Tag Archives: breakfast

Almond-Orange Bostock Pastries

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4 bostock on a sheet pan and dusted with powdered sugar

My guy wanted to sample a loaf of freshly baked bread I had made earlier in the week. I knew it wouldn’t survive with maximum freshness until Saturday, when I’d see him next, and I was trying to determine the best way to supply him with the baked goodness he craved. Toast with jam? Yawn! French toast? Been there, done that! Then, I remembered bostock.

Oh yes, bostock!

If French toast and a bear claw had a love child, bostock would be the result. This addictive breakfast confection is made by soaking a thick slice of enriched bread, like brioche, in flavorful syrup, slathering it with a generous layer of homemade almond cream paste and finishing it off with crunchy sliced almonds. The pastry is then baked until the almond topping is puffed, golden and crispy. It needs nothing more than a sprinkling of powdered sugar to finish it off. Fancy enough for a brunch gathering, this tasty treat first appeared in Europe as a way for bakers to use up day-old brioche bread but became such a beloved treat that bakers had to start baking more brioche just to keep up with the demand.  I’ve seen some bakers sandwich a layer of jam between the syrup and almond paste to gild the lily, but I prefer the simplicity of the original.

It may seem like a lot of work for a busy weekend morning, but it’s actually simple to prepare. The syrup and almond cream paste can be made the day before. Then, in the morning, just slather the bread with the syrup and almond cream while the oven heats up, sprinkle with almonds, bake for about 20 minutes while you have your first cup of coffee (or some morning canoodling) and they’re ready. Breakfast is served!

Almond-Orange Bostock Pastry

The REAL French toast. Crispy almond cream paste topped pastries flavored with orange flower syrup.


Ingredients

    Orange Flower Syrup
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon orange flower water
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
    • Almond Cream Paste
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup almond flour a.k.a. almond meal, toasted until fragrant
  • ¾ cup powdered sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract
    • Bostock
  • 6 slices brioche, challah or other enriched bread, sliced 1” thick
  • ¼ cup sliced almonds
  • Powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions

  1. Make Syrup: Heat water and sugar in a small saucepan until sugar has dissolved. Turn off heat and add orange flower water and zest. Set aside.
  2. Make Almond Cream Paste: In a medium bowl, stir butter, toasted almond flour, powdered sugar, and salt together until well combined. Add egg and extracts and blend well.
  3. Make Bostock: Preheat oven to 350⁰ F. Brush both sides of brioche slices well with orange flower syrup. Liberally spread tops of slices with 3-4 tablespoons of almond cream paste and sprinkle with sliced almonds. Place bostock on lined sheet pan and bake 18-22 minutes until tops are golden and almond cream is slightly puffy. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm.

Hatch Green Chile Egg Puff

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Green Chile Breakfast Casserole

The search continues…

I didn’t buy an Inn. If you Google a town’s name and the only images that pop up are of the town’s one and only attraction, beware. Either the town is unapologetically un-photogenic or it doesn’t exist. In this case, it was the later. Mind you, the location exists – I stayed there, but there’s no town – just a short stretch of houses lining a country road. I’m looking for a small-town rural Inn, not no-town rural.

I’m content with the outcome. This trip helped me clarify what I don’t want, I’ve also lost my Inn-assessing virginity, and I enjoyed a short mini-vacation in the beautiful southwest.

During this short trip, I stayed at two separate B&Bs and both places managed to serve a version of green chile egg casserole…the ubiquitous Southwest breakfast of champions. There’s a lot of recipes already out there – all very similar. This is my version using Hatch green chilies:


Hatch Green Chile Egg Puff

  • Servings: 4 generous servings
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I cook my puff a little longer ensuring a crisp crust along the sides and bottom.

Ingredients

  • 3 Tablespoons butter, melted
  • ⅓ cup flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Pinch of white pepper
  • 5 eggs
  • 4 oz. can Hatch green chilies (I used the “Hot” version, but they also have a “Mild” version for those who don’t like spice)
  • 1 cup full-fat cottage cheese
  • 4 cups Jack/Colby cheese (grate yourself, do not use pre-shredded)
  • Salsa, sour cream, or guacamole (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly brush the inside of four large ramekins with some of the butter and set the ramekins on a sheet pan.
  2. In a small bowl, combine flour baking powder, salt and white pepper.
  3. In a larger bowl, beat the eggs well; add green chilies and juice, cottage cheese, and remaining butter. Stir well to combine. Add flour mixture and gently stir until flour is incorporated. Fold in most of the cheese, leaving a bit to sprinkle on top.
  4. Pour mixture equally in ramekins and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for about 40 minutes until well puffed and browned. Don’t be alarmed if the big, beautiful, highly-domed puff collapses slightly once removed from the oven. Serve with salsa, sour cream, or guacamole.

San Geronimo de Taos 2

Taos Pueblo, NM