This Straightforward French Pastry Tastes Simply Like an Almond Croissant—and Takes Approach Much less Time to Make

Most eating places that serve contemporary bread make extra bread than they will serve, forsaking loads of leftovers. After I cooked professionally, I typically went dwelling with a contemporary loaf on the finish of every night time; as a younger prepare dinner making $15 an hour, it was not possible to show down free meals, and I shortly collected a stash of bread in my freezer.

I made numerous toast, ate numerous sandwiches, and crammed my pantry with croutons and breadcrumbs. However my favourite approach to make use of the loaves was for bostock, a French pastry of sliced bread (sometimes brioche) slathered with aromatic almond cream, topped with sliced almonds, then baked till puffy and golden brown. It tastes like an almond croissant, nevertheless it’s a lot simpler to organize—particularly if you have already got a jar of store-bought or do-it-yourself almond cream available. My recipe beneath contains directions for making the almond cream from scratch and you may maintain it within the fridge for a couple of week; you can even purchase almond cream from specialty grocers or on-line.) Right here’s tips on how to make nice bostock at dwelling.

4 Ideas for Making the Very Finest Bostock

Toast the nuts for the almond cream. Almond cream, which is commonly mistaken for frangipane outdoors of France, is what offers bostock its wealthy nuttiness. My bostock makes use of Critical Eats contributor Zola Gregory’s almond cream recipe; to reinforce the flavour and aroma of the nuts, Gregory toasts the almond flour earlier than incorporating it into the almond cream, and seasons it generously with almond extract, vanilla extract, and brandy. It’s a easy step that goes a great distance, and the ensuing almond cream is rather more aromatic than one made with untoasted almond flour.

Incorporate some fruit. In my recipe beneath, I give the pastry a success of citrus by brushing each side of the bread with orange juice, which retains it moist, and spreading a layer of orange marmalade throughout the bread earlier than topping it with the almond cream. Freshly squeezed orange juice is sweet, however for those who don’t have any available, store-bought juice is simply high quality. As a result of marmalade is made with complete oranges—pores and skin and all—the condiment has a pleasant bittersweet taste that offsets the sweetness of the almond cream.

Prime it with sliced almonds. Whereas bostock is scrumptious by itself, the pastry may be very smooth with out the topping of sliced almonds. The nuts toast because the bostock bakes and supply a essential and satisfying crunch and likewise give the bostock an extra layer of taste.

Bake till simply agency to the contact. At room temperature, uncooked almond cream is thick and spreadable. Because it bakes, the almond cream takes on a cake-like texture. Like many truffles, the almond cream will start to puff because it bakes. Don’t be fooled by appearances: If it isn’t a light-weight golden brown and simply agency to the contact, it isn’t finished cooking but, and wishes extra time. Although barely denser than an aerated cake, it ought to spring again barely when pressed.

Now that I not work in eating places, I’ve to purchase brioche to make my bostock. It is a very small worth to pay for this scrumptious pastry. Add a cup of espresso and it is a great candy breakfast or afternoon deal with. 

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