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By The Contestants!First Place, Junior Division: Michio Poppleton, age 14
Apple Streusel Cake
For the streusel:
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup chopped apples
1 cup sliced almonds, pecans or walnuts (optional)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter, melted
For the cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup orange juice
For the glaze:
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2-1/2 teaspoons orange juice
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9- or 10-inch tube pan. To prepare streusel, in a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, apples, almonds, flour and cinnamon. Stir in melted butter and set aside.
2. For cake: in a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and soda; mix well and set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time; beat well after each addition. Add vanilla.
3. Set mixer to low; alternately beat flour mixture and orange juice into egg mixture. Spoon half of streusel into tube pan. Sprinkle with half of streusel.
4. Spoon the remaining batter over the streusel, spreading to make an even layer. Swirl batter with a knife to create a marble pattern.
5. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove cake from oven; sprinkle top with remaining streusel. Return cake to the oven; bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; cool completely.
6. Combine confectioners' sugar and orange juice. Mix well. Turn cake out onto a serving plate; invert so streusel is on top. Drizzle glaze over cake; serve.
Serves 12
First Place, Adult Division: Eileen Poppleton
Houlihan's Apple Strudel Pie
6 or 7 green tart apples (preferably Greening or Pippin)
juice of ½ lemon, strained
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup currants
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon butter, melted & cooled
1 9- or 10-inch unbaked pie shell
Topping
1/3 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Peel and slice enough apples 1/4-inch thick to make 6 cups. Toss in large bowl with lemon juice. Add sugars, currants, flour and spices. Toss lightly to distribute evenly. Add water and butter and toss. Pile evenly into shell.
For topping: Using 2 knives, cut butter into flour until mixture is crumbly. Gently mix in sugars and spices. Pile lightly over apples, covering top completely. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees and continue baking 1 hour. Remove pie from oven and allow it to cool slightly.
For Glaze: Combine ingredients and mix until smooth. Drizzle over warm pie.
Cool completely before serving.
Serves 6 to 8.
Second Place, Adult Division: Nikki Castro (tied with self; two recipes!)
Favorite Apple Pie
[Nikki made 4 smaller pies for the contest]
One 9 inch double pie crust:
2-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold shortening or butter
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water
Mix dry ingredients: whisk together flour and salt in a bowl large enough that you'll be able to plunge both hands in to work with the dough.
Cut in the shortening or butter, combining thoroughly. The mixture should form very small, very even crumbs.
Add the water, a tablespoon at a time, and toss with a fork to moisten the dough evenly.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the ball of dough in half, pat into flat disks about an inch thick, wrap both halves in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
To complete the pie:
2 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
3/4 to 1 cup sugar, to taste
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
4-5 cups (1-1/2 to 2 pounds) cored, peeled and diced (1/2-inch) apples (recommend ½ Mutsu & ½ Jonagold)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar mixed with 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon, for topping
Remove piecrust dough from the refrigerator. If it has been chilling for longer than 30 minutes, let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes, until it's pliable. Roll one piece out to about 13 inches in diameter and crefully transfer it to a 9-inch pie pan. Usnig a pair of scissors, trim it to a 1-inch overhang and fold the edges under. Use the trimmed-off pieces to patch any of the rest of the crust if necessary.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, spices, and salt. Add the diced apples and toss to combine thoroughly. Add the vanilla and cream and stir well. Spoon the filling into the crust. Roll the second crust to a diameter of 10 to 11 incehes, lay it on top of the filling and crimp to seal. Brush the top with milk, then sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.
Place the pie on a foil-lined baking sheet, to catch any spills. Bake the pie for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 40 to 50 minutes, until the top is medium-brown and the juices are clear and bubbly. If the crust appears to be browning too quickly, cover it with a piecrust shield or strips of aluminum foil.
Nikki Castro: Apple Nut Muffins
12 servings
2/3 cup apple juice or milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla exract
1 egg
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 cup chopped, peeled apple
Sugar-Cinnamon Mix
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 teapoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon margarine, melted
For topping, in a bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon and margarine. Set aside until needed.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a 12-cup muffin tin by greasing or lining with papers.
In a large bowl, beat together juice, oil, vanilla and egg. Stir in flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix just until moistened. (Batter will be lumpy) Stir in nuts and apple.
Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin, filling cups two-thirds full. Sprinkle with Sugar-Cinnamon Mix.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Third Place, Adult Division: Dee Feci: Apple-Rhubarb Pie
Crust: 2 cups flour - 2 T sugar - 1 stick butter
Mix in food processor - add 6-7 T cold water & mix until it adheres together - divide in 2 halves. Roll bottom half & place in pie plate - cover with 1/3 cup crushed Wheaties.
Filling: 5 cups sliced pippin apples - 2 cups sliced rhubarb - 1 T lemon juice - 1 1/4 c sugar - 1/2 t cinnamon - 3 T flour - 1/4 t vanilla
Mix all together in a bowl. Spoon into bottom crust - dot with 1 T butter. Place second rolled out half crust over filling - fold under and flute edge - rub a bit of beaten egg white over top & sprinkle with 1/2 t sugar & dash of cinnamon. Bake at 375 degrees for 70 minutes.
Kimberly Wright: Italian Apple Cake
Serves 8-10
2 lb Jonagold apples (5-6)
grated zest of one lemon
juice of ½ lemon
6 Amaretti di Saronno, finely crushed
2 large eggs
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted & cooled
1/3 cup lukewarm milk
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup unbleached flour
½ cup ground whole almonds
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
¼ cup granulated sugar
confectioners' sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan.
Peel, core and chop apples into small pieces. Place in a large bowl and toss with lemon zest & juice & crushed amaretti. Set aside.
In a large mixer bowl, beat eggs with ¾ cup sugar and vanilla until pale yellow and thick.. Gradually beat in flour and ground almonds. Dissolve baking soda in milk and beat butter and milk into egg mixture. Fold in apple mixture
In a medium bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add ¼ cup sugar and continue beating until stiff. Fold into apple batter. Pour batter into prepared pan and shake gently to distribute evenly.
Bake on middle rack of oven until top of cake is golden brown and sides begin to come away from the pan, 40-50 minutes. Let cool on a rack to room temperature. Remove sides of pan, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar & serve.
[This is a very moist cake; the apples could be decreased for a slightly drier result.]