Viennoiserie Guacamole Recipe

Make the dough

Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate cup, combine warm water and milk (should be about 95–105°F / 35–40°C). Sprinkle instant yeast over the liquid and let sit 2 minutes. Add the yeast mixture and 3 tablespoons soft butter to the flour mixture. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then knead (by hand or mixer with dough hook) for 6–8 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough should be slightly tacky but not sticky. Form into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and rest in refrigerator for 30 minutes to relax the gluten and chill.

Prepare the butter block

While dough chills, place the 8 oz cold butter between two sheets of parchment and bash with a rolling pin to soften slightly. Fold and roll to make a square roughly 6 x 6 inches and about 1/4 inch thick. Keep chilled but pliable — return to fridge if it gets too soft.

Laminate the dough (turns)

On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a 10 x 14 inch rectangle. Place the butter block centered on the lower two-thirds of the dough. Fold the top third of dough over the butter, then fold the bottom third up like a letter (this is a single turn). Rotate the dough 90°, roll again to 10 x 14 inches, and perform a second single turn. Wrap and chill for 30–45 minutes. Repeat for a total of 3 turns (folds) with chilling between turns; this creates distinct layers. After final chill, roll the dough to a 12 x 12 inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.

Shape viennoiserie shells

Using a 3.5–4 inch round cutter (or a sharp knife), cut rounds from the dough. For a slightly open-top shell, place rounds into a lightly greased muffin tin, pressing them to form a cup with sides higher than rim. Alternatively, cut rounds and indent centers with a smaller cutter to form a rim. Gather scraps, gently re-roll once, and cut additional rounds. Place formed shells on a baking sheet (if not using muffin tin), cover loosely and proof at room temperature for 45–60 minutes until puffy (not doubled).

Egg wash and bake

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Whisk the egg with 1 tsp water for egg wash. Brush the exterior and rims of shells lightly with egg wash; avoid pooling inside the cup. Bake shells on the middle rack for 12–16 minutes until deep golden brown and flaky. If using a muffin tin, check bottoms for doneness. Remove from oven and immediately tap out shells from the tin if used; cool on a rack until warm (about 15 minutes). Sprinkle lightly with coarse sea salt while warm.

Prep avocados

Cut avocados in half, remove pits, and scoop flesh into a medium bowl. Mash roughly with a fork — leave some small chunks for texture. Do this while shells bake or cool so guacamole is fresh.

Season and mix

Add lime juice immediately to the mashed avocado to prevent browning. Stir in minced red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, garlic, ground cumin, olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning — add more lime or salt if needed. Keep guacamole covered and refrigerated briefly if not using right away, but best served within 30 minutes of assembly.

Spoon a generous tablespoon (or more depending on shell size) of guacamole into each cooled viennoiserie shell. The flaky butter layers should contrast with the creamy guacamole.

Top each filled shell with a few microgreens or additional chopped cilantro and a small squeeze of lime if desired. Serve immediately so shells remain crisp.