About us

AP Bakery is an ‘All-Purpose’ all-star collaboration that sprang up in 2021 from a community of bread-lovers including Ester owner Mat Lindsay, Paramount House Hotel founder Ping Jin Ng and Reuben Hills owner Russell Beard. 

“It went from zero to 300 very quickly,” says head baker Dougal Muffet, who worked as a chef with Mat Lindsay at Ester, then at rural Moonacres, while the world of flour slowly lured him. “My parents are farmers and I grew up on a wheat farm,” he says. “There are layers of interest in the craft of baking.” 

Dougal loves every aspect of running a bakery. “Making bread is fun, you’re forever learning with it,” he says. The community side is enriching too. “Bread is an everyday commodity that deep down inside we all crave. There is something warm and fuzzy about the product that we make.” \

He identifies two sides to the business: the nourishing sourdough side and the treat side (hello hot cross buns!). “Feeding people something grown well, made well and healthy makes us feel great,” he says. “But it’s great to sell bomboloni as well. There’s the part where we’re contributing to health and the part where we’re contributing to happiness. Both of them are equally important.”

HXB

“This is a special time of year for bakers,” says AP’s Dougal Muffet. “We look forward to it - a bit scared and a bit excited.” He reckons hot cross buns should stay pretty traditional. “It’s a bit sacreligious to do anything too wonky.”

To make the AP HXB, the team toasts and mills spices in house, then mixes currants, sultanas and orange peel through the dough. “We bake them and brush them with a brown sugar and cardamom glaze,” says Dougal. “They are very traditional but we really try to bring the flavour.”

How it works

By signing up, you will receive access to pre-order for the special moments of the year. Whether it be for Hot Cross Buns over Easter, Christmas orders or pies for Grand Final Day, you will be sure to be guaranteed not to miss out on A.P.'s finest. We will also use our pre-order service to try new products to get your nod of approval!