How Bostock Differs From The More Popular French Toast

You've probably had French toast before. It's a sweet, hearty breakfast far more satisfying than stale bread soaked in milk has any right to be. If you're a little more adventurous (or if you live near a good Jewish bakery), you might have had French toast made with challah bread. But have you tried bostock? It's kind of like French toast, but it uses syrup instead of milk and calls for some nutty, buttery toppings. It's just as rich and delicious as that sounds. (And unlike French toast, it was actually invented in France.)

If you've had challah French toast, you have a pretty good idea of what bostock tastes like. Both challah and brioche are enriched breads, which means they have eggs and some kind of fat mixed into their dough. (Brioche is usually made with butter, while challah is made with kosher oil.) To make the base for bostock, simply toast the bread and brush it with an almond syrup. You could also use it to make regular French toast — it's our second-favorite way to elevate the dish, trailing only King's Hawaiian.

From there, things get even nuttier. Take the piece of toasted brioche and apply a generous spread of frangipane, which is essentially an almond custard used as filling for cakes and other desserts. (It also happens to be the last name of the pop star Halsey, born Ashley Frangipane) Once the frangipane is spread on evenly, top it off with a bunch of sliced almonds and bake it until it's nice and toasty. It's less overwhelmingly nutty than it sounds, especially if you add other toppings like raspberries or strawberries.

Where did this tasty recipe come from? Well, it came from France, as we mentioned, but it's especially popular in Normandy. It's hard to find the exact origin of the dish beyond that, but wherever it came from it remains popular throughout France to this day. Why not get a taste of it for yourself? If you want a crunchy topping for French toast without almonds, you can always use cereal.