Within the pages of this debut cookbook, Crust founding chef Tom Moore shares recipes for the bakery’s most popular menu items, breaking them down into manageable steps and peppering in hints and tips to help you achieve success at home. You’ll have no trouble making the perfect baked good, whether you’re craving:
- Pies and Tarts: Impress with Crust’s famous Lemon Passion Fruit Slice, the genius Vanilla Crème Brûlée Tarts to go, or the breakfast/lunch barrier-breaking Bacon, Tomato, and Smoked Cheddar Quiche.
- Muffins, Scones, and Squares: Explore Tom’s Australian-inspired Banana and Macadamia Muffins or the simple yet scrumptious treat from his daughter, Abby’s Favorite Chocolate Rice Krispie Squares.
- Cakes: Indulge in the multi-season celebration of Zucchini Marmalade Cake or the multi-tiered decadence of Mr. Rich’s Birthday Cake.
- Cookies: Share Tom’s cheeky take on a Down Under favourite with Tom Tams or the “little black dress of cookies,” the Pecan and Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies.
- Breads: Nurture a surefire Sourdough Starter day by day (to use for several recipes) or enjoy Cinnamon Brioche Scrolls and Aussie Crunch Rolls.
After years of teaching at his culinary school, Tom has anticipated every baker’s question (and woe) with a helpful troubleshooting section. Because sometimes your dough won’t rise—and Crust will tell you why! These are bakery-quality recipes that every home baker can make with confidence.
Crust Bakery’s Roasted Tomato and Green Olive Focaccia
Excerpted from Crust by Tom Moore with Rebecca Wellman. Copyright © 2024 Tom Moore and Rebecca Wellman. Photographs by Peter Bagi and Rebecca Wellman. Photo on page xiii by Dominic Hall. Published by Appetite by Random House®, a Penguin Random House Canada Limited division. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.
It could be said that when I first started gardening for my restaurant, Grazing, in Gundaroo, I was very . . . enthusiastic. I planted eight beds of tomatoes and ended up with so many that I had to transport them to the walk-in cooler in wheelbarrows, where they sat as I pondered what to do with them! Let’s say there were a lot of roasted, sliced, sauced tomatoes on the menu that year. This is one of the recipes I created to use up some of the bounty. With olives and Parmesan, it is reminiscent of a delicious thick-crust pizza full of herbs, olive oil, and all those good earthly things. This recipe benefits from using tomatoes at the peak of their season.
1. Start the bread: In a medium bowl, combine the water and yeast, stirring gently with a fork until the yeast is dissolved.
2. Combine the flour, vegetable oil, kosher salt, sugar, and honey in a stand mixer. Add the yeast mixture and stir to combine, scraping down the sides. Mix on low speed using the dough hook attachment until all the ingredients are well combined, 30–60 seconds. Increase the speed to medium-high and mix for another 4–5 minutes. Keep an eye on the dough: it should not be sticking to the sides or bottom of the bowl. If it is, decrease the speed and carefully add 1–2 teaspoons of flour. Add the olives and 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of the parsley and mix for 20 seconds or until well incorporated through
the dough.
3. Remove the dough from the bowl and lightly spray or brush it with neutral oil. Return the dough to the bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Set it in a warm place for 30 minutes to proof (see note on page 179). You won’t see much action here yet; the dough is just getting started.
4. Place the dough on a clean counter (there is no need to flour it), gently stretch it a little, then fold it in half. Turn the dough ninety degrees, gently pull it, and fold it in half again. Repeat twice more so that you have folded the dough four times. Return the dough to the greased bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and return it to your warm proofing spot for another 30–45 minutes or until the dough has grown and doubled.
5. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush two large-rimmed sheet pans with extra virgin olive oil.
6. Make the topping: On a parchment-lined rimmed sheet pan, toss the tomatoes with olive oil, garlic, thyme, 1 teaspoon of flaky salt, chilli flakes, and pepper. Roast for 15–20 minutes, or until the tomatoes have started to crack and the herbs and garlic are fragrant. Remove from the oven, leaving the stove on, and let cool.
7. Finish the breAd: Tip the dough onto the clean counter and cut it evenly in half. Using your fingertips, gently stretch each half into a 6 × 9-inch (15 × 23 cm) rectangle. If they spring back without keeping their shape, let them rest on the counter, lightly covered with plastic wrap, for a few minutes, then try again.
8. Place each rectangle on a prepared pan, cover with a clean, dry tea towel, and place in your warm spot until the dough has risen and puffed a bit, about 25 minutes. The dough should be about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. You will prepare and bake one loaf at a time (unless you have two ovens—lucky you!), so leave the second loaf in its warm spot until you are ready.
9. Now for the fun part! Using all ten fingertips, press them into the dough of the first loaf to the bottom. Repeat evenly over the dough six times to create little wells all over the surface. The loaf will spread out a bit, and that’s just fine. Press half the tomatoes firmly into some of the wells, evenly distributing them across the dough. Drizzle half of the olive oil pan juices over the top.
10. Bake for 15–20 minutes or until the focaccia is golden brown. Immediately sprinkle with half of the Parmesan, half of the remaining parsley, and half of the remaining flaky salt. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack before eating.
11. Repeat steps 9 and 10 with the second loaf.
This bread can be kept at room temperature in an airtight container or heavy-duty plastic bag for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 4 days in a well-sealed, airtight bag. Make sure the bag is airtight so your fridge doesn’t smell of garlic! I don’t recommend freezing this loaf.
