Curtis Stone's 'Gourmet' Citrus Bostock Doesn't Require 'Any Serious Pastry Skills,' He Says

If you're coming over for brunch at Curtis Stone's house, you can expect a French-style breakfast, like this Citrus Bostock.

“It’s like making a gourmet French pastry without having to know any serious pastry skills,” says the host of the HSN+ series Getting Grilled With Curtis Stone.

Bostock, a French baked good that bakes bread with almond cream and sliced almonds, is traditionally made with brioche, but Stone says his recipe is “perfect for using up those tail ends of challah or any other firm white breads.”

“The sliced almonds give it a gentle crunch while still being moist, and the almond cream pairs nicely with the tang of the orange, lemon and lime zests," says the chef. "Make it once, and you’ll be returning to the recipe time and time again.”

"The beauty of this recipe is the ingredient list are basically pantry staples that you should have on hand," adds Stone.

Make the almond cream and citrus syrup ahead time for an even easier morning.

Curtis Stone’s Citrus Bostock

¼ cup tap water

1 tsp. grated orange zest plus ½ Tbsp. fresh orange juice (from 1 orange)

½ tsp. grated lemon zest plus ½ Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

½ tsp. grated lime zest plus ½ Tbsp. fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)

⅓ cup, plus ½ cup granulated sugar, divided

¾ cup almond flour

1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

6 Tbsp. (3 oz.) unsalted butter, softened

1 large egg

1½ tsp. almond extract

8 (1-in.-thick) day-old brioche slices, (from about 1 [14-oz.] loaf)

1 cup sliced almonds

Powdered sugar, for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Combine water, orange zest and juice, lemon zest and juice, lime zest and juice and ⅓ cup of the granulated sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium, whisking occasionally; cook until sugar is dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, whisk together almond flour and all-purpose flour in a small bowl. Beat together butter and remaining ½ cup of sugar with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add egg and almond extract; beat until just combined, about 30 seconds. Add flour mixture; beat until combined, about 30 seconds.

4. Arrange brioche on prepared baking sheet pan, and brush each slice with 1 tablespoon citrus syrup. Spread 3 tablespoons almond cream over each slice, and sprinkle evenly with almonds.

5. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and almonds are toasted, 20 to 25 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes on baking sheet. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Serves: 8
Active time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes