Ingredients
- Bostock is a French toast like no other. A classic from Normandy the bread can be soaked and layered several hours before you are ready to bake it.
- Serves 3
- 3 thick slices of brioche bread about 3/4 inch thick
- 4 teaspoons thin cut orange marmalade or apple jam
- For the milk bath
- 2 eggs whisked
- 1 cup wholemilk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tbspn castor or granulated sugar
- For the frangipane:
- 1/2 cup powdered almonds with skin
- 3 tbspn castor or granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- Pinch salt
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp. brandy or spiced rum (OPTIONAL)
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon, powdered
- Garnish
- 1/2 cup cinnamon syrup or fruit compote or mild honey
- 1/2 cup finely sliced almonds with skin, toasted to a golden brown
- Powdered sugar, for serving
- For the cinnamon syrup:
- Boil together 1 cup castor sugar, 1 tbspn brown sugar, 3 inch stick of cinnamon and 2.5 cups of water on a medium flame until you have 1 cup of syrup. Cool, strain and discard cinnamon stick. Stir in 1 tbsp rum or brandy. Keeps refrigerated for a month. Great in cocktails, over gelato and bread pudding.
Instructions
- Whisk the egg, milk, vanilla, sugar and cinnamon together. Pour into a 9 by 12 inch cake pan. Place the 3 slices of bread in the egg bath and allow them to absorb the liquid on both sides.
- Spread the top of each slice lightly with the marmalade or jam of your choice. If you plan to bake this later cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. Let it reach room temperature before you bake it.
- Preheat oven to 350F and prepare middle rack.
- Whisk together all the ingredients for the frangipane in a medium mixing bowl using a balloon whisk. You should have a wet, soft, easily spreadable mixture.
- Divide this mixture into 3 portions and spread over the marmalade on the brioche slices.
- Bake in the middle rung until the frangipane is bubbly but still moist about 20-25 minutes at 350F.
- Remove cake pan and using a sharp flat spatula remove each slice onto a plate. Top with toasted almonds and powdered sugar.
- Serve warm as is or with cinnamon syrup, fruit compote or mild honey.
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