Date: Fri 19-Dec-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Quick Words:

Enjoy-egg-contest

Full Text:

Bee And Poultry Judges Get Their Just Desserts

(with cuts & recipes)

BY DOROTHY EVANS

Perhaps you've heard the Beatles sing about the Egg Man?

Well, last Thursday at the Newtown Bee offices on Church Hill Road, two lucky

editorial staff members and two Connecticut Poultry Association judges were

smacking their lips and singing praises of the Egg Ladies.

Nancy Dunn, Susan Preis and Renee Rossi were the three Newtown bakers who

submitted their home made dessert entries for final round of the Second Annual

Egg Dessert Recipe Contest, held December 11.

The Egg Ladies were selected as finalists from a total of 58 Connecticut

entrants of whom 20 were from Newtown and Sandy Hook, representing the western

portion of the state.

During the first week of the month, contestants submitted their unique dessert

recipes for preview and consideration to Bud Gavitt, contest coordinator, of

Willimantic. Mr Gavitt is a spokesman for the Connecticut Poultry Association

(CPA).

The winning entries from central Connecticut were submitted and judged at the

Middletown Press offices, and the entries from eastern Connecticut were

submitted to the Norwich Bulletin.

"Recipes for the final rounds had to be different from those judged last

year," Mr Gavitt said, but the basic criterion for the contest remained the

same.

To qualify, the recipes had to contain at least one egg.

"Our purpose is to promote eggs for home baking and to reward those who come

up with the most creative desserts," said CPA Director and Treasurer Robert

Feldman of Colchester, who also judged the local contest.

While the judges spent a pleasant half-hour tasting each dessert, comparing

notes and deciding upon the winner, the contestants were interviewed and given

a tour of the Bee Publishing Co. offices while the judges deliberated in

seclusion.

However, several judges' comments made in between bites were overheard by Bee

staffers who were hanging around outside the tasting area hoping to be asked

inside to participate in the taste test and perhaps cast a deciding vote.

"I'm not a professional taster, but I'm willing to learn as I go."

"All three were really good!"

"We're looking for originality here. These are definitely not run-of-the-mill

desserts."

"It makes it so difficult when you like all of them."

"All the girls did a good job. It's going to be very difficult for me to vary

my score."

"I can't comment. My mouth is too full."

And The Winners Are...

Susan Preis of Great Ring Road, Sandy Hook, won First Prize and $100 for her

fabulously beautiful and ultra-creamy Holiday Raspberry Trifle .

The six-inch deep custard and cake confection was served in a tall, cut glass

bowl. It was laced with frozen raspberries and topped by real whipped cream

that had been generously laid on with a pastry bag decorator. Fresh

raspberries were nestled in between the whipped cream peaks.

"I had a tough time finding the berries this time of year, but finally located

some in Westport at Hay Day," said Mrs Preis.

Judges' comments included "Oh, so delicious!" "Nice and light," "The

appearance is beautiful," and "perfect holiday dessert."

Holiday Raspberry Trifle

From The Kitchen

Of Susan Preis

18.5 oz butter recipe golden cake mix

(2) 12 oz packages frozen, unsweetened raspberries, thawed and drained

3 Tbsp plus ‹ C sugar

9 lg egg yolks

1« C chilled whipped cream

1 pint basket fresh raspberries

For Cake: Prepare cake according to package instructions. Bake cake completely

and cool. Cut cake crosswise into thirds, then lengthwise into 1-inch wide

slices. Set aside.

For Filling: Mix thawed raspberries and 3 tablespoons sugar in large bowl. Set

aside.

Using hand-held mixer, beat egg yolks and remaining ‹ cup sugar in large metal

bowl until well blended. Place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and

beat until mixture triples in volume and registers 160§ on thermometer. Remove

bowl and cool yolk mixture to room temperature, whisking occasionally.

Using mixer, beat ‹ cup cream in large bowl and fold into yolk mixture.

Arrange enough cake slices in a 12 cup trifle dish to cover bottom. Spoon 1

cup raspberry mixture over cake, allowing some to show at sides of bowl. Pour

1« cups yolk mixture over cake; smooth top. Arrange enough cake slices over

yolk mixture to cover completely. Spread 1 cup raspberry mixture over,

allowing some to show at the sides. Pour 1« cups yolk mixture over. Repeat a

third time. Cover and refrigerate trifle at least four hours, or overnight.

Using mixer, beat remaining ‹ cup of cream. Spoon into a pastry bag and pipe

cream decoratively over trifle. Garnish with fresh raspberries.

-------------------------------

Nancy Dunn of Harvest Common in Sandy Hook won Second Prize and $75 for her

extremely original and unusual Coconut Oatmeal Cake With Confit of Apples.

Mrs Dunn's dessert was made from a recipe handed down by her grandmother and

was "pretty straightforward" she said, perhaps requiring a little extra time

because it contained three separate parts: the cake, the nut and sugar

topping, and the apple "confit," or preserve sauce.

"Be sure to use real, unsalted butter," she advised.

The judges pronounced it "Sweet and very tasty!" "The Quaker Oats Company

would be proud," one judge said.

Coconut-Oatmeal Cake

From Nancy Dunn

CAKE:

1 C rolled oats

1¬ C boiling water

4 oz butter

« C sugar

1 C brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1« C all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

« tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

¬ tsp nutmeg

TOPPING:

5 oz butter

ΠC brown sugar

¬ C light cream

ΠC walnuts or pecans

1 C shredded coconut, packed

CONFIT OF APPLES:

« C unsalted butter

1 C sugar

2 Tbsp brandy

2 tsp lemon juice

4 Granny Smith apples

Place oats in a bowl. Add boiling water and let stand 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350§. Cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Add eggs and

vanilla. Add rolled oats. Add dry ingredients.

Pour batter into greased 9-inch square pan. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a

wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. While cake is baking, prepare

topping.

Cream butter, then add sugar. Stir in cream, nuts and coconut. Spread topping

over hot cake and broil until golden brown. Remove and cool on wire rack.

Prepare confit of apples while cake is cooling.

In a saute pan on medium, melt butter then stir in the sugar. Simmer, stirring

occasionally until it begins to turn golden brown and caramelized. Add brandy

and lemon juice to the pan and simmer to incorporate. Peel, half and core

apples. Place apples in caramel and cook slowly to caramelize and tenderize.

Serve cake with warm confit of apples. Garnish with taffy apple if desired.

-------------------------------------

Renee Rossi of South Main in Newtown won Third Prize and $50 for her very

tasty Strawberry Cheesecake , prepared after a recipe handed down by her

Polish grandmother. It was smooth as silk and of a creamy consistency, with a

very delicate flavor.

"I've made it a lot of times. You can't fail if you follow it to a tee, but

fresh strawberries are a necessity," Ms Rossi said.

She, too, found difficulties obtaining fresh berries, but managed to locate

them in Trumbull through a friend in the catering business.

"A nice flavor of orange."

"I thought it was intoxicating!" said the judges.

Renee Rossi's

Strawberry Cheesecake

1« tsp melted butter

« C crushed graham cracker crumbs

1 C whole fresh strawberries

2 tsp Grand Marnier

2 tsp plus ΠC sugar

1 lb cream cheese, at room temperature

1 tsp grated orange peel

1 tsp vanilla

4 eggs

4 lg strawberries, halved, for garnish

Combine melted butter and crumbs in bowl. Pat onto bottom of 7-inch springform

pan. Cover and chill in freezer while preparing filling.

Puree berries in blender or food processor to yield « cup puree. Combine with

Grand Marnier and 2 tsp sugar. Set aside.

Beat cream cheese with remaining Πcup sugar until light. Add orange peel and

vanilla. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly combined.

Add strawberry mixture, but do not completely beat in -- drizzle and fold it

in to create a marble effect. Gently pour cream cheese mixture into prepared

pan. Place in slightly larger pan with 1 inch warm water.

Bake cake at 300§ until cake is set, about 1¬ hours. Remove cheesecake.

Cover and chill 6 hours before slicing. Garnish cake with strawberry halves.

Serves 6 to 8.