2007 Award-winning Desserts

(from Damon Lee Fowler's New Southern Baking)
Chef: Mary Roby

1 1/2 c. (10 oz.) shortbread cookie crumbs
3 oz. (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
8 oz. almond paste (I could only fine 7 oz. packages, which worked fine)
2 8-oz. packages cream cheese
1 c. sugar + 2 tablespoons
3 T. unbleached all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1 T. Amaretto
1 c. raspberry jam (or homemade raspberry coulis, see recipe below)

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Combine the shortbread crumbs and melted butter in a mixing bowl. Stir until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9" springform pan and about a third of the way up the sides.

Break up the almond paste into small, even chunks. In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, put the cream cheese, 1 c. of the sugar, and the almond paste, and process until smooth. Beat in the flour and then the eggs, one at a time, pulsing the machine between each addition. Add the liqueur and pulse to mix it in. (Note: I softened the almond paste and cream cheese at room temperature and made the batter using my hand mixer.)

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Tap the pan several times on the counter to get any large air bubbles out of it. Bake until the center is almost set, about 50 to 55 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the cake cool in the oven for an hour.

Put the jam and the remaining 2 T. of sugar into a small saucepan and melt it over medium heat. Bring it to a bubbling simmer and simmer 2 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep it smooth. Turn off the heat and strain the glaze through a fine wire mesh sieve.

Spoon it over the top of the cake and evenly spread it over the entire top. Let the cake cool completely, cover, and chill for 4 to 8 hours before serving. Garnish with fresh raspberries, mint leaves, whipped cream, and drizzled chocolate sauce if desired.

Homemade Raspberry Coulis:

2 c. raspberries
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. water

Heat raspberries, sugar, and water over low heat until the sugar dissolves and the berries begin to break apart. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce begins to thicken. Strain the sauce through a wire mesh strainer. Rinse the pan of any remaining seeds. Return the clear sauce to the pan and continue to cook until the sauce is reduced to about 1/2 cup. Follow directions as above to cover the cake.

Chef: Andrew Meekins

Make Pie Crust;
1 1/3 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. shortening
3-4 T. cold water

Mix flour and salt. Cut in butter and shortening into it resembles course crumbs. Add water 1 T. at a time until dough is just moist enough to hold together. Form a ball. Roll out in a floured surface to 1 1/2 inches wider than an upside down 9" pie plate. Ease dough into pie plate, leaving 1" overhang. Flute pie edges.

Preheat oven 425.

Peel and slice 3 peaches to 1/4" thick. Arrange peach slices in the uncooked pie crust in a circular fashion working from the outside in. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 c. mulberries.

Whisk together:
8 oz. sour cream
3 large egg yolks
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. flour
1 t. vanilla

Pour Custard over peaches/berries. Bake 30 minutes until custard is beginning to set.

Prepare Streusel:
With you hands, mix:
3/4 stick (6 T.) butter
3/4 c. flour
1/3 c. sugar

After pie has baked 30 minutes, evenly sprinkle the streusel over peaches and custard. Bake 15 min longer until a knife inserted in the center of the pie comes out clean. If crust is browning too rapidly, cover with foil until it finishes baking. Cool 1 hour.

(Adapted from Simply in Season, recipe credit to Judy Wilson, Arli Klassen, and Tina Bohn)
Chef: Darin Crew

Use any number of fruits in this traditional Russian Mennonite dessert. I chose blueberries. This recipe serves 8-10.

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1/2 c. whole wheat or oat pastry flour (I used oat flour)
1 1/2 t. salt
Combine above dry ingredients.

1/2 c. butter or oil
1/2 c. milk
Mix in butter or oil until crumbly. Add milk. Mix with fork until a soft dough forms. Press into 9 x 13 inch pan.

4 c. assorted fruit (cut into large chunks). Could be blueberries, peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines, sweet cherries, gooseberries, raspberries and halved green figs.
1 c. sugar (more or less depending on the sweetness of the fruit)
Mix and spread over dough.

3/4 c. sugar or brown sugar (I used raw sugar)
3/4 c. flour
1 T. butter
1 t. ground cinnamon (optional)
1/2 t. ground nutmeg (optional)

Mix and spread over fruit. Bake in preheated oven at 375F for 30-45 minutes. Best served the day made. For a fall or winter variation, use apples and cranberries, with a teaspoon of grated orange rind in the crumb topping. May use frozen fruits.