Almond Croissant Toast

Turning day-old bread into a mini luxury.

Baker’s Notes:

Custardy almond topping; crispy edges

Stay-at-home treat; uses leftover bread

Hi Bakers!

It’s been a blistering cold January  - or as cold as it really gets here in Vancouver. Unseasonably dry and sunny, but icy cold. I wished for a White Christmas, but now that we are back into our regular routine, the snow can stay in the very near mountains while we soak in some unexpected Vitamin D.

When it’s too cold to go out, I turn to my kitchen rituals for comfort - brewing large pots of milky tea, queuing up a playlist, toasting sourdough or peeling some fresh citrus, and taking a beat to clear and reset the countertops. These little luxuries always refresh the aura when I’ve been stuck inside for too long. 

Another thing I've leaning into is that bread and butter is one of the greatest forms of self love. Okay, humor me and just think about it - instead of grabbing a coffee shop muffin, granola bar, or scrolling hunched over the counter and mindlessly snacking, slowing down to toast a slice of house bread (whatever you keep at home - homemade sourdough, the kids’ sandwich bread, seeded or cinnamon-swirled), slathering it in good butter with a little jam or honey and maybe a sprinkle of salt is all like a warm hug for the soul.

This is the type of self-care I strive for - taking a little time to make something for myself or do an easy task. Honestly the time it takes for the kettle to boil and tea to steep is generally enough time to change my mood. 

A recipe we’ve been treating ourselves to lately is Bostock. This is like bread and butter gone luxe for a midmorning or afternoon reset. The French pastry was created to use up day-old brioche in a less soggy, syrupy alternative to American French toast. Thick slices of bread get brushed with simple syrup, topped with almond cream, or frangipane, and baked. It’s like almond croissant toast!

Frangipane is a buttery almond paste that is used to turn regular croissants into almond croissants. Here it is spread on pillowy milk bread. After baking, the edges crisp and the center is rich and indulgent.

You can change up the flavor by adding orange zest or vanilla bean to the simple syrup and/or sneaking in a layer of jam or marmalade before the frangipane. I made mine with a splash of elderflower syrup and raspberry jam. The whole thing comes together in about 25 minutes. Shower generously with icing sugar and savor this simple little splendor at home.