amann.
This drink takes that memory and transforms it into a pastry cocktail showcasing Hennessy VSOP a blend of up to 60 eaux-de-vie matured up to 15 years, and refined over 8 generations.
A frozen French press is presented to the guest — inside, the cocktail already waits. They press the plunger themselves, a moment of pause and intention, symbolizing the patience behind both tea service and Cognac craft.
The frosted cup is misted with a Kouign-Amann hydrosol, releasing the aroma of the pastry before a single drop is tasted. The frozen cocktail is then poured from the press into the frosted cup.
A Kouign-Amann Earl Grey tuile completes the serve — made entirely from the spent ingredients of the drink itself.
Canada is one of the most water-abundant countries in the world. Yet abundance does not mean unlimited — and that tension is where my sustainability focus begins.
Water conservation is the primary driver behind every decision in this cocktail. Pastry carries a hidden water cost that most people never consider. Flour, butter and sugar — the three core ingredients of a Kouign-Amann — each require significant water to produce. From field to table, the water footprint of a single pastry is considerable.
This cocktail takes that reality seriously from start to finish. The Kouign-Amann used to make the hydrosol is fully repurposed — the pastry broth becomes the Kouign-Amann syrup and the spent crumbs are baked into the tuile garnish. The water used to chill the hydrosol distillation is reclaimed and used to cold brew the Earl Grey tea, which serves as the cocktail’s dilution. The spent tea leaves are then used to make the bitter and the saline solution. Nothing leaves the process wasted.
The cocktail is also pre-batched and frozen rather than chilled with conventional ice — because a traditionally stirred cocktail requires approximately 12 ounces of ice to chill, producing excess meltwater that is simply discarded. Every drop in this drink has a purpose.
Water conservation was not an afterthought — it was the fundamental principle behind building Sunset.
2oz Hennessy VSOP
0.25oz Kouign-Amann Syrup*
0.5oz Cold Brew Earl Grey Tea**
1ml Kouign-Amann Bitter***
4 Drops Earl Grey Tea Saline****
Glass Type: Frozen White Espresso Cup
Garnish: Kouign-Amann Hydrosol***** and Spent Kouign-Amann Tuile******
Build all ingredients into a french press. Place french press into a freezer to allow it to chill. After 2 hours, serve cocktail into a frozen espresso cup, spray Hydrosol over top of cocktail and garnish with the Spent Kouign-Amann Tuile.
*Kouign-Amann Syrup
85g KA (Kouign-Amann) Broth
170g Sugar
10.1g Gum Arabic
10g Brown Butter
Method: Take the left over Broth from the Kouign-amann hydrosol process. Measure the broth to see the current ratio that you have available. Recipe above it the lowest ratio to make this syrup. Measure out the ingredients and add them all into a blender. Blend the ingredients on high till the ingredients are well incorporated. After place the ingredients into a vacuum bag and sousvide the syrup for 2 hours over 65°C. Remove from back and ensure that the sugar is fully dissolved. if not give the bag a shake till everything is dissolved.
**Cold Brew Earl Grey Tea
1kg Water
15g Earl Lavender Grey Tea
Steep Time 12 Hours
Measure what water you have left over from the hydrosol making process. Add your earl grey tea. The total amount tea should be 1.5% weight compared to the weight of your water. Let it steep in the fridge for 12 hours.
***Kouign-Amann Bitter
100g NGS (Neutral Grain Spirit)
3g Spent Earl Grey Tea
15g Kouign-Amann Hydrosol
0.5g Cinnamon Quill
0.25g Clove
0.1g Coriander Seed
Infusion Time: 12 hrs
In a vacuum sealed bag add in all your ingredients into a vacuum sealed bag & seal. Infuse all ingredients at room temperature over 12 hours. Filter out the ingredients after.
****Earl Grey Tea Saline
90g Cold Brew Earl Grey Tea
10g Fleur de Sel
Add everything into a jar and shake until everything is well incorporated.
*****Kouign-Amann Hydrosol
100 g Kouign-Amann pastry
300 mL distilled water
5 g unsalted browned butter
1 g sea salt
2 drops vanilla extract
Measure out all ingredients and add it into a water distiller. Set the water distiller on an induction stove and have it run at low to medium low for a total duration of 70 minutes. On top of the water distiller is going to be ice to chill the steam. That Ice melts and turns to water. Place the water into a cambro periodically & refill with ice. By the end of the run you will yield 1L of water from the melted ice.
Kouign-Amann Hydrosol Aromatic Spray
100g Kouign-Amann Hydrosol
5g Hennessy VSOP
1g Vegetable Glycerin
After your hydrosol is cooled and filtered. Measure out all the ingredients & add them into a jar. Give the jar a good shake to incorporate the glycerin.
******Spent Kougin-Amann Tuile
1 Egg White
25g Earl Grey Tea Sugarº
50g Kougin-Amann Syrup
22g Pastry Flour
17g Spent Kouign-Amann Crumbsºº
37g Brown Butter
2.5g Vanilla Extract
Bake Temp: 325°F Cook Time: 8 Minutes
Measure out all ingredients being used. Start with the egg white, earl grey sugar and the pastry flour into a bowl and whisk. The batter should be well incorperated and then you add in the pastry flour and KA crumbs. Once everything is all added together then add in the melted brownbutter and vanilla extract whisk to combine. Fill your mold with the batter. Bake ingredients at 325°C for 8 minutes. pull out the mold and flip it upside down on a cutting board. peel the tuile out after 30 seconds from pulling the mold.
ºEarl Grey Tea Sugar
10g Earl Grey Tea Powder
100g Sugar
After the cold brew tea is made. Transfer all the spent tea into a dehydrator to dry up the leaves. Dry up the leaves until they are dry and transfer into a spice grinder. Grind it down into a powder. Measure out the powder and sugar. Mix them together until they are well incorporated.
ººSpent Kouign-Amann Crumbs
The leftover Kougin-Amann that was used during the hydrosol making gets dehydrated in a dehydrator then transferred into a food processor to be processed down into small crumbs.
