405 crust recipes

Chewy homemade bagels made with a bread machine, boiled in barley malt water for that glossy golden crust, then baked with your choice of poppy seeds, sesame, or onion.

Slow-baked country ham with a brown sugar, honey, dry sherry, and Dijon mustard glaze applied three times for a sticky, caramelized crust. The centerpiece for any holiday feast.

Crisp, lightly sweet banana crackers made with mashed banana, honey, butter, and flour. Thin, crunchy, and naturally flavored, these homemade crackers double as a fruit cobbler crust when crumbled.

A cold seafood pizza appetizer on a flaky crescent roll crust with sour cream spread, shrimp, crab, broccoli, and colorful bell peppers. The potluck crowd-pleaser that vanishes first.

A surprising double-crust pie filled with sliced carrots, apples, raisins, and orange zest, lightly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. Old-fashioned, sweet, and unlike any pie you've tried.

Pan-fried trout with a crunchy cornmeal crust, seasoned with just salt and pepper. Three ingredients, one skillet, and the kind of simplicity that lets fresh-caught fish shine.

Fresh berry tarts: a pair of giant 10x15 inch sheet tarts with vanilla cream over sweet pie crust, one tart piled with glazed cherries, the other with glossy blueberries.

Easy chicken fried steak with a triple-coated golden crispy crust and a hint of nutmeg in the breading. The Texas-style cube steak classic in under 40 minutes.

Homemade bagels boiled then baked for that classic chewy crust and tender crumb. Customize with poppy, sesame, garlic, or onion toppings. Freezer-friendly and worth every minute of kneading.

Old-school corn rye bread with an overnight onion-steeped rye sour, chewy bread-flour body, caraway seed crust, and a glossy egg-washed finish. Classic Jewish deli style.

Deep-fried Camembert dredged in mustard-herb flour and a spicy bread crumb crust with chili powder and cayenne. Crackling-crisp outside, molten cheese inside. A 30-second appetizer.

Roast rack of lamb under a crisp mustard-and-herb breadcrumb crust of parsley, rosemary and garlic. An elegant medium-rare centerpiece that looks impressive but comes together simply.

Oven-fried chicken breast with a crispy seasoned breadcrumb coating, no deep frying needed. Dipped in yogurt, flour, and egg white for a crunchy crust with less fat than traditional fried chicken.

Deep-dish rhubarb strawberry pie with a flaky shortening crust, fresh fruit filling spiced with cinnamon and cloves, and a sugared lattice top. The classic spring-into-summer pie baked in a square dish.

Homemade bagels made with potato water for extra softness and chew. Boiled in sugared water then baked until golden - this classic method delivers that glossy, crispy crust. Makes 30 bagels.

Low-fat cheesecake made with overnight-strained yogurt and blended cottage cheese instead of cream cheese. Dense, silky, and tangy on a graham cracker crust with no cream cheese at all.