Bostock (Almond Brioche Toast)

Before you start

Bostock is a French bakery way to use up day-old brioche. Thick slices are soaked with an orange-scented syrup, spread with frangipane-style almond cream, scattered with sliced almonds and baked until the cream puffs and turns golden. The bottom becomes crisp and caramelized, the inside custardy, the top nutty.

The bread should be a day or two old. Fresh brioche goes soggy under the syrup, while stale slices drink it up and still hold together. Go easy on the syrup at the crust edges, which soak faster, and spread the almond cream all the way to the edges so they do not burn.

Ingredients

• Base6 slices, 2.5 cm (1 in) thick day-old brioche — from a loaf or a large round
• Syrup120 ml (½ cup) water
• 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
• 2 wide strips orange zest
• 1 tsp orange blossom water or 1 tbsp orange liqueur — optional
• Almond cream60 g (4 tbsp) unsalted butter — softened
• 60 g (⅓ cup) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg — room temperature
• 60 g (⅔ cup) almond flour
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• Pinch fine salt
• ¼ tsp almond extract
• Topping30 g (⅓ cup) sliced almonds
• 1 tbsp powdered sugar — for dusting

Method

1. Bring the water, sugar and orange zest to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for 2 minutes, remove from the heat, add the orange blossom water and let it cool for 10 minutes.
2. Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line the baking sheet with parchment.
3. For the almond cream, beat the butter and sugar until smooth and pale. Beat in the egg, then the almond flour, all-purpose flour, salt and almond extract until creamy. It may look slightly broken at first; keep stirring and it comes together.
4. Lay the brioche slices on the sheet and brush or spoon about 2 tablespoons of syrup over each, enough to dampen them through without making puddles.
5. Spread about 40 g (a generous 2 tablespoons) of almond cream evenly over each slice right to the crust. Scatter the sliced almonds on top and press lightly so they stick.
6. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the almond cream has puffed, feels set when pressed and is golden at the edges, and the almonds are toasted. The bottoms should be crisp and amber.
7. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, dust with powdered sugar and serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips for success

• Slice the brioche the night before and leave it uncovered so it dries out a little more.
• Make the almond cream up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate it; let it soften for 20 minutes before spreading.
• Challah or a firm, enriched sandwich loaf can stand in for brioche, though the result is less buttery.

Substitutions

Almond flour

Finely ground hazelnuts or pistachios work at the same weight. Pistachio gives a green, more delicate cream and a lovely contrast with orange.

Orange syrup

Use a plain 1:1 sugar syrup with a split vanilla bean or a spoonful of rum. The flavor is less bright but still classic.

Butter

A plant-based baking stick works in the almond cream. The flavor is milder and the cream spreads a little more in the oven.

Troubleshooting

Soggy, heavy slices

The brioche was too fresh or got too much syrup. Use stale slices and stop adding syrup as soon as the surface stops absorbing it.

Crusts burned

Bare crust edges caught the heat. Spread the almond cream to the very edge and bake on the center rack.

Almond cream stayed wet in the middle

It was spread too thick. Keep it to about 1 cm and bake until it springs back.

Storage

Bostock is best the day it is baked. Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days because the almond cream contains egg, and rewarm at 175°C (350°F) for 5 to 8 minutes.

Safety notes

The almond cream contains raw egg until baked, so do not taste it raw and bake until it is fully set. Contains wheat, egg, milk and tree nuts.