LCBO Food & Drink Holiday 2025

The Upper Crust from page 127

4. Wet your hands and loosen dough from sides of bowl. Repeat the stretch and fold action four to six times then tip dough into prepared pan. Fold dough into thirds like a letter, then turn over and rotate so seam is on bottom and rectangle fits pan. Put your hands under dough at corners and lightly stretch to fill pan as much as possi ble. Lightly cover with plastic wrap and let stand until very puffy and bubbly, about 11/2 hours. 5. Place rack in bottom third of oven. Preheat to 450°F (232°C). 6. Drizzle dough with remaining 1 tbsp (15 mL) oil. Use your fingers to press down and dimple dough all over—it should now look super bub bly. If you’re baking it plain, sprinkle with Maldon salt, if desired. 7. Bake in bottom third of oven until deeply browned, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. It’s best enjoyed the same day you bake it, preferably slightly warm. FRUITCAKE FOCACCIA This Italo-Anglo mash-up is reminiscent of hot cross buns and makes a beautiful addition to any holiday table. It’s brushed with a sweet glaze flavoured with olive oil and honey as soon as it comes out of the oven, then it’s sprinkled with almonds and candied peel for all the holiday feels. Of course, you can decorate it any way you want with appropriate roasted nuts and dried or candied fruit. FOCACCIA 1 recipe (Anything But) Basic Focaccia, this page 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground cloves 1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) ground allspice 2 tsp (10 mL) honey 1/4 cup (60 mL) dried cherries 1/4 cup (60 mL) chopped dried figs 3 tbsp (45 mL) sweet vermouth 1/4 cup (60 mL) chopped candied orange and lemon peels 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil Serves 8 to 12

1. For the focaccia, prepare 1 recipe (Anything But) Basic Focaccia through Step 3, but include cinnamon, cloves and allspice in dry mixture and increase honey to a total of 4 tsp (20 mL). 2. In a small saucepan, heat dried cherries, figs and vermouth over high. When it comes to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until vermouth has evaporated and fruit is soft. Remove from heat, stir in candied peels and cool completely. 3. Wet your hand and use it to loosen dough from sides of bowl. Sprinkle dough with half of fruit mixture, and stretch and fold dough until it’s fully incorporated, about four times. Let stand for 15 minutes to relax then repeat with remain ing fruit mixture until dough has tightened up into a ball. (Be gentle so fruit doesn’t poke through surface.) Turn dough out into prepared pan. Gently roll two outside edges under so you have a long rectangular shape. Lightly cover with plastic wrap and let stand until dough is very puffy and bubbly looking, for about 1 hour 15 minutes. 5. Drizzle dough with olive oil. Use your fingers to press down and dimple dough all over and gently stretch to fill corners—it should now look super bubbly. Bake until focaccia is deeply browned and baked through, about 35 minutes. Carefully transfer focaccia from pan to a wire rack to cool. 6. For the topping, whisk icing sugar, olive oil, honey, salt and water in a small bowl to make a thick glaze. If it’s too thick, add water in tiny increments until it reaches desired consistency. Brush glaze overtop of hot focaccia then sprin kle it with nuts and candied peel. Enjoy warm or at room temperature. 4. Place rack in bottom third of oven. Preheat to 425°F (218°C).

(ANYTHING BUT) BASIC FOCACCIA This is a very wet dough, which makes a beau tifully thick and puffy focaccia with a holey interior—perfect for sandwiches. The series of “stretch and folds” you do while the dough is rising helps to give the gluten enough structure to hold the air pockets. If you’re unfamiliar with the technique, you may want to search online for a visual reference. Do use a scale, if possible, for the measurements of flour and water. 11/8 lb (510 g) all-purpose flour (approx. 33/4 cups/925 mL) 2 tsp (10 mL) instant yeast 4 tsp (20 mL) Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 2 tsp (10 mL) fine sea salt 14.5 oz (410 g) lukewarm water (approx. 12/3 cups/400 mL) 2 tsp (10 mL) honey 3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil, divided Maldon salt (optional) 1. In a large mixing bowl, stir flour, yeast and salt with a fork until combined. Stir in water and honey with fork until all dry ingredients are incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, drizzle 1 tbsp (15 mL) oil overtop, and use a wet hand to fold the dough over on itself until oil has been incorporated and dough feels slightly tightened up, about 20 times. (Dough will be very wet and messy.) Scrape any dough from your hand back into bowl. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm spot for 30 minutes. 2. Wet your hands then grab dough from one side and pull it up and overtop of the dough ball. Repeat this action, rotating bowl so you work all the way around dough until it has tightened up into a ball, about eight folds. Cover bowl, let stand 30 minutes, then repeat the stretching and folding action. Let stand until doubled in size, about 30 minutes more. 3. Lightly oil a metal 9 × 13–inch (23 × 32.5–cm) baking pan. Line with a piece of parchment that goes across bottom and overhangs long sides. (This “sling” makes it easy to remove bread from pan when done.) Pour in 1 tbsp (15 mL) oil over top and spread to coat parchment.

Makes 8 to 12 servings

TOPPING 1/2 cup (125 mL) icing sugar

WHAT TO SERVE Dillon’s Sweet Vermouth VINTAGES ESSENTIALS 571133, $21.95

2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil 1 tbsp (15 mL) honey Pinch salt 11/2 tsp (7 mL) water

Sweet vermouth is in the recipe and its bitter sweet-herbal fruity notes would be a lovely match to a slice of this focaccia. Serve it on the rocks.

3 tbsp (45 mL) sliced almonds, toasted 2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped candied peel

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HOLIDAY 2025 ————————