It is remarkable how quickly such delicacies may get stale, regardless of whether you make them from home or buy them from one of the local bakeries. After only eight hours, the lovely baguette from the night before looks antiquated and will produce nothing but bread crumbs and croutons. Those formerly buttery and flaky croissants have become sad and rubbery. Even the exquisite artisanal rustic loaf’s crust has become stale and mushy.
What Is Bostock?
The French are the ones who should get credit for figuring out how to give cult status to a bread product that is well past its prime. Adding sugar syrup and re-baking with an almond cream topping is a brilliant way to make practically any stale bake rise again. It most likely originated in bakeries trying to get a second day of use out of things that had gone stale. Although the method was originally developed for use with thicker slices of bread like brioche, it is now possible to achieve excellent results with virtually any plain or sweet bread type.
How To Make Bostock From Leftover Bread
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have a loaf, cut it into thick slices, and check that the crumb is exposed on at least one side. If you have it, you should cut a croissant or anything similar in half. Place the pieces, cut side up, on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, foil, or a baking mat made of silicone.
To make sugar syrup, combine one sugar with two parts water in a saucepan and cook on low until the sugar is dissolved. Spread the syrup all over the exposed side of the bread in a thick layer until it has completely drenched the bread but is not soggy.
Almond cream can be made by blending a 7-ounce box of almond paste. With a food processor, two big eggs, a hefty sprinkling of fine sea salt, and a few drops of either almond extract, orange blossom water, or vanilla. Pulse till almost smooth.
Spread some almond creams on top of each piece of soaked bread or pastry, then sprinkle some sliced or slivered almonds on top of the almond cream. Bake for six to twelve minutes or until the tops have a lovely golden brown color. If you like, sprinkle some powdered sugar after serving it warm. If you have a significant amount of bread that needs to be used up, you may freeze the prepared Bostock by placing it uncovered in a single layer on a sheet pan and then storing it in freezer bags. Bake the food immediately after removing it from the freezer, but add a couple of minutes to the total baking time. Any baked bostock left over can be used as an excellent ingredient in bread pudding.
Learn more: 5 Brilliant Ways to Use Trader Joe’s Frozen Mini Croissants