• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Joy the Baker
Joy the Baker
  • Cookies
  • Bread
  • Cakes
  • Pies
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Cookies
    • Birthday Cake Recipes
    • Biscuits
    • Muffins
    • Cupcakes
    • Drinks
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Fruit
    • Nuts
    • Buttermilk
    • Chocolate
    • Vanilla
    • Holiday
    • Healthy
    • Gluten-Free
    • Vegan
  • Blog
    • Baking 101
    • Tips
    • Beyond the Kitchen
    • Let It Be Sunday!
    • New Orleans
  • Shop
Watch VideoRead CommentsLeave a Review

King Cake-Inspired Easy Bostock

February 15, 2023 by Joy the Baker 7 Comments

Jump to Recipe

This Bostock toast is a delightful marriage of toast and almond croissant. Toast turns pastry.  We’re topping these toasts with orange marmalade and sliced almonds inspired by my favorite almond-filled french King Cake.

stack of Mardi Gras toast with a bite to show layers.

It’s Mardi Gras, friends!  The big BIG weekend and Fat Tuesday are just days away and who would I be if I didn’t have a fresh King Cake offering for you?  Mardi Gras from Houston (where I’ve been spending a majority of my time) is… well, it’s not Mardi Gras save for the King Cake sold at HEB (which – delicious).  Luckily, I’m headed back to New Orleans this weekend where my drawer full of sparkly pants, wigs, and face glitter await.

Now we’ve had years and years of King Cakes around here, from fancy puff pastry galette des rois cookies to the very easy one-dish king cake.  This rendition takes the cake er… toast.  I’ve taken inspiration from traditional almond filled galette des rois and smeared the filling atop thick slices of brioche instead of tucking it away inside pastry.  We’ll top the elegant toasts with powdered sugar, which has ‘beignet’ written all over it. All of this is to say, King Cake is now, more than ever, a breakfast food.  Not that we ever needed permission to have cake for breakfast but now that cake is toast and it’s a delight.

This recipe is inspired by Jake Cohen and all of his beautiful challah.

individual ingredients to make a Mardi Gras dessert toast recipe.

Here are the ingredients needed for this King Cake-inspired Bostock pastry:

•  brioche bread, challah sliced, or a thick sliced buttery sandwich bread – any leftover bread is great for this French pastry

•  almond flour

•  granulated sugar

•  unsalted butter

•  a large egg

•  almond extract and vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

•  orange zest and orange flower water (if you have some on hand)

•  sea salt

•  sliced almonds

•  powdered sugar

•  orange marmalade

•  gold flakes or sprinkles to be extra festive

pouring sugar into a pot to melt for simple syrup for bostsock
brushing simple syrup on toast lined on a baking pan for bostock pastry.


First, slice brioche. We’ll start by making a quick simple syrup to brush each slice of bread.  Because we’re adding moisture and topping the bread with loads of flavor, this is a perfect recipe to make with a stale loaf of bread.

Simply dissolve granulated sugar into water in a small saucepan. BOOM. Syrup. BUT, this easy bread wash is also an easy place to add flavor.  I add a splash of rum and a few dashes of orange flower water. Gorgeous. Brush syrup on both sides of the bread and set aside on a baking sheet.

whisking wet ingredients and sugar together for a Mardi Gras dessert recipe.

Next we’ll make the topping for the toast.  Whisk together almond flour, sugar, melted butter, and egg. Luxury, right?  Finish with orange zest, almond extract, vanilla bean paste, and a sprinkle of sea salt to the bostock batter.

spreading ingredients on toast on a baking sheet for bostock.
spreading orange frangipane on bread for a Mardi Gras dessert


Now, let’s assemble.  Traditional bostock recipes don’t call for jam or marmalade but since there are Mardi Gras inspired – MORE IS MORE.  I chose orange marmalade because of all the lovely citrus grown in Louisiana but truly, whatever jam you have in the fridge is perfect.

Spread each slice of bread lightly with jam and then spread generously with the almond batter.  I like to top each soon-to-be toast with an extra smear of jam. Option but, why not live?

You can leave the marmalade off the toast all together – it’s delicious topped with fresh berries in lieu of jam.  Make the toast you like! 

sprinkling ingredients on thick sliced bread covered in orange frangipane
Mardi Gras king cake toast on a baking sheet with sliced almonds


Make the Sprinkle each toast with sliced almonds and bake in the oven until the toasts are golden brown around the edges and smell divine.  The baking time is the perfect moment to make a pot of coffee and gather powdered sugar and sprinkles.

overhead shot of Mardi Gras toast on individual vintage plates
action shot of powdered sugar being sprinkled on Mardi Gras bostock toast


These toasts are the perfect blend of French toast and bakery almond croissant, all from our very own ovens in just a few minutes. Is it a perfect weekend brunch food? Absolutely yes.

Mardi Gras dessert or easy bostock recipe on a vintage plate with a vintage fork.

Happy Mardi Gras, friends! Let me know how you love this recipe with rating and commenting below. xo

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
action shot of powdered sugar being sprinkled on Mardi Gras bostock toast

King Cake Inspired Bostock

★★★★★ 5 from 5 reviews
  • Author: Joy the Baker
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 16-20 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 6 toasts 1x
  • Category: breakfast, brunch, holiday
  • Method: baking
Pin Recipe
Print Recipe

Description

Mardi Gras-inspired French Bostock pastry topped with orange marmalade and toasty almonds.


Ingredients

Scale

For the Syrup:

  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon rum, optional
  • A few drops of orange flower water

For the Topping and Toast:

  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • 1/4 teaspoon grated orange zest
  • 1 large egg
  • A pinch of sea salt
  • About 1 cup of sliced almonds
  • 6 thick slices of brioche, slightly stale is best
  • Orange marmalade or any jam you love
  • Powdered sugar
  • Gold sprinkles or flakes if you have them

Instructions

  1. Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In a small bowl pan heat water and sugar. I know it’s such a tiny amount but swirl it around the pan until the sugar dissolves. It should just take a few minutes. Add the rum and orange flower water. You can skip the rum if you’d like – no biggie. Set the syrup aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together almond flour and sugar. Pour in the melted butter, almond extract, vanilla paste, orange zest, egg, and salt. Whisk the mixture together into a spreadable paste.
  4. Let’s assemble the toast. Use a brush to lightly brush both sides of bread with the sweet syrup. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Spread each slice with orange marmalade (or any jam) to the edges. Spoon a generous 2 tablespoons of almond mixture onto the toast and spread until just nearing the edge of the bread. Add a swoop of orange marmalade to the top of the almond mixture. Sprinkle each toast with a few tablespoons of sliced almonds as you see fit.
  5. Bake for 16-20 minutes until golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before dusting generously with powdered sugar (and gold sprinkles or flakes) and serving.

Keywords: almond, frangipane, king cake, mardi gras, brioche, toast,

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

Previous PostNext Post

Categories: Breakfast, Holiday, Recipes

Previous Post: «
Next Post: My 10 Best King Cake Recipes »

Reader Interactions

All Comments
I Made This
Questions
  1. Allison Timme

    February 23, 2023 at 12:31 pm

    Made this with my two year olds with raspberry jam for them and orange for me, it was easy enough to do together and so delicious!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  2. Amy

    February 19, 2023 at 4:17 pm

    This recipe was amazing! I made it with raspberry jam since that is what I had on hand. It is rich and sweet and delicious. My toasts didn’t brown sufficiently on the bottom in the oven, so I griddled them with a little butter after they came out of the oven. Next time I think I will dial back the sugar in the almond paste and go a little lighter with the powdered sugar dusting. I will be making this again for many special occasion brunches to come!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  3. Lynn m

    February 19, 2023 at 8:17 am

    Made this with gluten free bread this morning for my kiddos, minus the booze. They are so good and easy to make

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  4. Barbara Miller

    February 16, 2023 at 3:12 pm

    So nice. I’ve never had King Cake. I’ll be making this soon. Shared on my pinterest board “Bread for Dessert”. TY for sharing your recipes with us.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  5. Wood Heather

    February 16, 2023 at 12:52 pm

    I’ve read the recipe a few times and I don’t see when you soak the bread in the liquid mixture or do you pour it over the bread?

    Reply
    • Abby Mallett

      February 16, 2023 at 1:13 pm

      Hello! You brush the simple syrup mixture on both sides of the bread. I hope this helps and happy baking! :)

      Reply
    • Rebecca Brown

      February 18, 2023 at 12:53 pm

      There’s also a video you can watch of how she makes the recipe.

      ★★★★★

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

RELATED POSTS IN Recipes

close up shot of birthday cake recipes with a lit candle on top
The Distinguished Guest Birthday Cake

I flipped through an old vintage cookbook to find one of my favorite birthday cake recipes. A light and tender white cake filled with an easy almond-studded butterscotch caramel, topped with smooth mocha buttercream.  A cake made for a “Distinguished Guest” as Martha Meade suggests is indeed also perfect for a Distinguished Birthday. Forgotten in…

Read More

overhead view of crepe cake with a generous slice removed
Honey Chamomile Crêpe Cake

Let’s celebrate the delicate flavors of honey and chamomile with a heavenly crepe cake! It’s as stunning as it is delicious. This labor of love is layers of thin chamomile crêpes filled with a rich honey and mascarpone cream, topped with a sprinkle of flowers. Friends, hello! We’ve officially entered May, my birthday month so…

Read More

lemon crumb cake slices on a cake plate
Lemon Curd Crumb Cake

Revel in the tangy-sweet goodness of this simple lemon cake recipe made with lemon curd and streusel crumble. This easy single layer cake is bursting with bright lemon flavor, perfect for any occasion (like the upcoming weekend, babes). There is nothing finer than starting the weekend off with a thick slice of cake for breakfast…

Read More

Primary Sidebar

Fresh baked emails, delivered to your inbox

Jump to Recipe

Receive recipes from Joy the Baker and updates on events at The Bakehouse.

HI! I’M JOY!

Jump to Recipe

Welcome! This has been my little corner of the internet since 2008!

I’m a baker, photographer, cookbook author and teacher.  I live laugh love in New Orleans. 

MORE ABOUT JOY AND THE TEAM

BOOKS + Magazines

Jump to Recipe

JOY THE BAKER 2022 SUMMER MAGAZINE

JOY THE BAKER 2021 HOLIDAY MAGAZINE

JOY THE BAKER 2020 HOLIDAY MAGAZINE

HOMEMADE DECADENCE

OVER EASY: SWEET AND SAVORY RECIPES FOR LEISURELY DAYS COOKBOOK

JOY THE BAKER COOKBOOK

Jump to Recipe
joy the baker on facebook joy the baker on twitter pinterest-social instagram-socialbloglovin-social

JOY @ WILLIAMS SONOMA

Jump to Recipe

SHOP THE CAKE LINE OF CAKE MIXES!

DRAKE ON CAKE

Jump to Recipe

Passionate from miles away since 2015.

CHECK IT OUT ON INSTAGRAM

Drake on cake instagram.

 

BREADS YOU’LL LOVE

jambalaya buttermilk biscuits in a row

Smoked Sausage Jambalaya Buttermilk Biscuits

inside of warm cinnamon roll on plate

How To Make The Best Single Serve Cinnamon Roll

Orange roll on a plate with a fork.

Christmas Morning Orange Rolls

LET’S MAKE COOKIES!

a stack of white chocolate macadamia nut cookies with a bite taken out of the top one with milk

Classic White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

wider shot of lemon bars stacked on a plate with a bite taken out of one lemon bar

My Favorite Classic Lemon Bars Recipe

completed recipe close up shot of a blondie so the toasted almonds, chocolate chips, and sea salt can be seen

My Best Classic Blondie Recipe

Footer

Instagram

joythebaker

📚Baker, author of books, lover of butter
🎂Creator @drakeoncake
📝Inquiries megan@underscoretalent.com
🍰 Products with @williamssonoma

joythebaker
Please make these easy Milk and Cereal Ice Cream B Please make these easy Milk and Cereal Ice Cream Bars for the crunch of it all. 💖🍨 Full recipe linked in the bio!
Your mission this weekend, should you choose to ac Your mission this weekend, should you choose to accept it: turn little slices of 🍌🍌 into cinnamon sugar topped pancakes. 💖 Full recipe linked in the bio mmmkay enjoy!
The To-Do List can wait until after cookies, amiri The To-Do List can wait until after cookies, amiright? 
⁣
Two Giant Peanut Butter Cookies⁣
(or four smaller cookies) ⁣
⁣
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted⁣
1/3 cup brown sugar, lightly packed⁣
1 large egg yolk⁣
A splash of vanilla extract⁣
1/4 cup peanut butter⁣
1/2 cup all-purpose flour or a gluten-free flour blend⁣
1/4 teaspoon baking soda⁣
1/4 teaspoon salt⁣
Coarse sugar and/or sea salt for sprinkling, optional⁣
⁣
Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees f. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. ⁣
⁣
I’m a medium bowl, whisk together warm melted butter and brown sugar. Whisk in the egg yolk and vanilla extract. Add the peanut butter and mix to combine. ⁣
⁣
Add the dry ingredients and use a spatula to fold all the ingredients together. Divide in two big portions (or four smaller portions) onto the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with sugar and salt if you’d like. ⁣
⁣
Bake two giant cookies for 12-14 minutes, or four cookies for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving with cold milk.
You know those particularly messy sandwiches that, You know those particularly messy sandwiches that, when you pick up, you know you can’t put down until they’re good and gone? These Milk and Cereal Bars are the ice cream version of that sensation. So crunchy creamy sweet, with a hint of salt and spice. ⁣
⁣
Three Mostly Store-Bought Homemade Ice Cream Treat recipes are linked in the profile. It’s giving Semi-Homemade without the tablescapes or vodka. Iykyk.
I spent the weekend with Will and my family in Sou I spent the weekend with Will and my family in Southern California and there were sailboats, and vintage cars, and paddle boarding, and so many family laughs, and cookouts, and holding hands with my handsome boyfriend in a backwards baseball cap (WHY IS THAT SO SEXY?) but - the way we ordered a second TOWER OF ONION RINGS for the table at lunch was like…. BEYOND. 🥲🥰🥹😅🥳
Raise you hand if you secretly love a boxed cake m Raise you hand if you secretly love a boxed cake mix? Me: 🙋🏻‍♀️
⁣
My favorite version is this Easy Strawberry Sheet Cake baby topped with cream cheese frosting and extra fresh 🍓🍓. Perfect for the holiday weekend amiright? ⁣
⁣
Full recipe linked in the bio!
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2023 · Joy the Baker
All rights reserved. Violators will be whupped and sent to bed with no dessert · Privacy Policy

Scroll Up