Spokane County Interstate Fair special recipe contest winners announced
The Spokane County Interstate Fair has announced winners of the special recipe contests.
Judges picked Meleah MeltingTallow’s Chocolate Mint Fantasy Cake for the top prize in the Ghirardelli Chocolate Championship. The rich, chocolate cake is topped with mint-infused buttercream and ganache. It’s the first time MeltingTallow, of Medical Lake, has ever competed in a fair or cooking contest, according to a news release. She received a $150 prize.
Lesley Parker, of Spokane, won first place in the Karo Perfect Pie contest with a Salted Nut Caramel Pie, a recipe inspired by her favorite candy bar. The home economics teacher won the $150 first prize.
Kathy White won the Fleischmann’s Yeast “Bake for the Cure” contest with Oatmeal Bread. White, of Spokane, said she was inspired by the farm breads and molasses breads served at restaurants. She won $100 in the competition, which is held at 52 fairs across the country and helps to raise awareness of breast cancer.
Twelve year old Jeanna Wagner, of Newman Lake, was also a winner in the Fleishmann’s Yeast “Bake for the Cure” contest with her Honey Bread.
Wagner loves spending time in the kitchen with her family and took home $150 for her recipe.
The Spokane County Interstate Fair continues through Sunday at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center. There is more information online at www.spokanecounty.org/ fair/sif/.
Chocolate Mint Fantasy Cake
From Meleah MeltingTallow of Medical Lake, first place, Ghirardelli Chocolate Championship, Spokane Interstate Fair, 2011
2 cups white sugar
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
For the Peppermint Buttercream:
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons peppermint extract
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
Dash salt
Water or milk
For the Chocolate Mint Ganache:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves, torn in half
1 2/3 cup Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour two 9-inch round pans. Sift dry ingredients together. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla and mix for 3 minutes with an electric mixer. Slowly add boiling water and stir the mixture by hand. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove cakes and allow to cool completely.
To make the Peppermint Buttercream: Cream butter and shortening in electric mixer. Add extracts. Slowly add powdered sugar and salt and continue to mix in mixer until combined and fluffy. Add sufficient water or milk until spreadable consistency. Spread between stacked layers of cake and around sides and top of cake.
For the Chocolate Mint Ganache: Bring heavy cream to a boil over medium heat. Add mint leaves and remove from heat. Allow mint to steep in cream for 20 minutes. In a small saucepan, add chocolate. Pour warmed cream through a sieve onto the chopped chocolate. Stir to combine, warming if necessary. Allow mixture to sit until spreadable consistency and frost the cake. Decorate cake with chocolate roses and mint leaves if desired.
Yield: 1 cake
Salted Nut Caramel Pie
From Lesley Parker of Spokane, first place, Karo Perfect Pie Contest, Spokane Interstate Fair, 2011
1 package refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup white Karo corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 (8 ounce) container nondairy whipped topping
1/2 cup salted, roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Press peanut butter cookie dough into a large pie plate. Crimp edges. Bake approximately 20-25 minutes or until crust begins to brown. Cool.
Cook sweetened condensed milk on medium heat, stirring constantly, until milk turns golden. Pour into cooled crust. Sprinkle peanuts over the caramel. Beat cream cheese, Karo syrup and vanilla until light and fluffy. Fold whipped topping into cream cheese mixture. Spoon over caramel layer.
Finish pie by lightly drizzling caramel topping over top and garnish with a few peanuts.
Yield: 1 pie
Oatmeal Bread
From Kathy White of Spokane, first place whole-grain bread, Fleischmann’s Yeast “Bake for the Cure” contest, Spokane County Interstate Fair, 2011
1 3/4 cups boiling water
1 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup molasses
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 cups wheat flour
1/3 cup oil
1 tablespoons sugar
2 cups bread flour
1 packet Fleischmann’s Yeast
Combine water and oats; set aside for 15 minutes. In bread machine, combine oat mixture and remaining ingredients and set on dough and sweet cycle (or bowl method). Remove from machine, shape and place in two greased pans. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Yield: 2 loaves bread
Honey Bread
From 12-year-old Jenna Wagner of Newman Lake, first place, Fleischmann’s Yeast “Bake for the Cure” contest, Spokane County Interstate Fair, 2011
7 cups bread flour, divided
1 cup wheat bran
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
3 packets Fleischmann’s RapidRise Yeast
2 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup clover honey
1 egg, well beaten
Egg wash (1 egg, plus 1 tablespoon water)
2 tablespoons flax seeds
2 tablespoons course sea salt
2 tablespoons wheat bran
In a large bowl, mix 5 cups flour, wheat bran, salt and yeast. In a large saucepan, warm buttermilk, butter and honey to 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove pan from stove and let cool to 90 degrees. After buttermilk is cool, add beaten egg. Stir liquid ingredients into flour mixture with a wooden spoon. Stir until all ingredients are incorporated.
Sprinkle flat surface with remaining 2 cups of flour. Knead dough by hand for 10 minutes or until dough is no longer tacky and is smooth and elastic.
Place the dough in a large oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover with lid or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Grease 5 small loaf pans (7 1/4 by 3 by 2 1/2 inches); set aside. Punch dough down.
Divide into 5 equal pieces; shape each into a loaf and place in prepared pans. Cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 45-60 minutes. Just before baking, gently brush tops with egg wash. Generously sprinkle with mixed flax seeds, sea salt and wheat bran.
Bake in preheated 375-degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Remove from pans and place on a wire rack until cool. Serve with additional butter and honey.
Yield: 5 small loaves