Day 17: Brioche Bostock

I love Salon's food writer Francis Lam. His recipes are unique and interesting and usually coupled with some kind of clever story. I admire the passion he puts into perfecting simple things like scrambled eggs, so when I came across his Bostock recipe awhile ago, I knew it was a must-try. It also happens to contain a bit of honey, so is perfect for this month.

It was inexplicably challenging to obtain a loaf of brioche this week. I considered using challah and now that I've made this once I may actually try it next time with french bread. Sweet breads are almost too sweet for this sugar-soaked and frosted concoction.

Because I couldn't find brioche and didn't feel like backtracking for the challah, I decided to make my own. I consulted my favorite bread cookbook - Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day - for a brioche recipe. There were two and it happened that I had the ingredients on hand for the gluten-free recipe but not the traditional recipe, except milk. I substituted hemp milk so the bread was actually gluten-free and dairy-free (and quite good!). The brioche contains honey as well, so this is a two-for-one recipe.

This recipe might seem complicated. Jack said it looked like "a lot of work," but I hear this from him often and therein lies the key difference between my brother and me. It was not that difficult and could be considered simple if using store-bought bread. Totally worth the effort.

BRIOCHE

Yield: 1 loaf

Ingredients

1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp corn starch
1 tbsp granulated yeast
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp xanthan gum
1 1/4 cups milk (I used hemp)
1/2 cup millefiori honey
2 large eggs
1/2 cup neutral-flavored oil (I used safflower)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

I skipped the egg wash/sugar topping because I was making this for the bostock, but am including this part of the recipe:
 
Egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp water) for brushing on the loaf
Raw sugar for sprinkling on top crust

Directions

Whisk together the dry ingredients and set aside.

Combine the liquid ingredients and gradually mix them into the dry ingredients until thoroughly combined. I used my stand mixer, but a food processor or spoon/hands would also work.

Cover the dough and allow to rest at room temperature for approximately 2 hours.

Grease a brioche pan (or a regular loaf pan, which is what I used).

Shape into a ball and elongate to fit the pan. Allow the loaf to rest, covered loosely with plastic wrap, for 40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Here's where you would brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until brown and firm.

If making brioche for the bostock, allow to cool, cut into 1.5 inch thick slices and keep on the kitchen counter covered with a dish towel until stale. I made the bread on Thursday night and it was adequately stale by Sunday morning.

BOSTOCK

Yield: 4 servings (8 slices)

Ingredients

Almond Syrup

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla
Pinch salt

Frangipane

2 tbsp sugar
4 ounces (one stick) butter
8 ounces almond paste, room temperature
2 eggs
3 tbsp flour (cake is best, but all-purpose will do)

Baking and Assembly

Stale brioche (or other hard crusted bread)
Toasted, sliced or slivered almonds, to taste, for topping

Directions

Almond Syrup

Bring everything to a boil. Let cool. Will keep for weeks in your fridge.

Frangipane

Cream butter and sugar in a mixer, as if for cake.
Break up almond paste into 1-inch chunks and add to butter and sugar, mixing until not quite fully incorporated (a few BB-sized bits are OK).
Add eggs one at a time.
Add flour all at once and continue mixing until just incorporated. It should be very soft and spreadable, like the creamed butter and sugar. Store in the fridge or freezer, where it will also last for weeks.

Bostock assembly

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly grease a baking sheet.

Cut bread into 1.5-inch slices (or if you made your own brioche, it's probably already cut).

Dunk the slices in a bowl of syrup until they stop bubbling, then squeeze them out like a sponge and place them an inch or two apart on your pan. You really need the bread to be stale or it’ll turn to mush.

Spread the frangipane from edge to edge, about as much as you would to make a peanut butter sandwich.

Sprinkle almond slices on top and bake in a 350° oven about 15-20 minutes, just enough to set the frangipane and slightly caramelize the edges and keep the inside moist.