If you’ve had the opportunity to visit beautiful Victoria, B.C., then maybe you know firsthand how delectable tucking into a treat from Crust Bakery is. Dubbed “Victoria’s favourite bakery,” it came with great excitement when Tom Moore, the founding chef and co-owner of Crust, shared what is clearly a personal collection of the best his bakery offers. From pies to breads to cakes and cookies, Crust is a wonderful cookbook that supports the idea that everyone can bake.
Loaded with clear, concise instructions and helpful hints, this book was a treat to review and would seriously make an ideal gift for any baker in your life—new or seasoned. Below are the recipes that I tested out. You can find full recipes from the publisher for some. They're hyperlinked below. Happy baking (and tasting!).
Tarts and Pies
I highly recommend making this book's Sweet and the Savoury Pie Dough recipes. Once you have those made (and easily stored in the fridge or freezer), you will feel the ultimate freedom to make any pie whenever the mood strikes. Now, I know many people have a fear of pastry, but honestly, these are foolproof recipes. Once you’ve nailed the pastry recipe, the pies and tarts below will be a breeze:
Chocolate, Bourbon and Pecan Butter Tarts, Page 47
This is where your Sweet Pie Dough recipe comes into play. The dough makes enough pastry for eight four-inch tarts, which is exactly what you need for this recipe. The outcome was exactly what you’d want in a butter tart with a perfectly balanced accompaniment from bourbon and chocolate. Delicious.
Zucchini, Dill and Feta Quiche, Page 51
This recipe uses the Savoury Pie Dough. I must say, the combination of zucchini, fresh dill and salty feta encased in a creamy egg custard is a winner! A slice of this pie with a green salad dressed with a lemony Dijon dressing? Absolute perfection.
Muffins, Scones and Squares
A great bakery has to have muffins, scones and squares. And Crust's chapter on the trifecta was inspiring. These are my faves from this section of the book:
Toffee Poached Apple Muffins with Salted Almond Crumble, Page 61
Let me warn you: This is NOT a simple batch of 20-minute muffins. Rather, this is a recipe in a recipe in a recipe. Having said that, I’ve never made a caramel by adding three tablespoons of sugar at a time. And I certainly have never used apple juice as the liquid in a caramel sauce. And yet, this alchemy was truly transformative. The caramel was light and also profoundly flavoured. The caramel makes about five cups, but you only need 1 1/2 cups for these muffins, so keep the extras in the fridge for use on oatmeal, for dipping apple slices or pouring over vanilla ice cream.
But back to the muffins: Once you have your poached apples, you make your salted almond crumble. THEN you can make your muffins. Honestly, these were delicious, but they were a serious investment in time and energy. Make it your next recipe project during spring break.
Jalapeño Cheddar Scones, Page 75
Sharp cheddar with briny jalapeños encased in a tender biscuit? Of course, I’m making it. These have become a repeat in my household as they’re absolutely marvellous for lunch with creamy tomato soup.
Cakes
Cakes needn’t be for any special occasion and the recipes I tested are great alongside coffee or for holding a birthday candle.
Sticky Toffee Date Cake, Page 97
I’m a sucker for sticky toffee anything and this cake is up there with the best of them. It’s dense and super moist, just want you’d want in a great slice. And the addition of the bourbon-flavoured toffee sauce just finishes it off perfectly. 10/10, no notes.
Blackberry Almond Snacking Cake, Page 125
This is the most basic of cakes, but it yields a light crumb with a slight chew, which is perfect for soaking up the blackberries tossed on top before it bakes. I love that Moore gives license to add any combination of fresh or frozen fruits to the cake. If blackberries are hard to come by, throw on raspberries, pitted cherries, halved plums, peaches or whatever is in season. But what really sets this more humble cake apart is the blackberry Icing. That alone is what elevates it to be candle-worthy. Get the recipe: Blackberry Almond Snacking Cake
Cookies
You know my love of sticky toffee, but who doesn’t love a cookie? During the holidays, I always make a ginger cookie and some biscotti to have on hand for guests who pop in. With that in mind, I used the holiday season to test-run a couple of recipes already in my repertoire. These will now be re-made in my house for future holiday seasons.
Ginger Chew Cookies, Page 139
This is a tender and chewy version of your favourite ginger snap cookie. I loved the use of both powdered and candied ginger. It's just perfect and not overly sweet.
Cranberry, Lemon and Pistachio Biscotti, Page 167
IMO, this is the perfect antidote to sickeningly sweet and heavy holiday desserts. The recipe uses a cup of coffee is exactly what I want on Christmas morning. Even though the dried cherries are sweetened, they still have a tart bite. That along with fragrant lemon zest and crunchy pistachios, make it right up everyone’s alley.
Breads
I have a fear of sourdough. There, I said it. During the pandemic, my husband (like everyone else) tried his hand at sourdough and we will gently and with so much love say he was not exactly successful. But if you can get it started, the recipes in this section will bring you much joy with sourdough variations like Potato, Asiago and Green Onion and Cranberry Walnut.
Roasted Tomato and Green Olive Focaccia, Page 191
This is only one of four focaccia recipes in this section. The recipe was easy to make and had the perfect open crumb that soaked up the cherry tomato juices. If you’re prone to decadence, a few slicks of good extra virgin olive oil just before eating would be perfect.
PB&J Banana Bread, Page 216
Here we have the most basic and beloved combo in a dense and super satisfying loaf. As per the author’s notes, because this is such a dense loaf, it is easy to underbake it, so make sure the centre of the loaf fully rises and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean before you finish baking it. The end result? Exactly what you’d think: nostalgic, satisfying, delicious. Get the recipe: PB&J Banana Bread.
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 division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.
