Crunchy, fruity and sweet, Bostock Pastry looks at home in the window of any French Patisserie. It may look and taste fancy, but it's so easy to make. This French pastry is made out of leftover bread and a few pantry staples. It may not be as popular as French Toast, but it’s even tastier, quick to make and great for feeding a crowd.
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What is Bostock?
Bostock is a French pastry made up of thick slices of brioche layered with fruit spread, almond paste, nuts and sprinkled with powdered sugar. It looks right at home in a pastry case next to croissants, pain au chocolat and mille feuille, just as delicious but takes a fraction of the time to make. I love having bostock for breakfast but it would be perfect as an easy dessert.
Formula for Bostock
Bostock can be broken down into a simple formula and is endlessly adaptable. You can go as fancy or as basic as you want.
- Brioche - soft buttery brioche is the traditional base for Bostock but any soft enriched bread would work, such as milk bread, challah or even soft sandwich bread
- Sugar syrup - a simple combination of water and sugar, makes the bread soft and sweet. Use fruit juice or wine to add more flavor to your syrup.
- Fruit spread - I love using easy homemade blueberry preserves, but any great-quality jam, jelly or even lemon curd would work
- Almond paste (frangipane) - a mixture of ground nuts (usually almonds), butter, eggs, sugar and a little bit of flour, frangipane is easy to make at home but you can use store bought if you prefer
- Flaked almonds or fruit (optional) - adds texture and makes for a lovely topping but totally optional
What you need to make almond cream
Almond cream is the base for Bostock. It's also known as frangipane and is commonly used as a pastry filling in desserts like tarts. Homemade frangipane is easy to make and only needs 5 simple ingredients.
- Almonds - substitute any other type of nut, cashew, pistachio or pecans
- Unsalted butter - make sure to use soft but cool butter so your frangipane does not turn out too greasy
- Rum - spiced rum adds a delicious flavor to frangipane, use vanilla and a little bit of almond extract if you don't have any on hand
- Egg whites - adds lightness and binds the ingredients together
- Granulated sugar - imparts sweetness
How to make Almond Bostock
- Make almond paste
- Make sugar syrup
- Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking tray with parchment paper
- Brush sliced bread with sugar syrup
- Spread preserves over bread
- Top with almond paste
- Finish with flaked almonds
- Bake for 15 minutes or until the almond paste is golden brown
- Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! Pistachio, walnuts or pecans would make a delicious substitute.
Yes, a soft, fluffy enriched bread like challah, milk bread, sandwich bread and even babka would all work.
No, marzipan has a bit more sugar than frangipane (almond paste), it's sweeter and a little drier.
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Bostock Pastry Recipe
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
Sugar Syrup
- 50 grams granulated sugar
- 56 grams white wine sub water
- 8 grams vanilla
Frangipane (Almond Paste)
- 56 grams unsalted butter softened but cold
- 75 grams granulated sugar
- 60 grams egg whites
- 75 grams almonds
- 20 grams dark rum sub vanilla
- 9 grams all-purpose flour
Bostock
- 4 thick slices brioche about 1 ½ inches
- 28 grams simple syrup
- 56 grams homemade blueberry preserves sub store-bought jam
- 113 grams almond paste
- 15 grams flaked almonds
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
- Make the frangipane: Fold unsalted butter and sugar together until dissolved. Stir in egg whites, almonds, rum (if using) and all-purpose flour until combined. Set aside.
- The mixture will make more than you need in the recipe, store leftovers in a jar in the refrigerator.
- Make sugar syrup: Combine water or wine and granulated sugar in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Cook, stirring until sugar dissolves completely, about 2 minutes. Stir in vanilla.
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Assemble Bostock:Brush sugar syrup on both sides of the bread. Spread 1 tablespoon of preserves or jam on one side of the bread. Layer 2 tablespoons of almond paste and a sprinkling of flaked almonds on top.
- Bake: Bake Bostock for 15 to 20 minutes or until almond paste appears golden brown.
- Serve: Sprinkle powdered sugar over Bostock before serving. Bostock is best enjoyed the same day it's baked, but keeps well for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
Andreas says
Hello Hannah
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In the recipe you explain how to make frangipane, while nowhere you mention using it to make your bostock pastry, imagine that the almond paste is meant to describe the frangipane* which might confuse me and possibly others.
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Like your book and obsession on sourdough - just planning my first sourdough starter myself reading "Flour Water Salt Yeast" where i got worried about all the left-over "discard" sourdough and found your sourdough or fermented pasta a brilliant implementation.
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* almond paste can be much like frangipane, but it can also be like marzipan i think
Hannah @ Make It Dough says
Sorry you were confused! Frangipane is another name for almond paste which is listed in the recipe. I'll add a parenthetical to avoid confusion. I believe frangipane is a little creamier than marzipan.
So glad you liked the pasta recipe!