Desserts

Finalists

Caramel Apple Cake

Kyle Sherer

Fostoria

1 can of apple pie filling, chopped in a food processor

2 cups sugar

2 cups applesauce

1 cup shortening

4 cups flour

2 tsp. soda

3 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. nutmeg

2 Tablespoons vanilla

2 cups chopped nuts

Cream shortening, sugar and applesauce; beat until light. Slowly add dry ingredients and pie filling; blend well. Fill bunt pan ¾ full. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes; then let cool. Drizzle one jar of Smuckers caramel sauce and top with nuts.

June’s Angel Food Cake

June Harrison

Fostoria

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons sifted cake flour

1 ¾ cups sifted white sugar, divided

1 ⅔ cups egg whites (room temperature)

⅛ tsp. salt

1 tsp. white vanilla

1 ¾ tsp. almond flavoring

1 ½ tsp. cream of tartar

Mix flour and 1 cup sugar and sift three times; set aside. Place egg whites, salt, vanilla and almond flavoring in mixing bowl and beat until foamy. Add cream of tartar and beat until stiff but not dry. Gradually add remaining sugar and beat until sugar is dissolved completely.

Fold flour and sugar mixture (one-fourth at a time) into egg white mixture just until blended. Pour batter into ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Starting at center post and working out to edge of pan, gently cut through batter twice with knife to remove large air bubbles.

Bake 35 minutes on lowest oven rack until crust is golden brown and cracks are very dry. (Gas oven: 375 degrees; electric: 350 degrees) Immediately invert cake into funnel or soft drink bottle. Cool completely. Remove from pan. Server 16.

Hurricane Oatmeal Cake

Nancy J. Fout - Fostoria

1 cup oatmeal

1 ¼ cups boiling water

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup vegetable oil

1 ½ cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

Combine oatmeal and boiling water; set aside. Beat together eggs, sugars and oil until blended. Add combined flour, soda, salt and cinnamon. Add oatmeal mixture. Pout into 13x9-inch greased pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

Topping:

Mix together 1 cup coconut, 1 cup brown sugar, 6 Tablespoons melted margarine, ½ cup chopped pecans and ¼ cup evaporated milk until moist. Spread over baked cake; broil until topping is lightly brown and crunchy; about two minutes.

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Brownies

Therese Clouse - Fostoria

3 eggs

1 cup melted margarine

2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups sugar

1 ¼ cups baking cocoa

½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

1 cup chocolate chips

Filling:

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

½ cup creamy peanut butter

¼ cup sugar

1 egg

2 Tablespoons milk

In a large bowl, combine eggs, butter and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients and add to egg mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Set aside 1 cup of the batter and place remaining batter into a greased 9x13-inch pan. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter and sugar until smooth. Add egg and milk; beating on low just until combined. Carefully spread over batter. Drop reserved batter by spoonfuls over filling. Cut through with a knife to swirl. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Serve when cool and refrigerate extras.

Slow Cooker Hot Fudge Cake

Dee Mathias

Fostoria

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup granulated sugar

2 Tablespoons baking cocoa

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

½ cup of milk

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tsp. vanilla

½ cup chopped nuts

¾ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup baking cocoa

1 ½ cups hot water

Spray inside of 2 to 3 ½-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Mix flour, granulated sugar, 2 Tablespoons cocoa, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in milk, oil and vanilla until smooth. Stir in nuts. Spread batter evenly in slow cooker. Mix brown sugar and ¼ cup baking cocoa in a small bowl. Stir in hot water until smooth. Pour over batter in slow cooker.

Cover and cook on high heat setting 2 to 2 ½ hours or until a toothpick placed in center comes out clean. Turn off slow cooker. Let cake stand uncovered 30 to 40 minutes. Cool slightly before serving. Spoon warm cake into dessert dishes; spoon sauce over the top.

Peanut Butter Brownie Pizza

Judy Drake

Fostoria

1 package brownie mix (8-inch square pan size)

1 package (8-ounce) cream cheese, softened

⅓ cup peanut butter

¼ cup sugar

3 large bananas, cut into ¼-inch slices

½ cup orange juice or lemon juice

¼ cup chopped peanuts

2 squares (1-ounce each) semi-sweet chocolate

2 tsp. butter (no substitutions)

Prepare brownie batter according to package directions and spread into a greased 12-inch pizza pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter and sugar until smooth. Spread over crust. Toss bananas with juice; drain well. Arrange bananas over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with peanuts. In a microwave, melt chocolate and butter. Drizzle over bananas. Refrigerate until chocolate is set. Yield: 12 servings.

Mom’s Pecan Apple Pie

Mardi Brandeberry

Fostoria

Mom’s Filling:

⅔ cup sugar

1 Tablespoon sugar

4 cups thin sliced Granny Smith apples

⅓ cup orange juice or cider

3 Tablespoons butter

1 tsp. apple pie spice

Mix all except butter and dot with butter on top. Line large pie pan with foil and put a layer of pecan halves face down on the foil. Put bottom pie crust into pan as usual (over pecans). Fill shell with your favorite apple pie filling mixture. Put on top crust. Bake as usual. Bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes. Cool and lift out by foil. Invert onto plate.

S’more Cheesecake

Jean Perryman

Fostoria

2 ¼ cups graham cracker crumbs (about 36 squares)

⅓ cup sugar

½ cup butter or margarine, melted

Filling:

2 packages (8-ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 can (14-ounces) sweetened condensed milk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 eggs

1 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup miniature marshmallows

Topping:

1 cup miniature marshmallows

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 Tablespoon shortening

In a small bowl, combine crack crumbs and sugar. Stir in butter. Press into bottom and 1 ¾-inches up the sides of a greased 10-inch spring form pan; and set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, milk and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low, just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips and marshmallows. Pour over crust.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until center is almost set. Sprinkle with marshmallows. Bake 4-6 minutes longer or until marshmallows are puffed. Melt chocolate chips and shortening. Stir until smooth. Drizzle over marshmallows. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen. Cool one hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan. Yield: 12 servings.

“Do You Dare?” Chocolate Cake

Amy Conrad - Risingsun

Chocolate Cake:

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, broken into ½-ounce pieces

8 Tablespoons, plus 2 tsp. unsalted butter (2 Tablespoons melted)

2 cups, plus 2 tsp. cake flour

2 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

2 cups very tightly packed light brown sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 cup water

1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat 1-inch water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat, Place 4 ounces of unsweetened chocolate into the top half of the double boiler. Cover the top with a film wrap and allow it to heat for five to six minutes. Remove from heat and stir until smooth. Lightly coat two 9x1 ½-inch cake pans with melted butter. Flour each pan with 1 tsp. cake flour, shaking out excess. Combine the remaining 2 cups flour, baking soda and salt. Sift onto wax paper; set aside. Combine brown sugar and 8 Tablespoons butter in a bowl. Beat with electric mixer on low for 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides; then beat on high for 2 minutes. Scrape sides and beat on high for 1 ½ minutes longer. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat on high for 30 seconds after each egg. Scrape sides and beat for two more minutes. Add melted chocolate and vanilla. Beat on low for 30 seconds. Scrape sides of bowl. Heat 1 cup of water to a boil. While water is heating, in a bowl add ⅓ of the flour mix and ½ cup sour cream. Mix on low for 30 seconds. Add rest of sour cream and another ⅓ of flour mix and beat for 30 more seconds. Add remaining flour mix and boiling water and mix for another 30 seconds. Finish mixing batter with spatula until smooth. Pour into cake pans. Bake 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove cakes from oven. Cool in pan for 15 minutes. Invert cakes and refrigerate, uncovered until needed.

Chocolate raspberry mousse:

1 pint fresh red raspberries

¼ cup granulated sugar

16 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, broken into ½-ouce pieces

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, broken into ½-inch pieces

6 egg whites

1 ½ cups heavy cream

Place raspberries and ⅛-cup sugar in a bowl. Crush berries to make a rough texture; and set aside. Heat 1 inch of water in the bottom of a double boiler over medium heat. Place pieces of semi-sweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, and crushed raspberries in the top. Tightly cover with film wrap. Allow to heat for 22 to 24 minutes. Remove from heat and stir until smooth. Transfer to large bowl and set aside. Place egg whites in a bowl and whip on high until soft peaks form. Continue to whisk while adding remaining ⅛-cup sugar. Whisk until stiff and set aside. Using a hand-held whisk, whip heavy cream until stiff. Using a spatula, fold egg whites, using ¼ of the egg mix, into melted chocolate mixture and fold in heavy cream. Fold the remaining egg whites and set aside. Cut each layer of cake horizontally, making four layers. Divide mousse into ½-cup portions of eight. Place ½-cup onto each layer. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Add remaining ½-cup portions to layers on top of one another. Refrigerate.

White chocolate butter cream:

6 ounces white chocolate, broken into ½-inch pieces

6 ounces unsalted butter, cut into six 2-ounce pieces

3 egg whites

3 Tablespoons sugar

Place 1-inch water in the bottom of a double boiler. Place white chocolate pieces and butter in top. Wrap with plastic film. Heat 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat, stir until smooth. Transfer to bowl and set aside. Heat 1-inch water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat. Place egg whites and sugar in top. Gently whisk egg whites until they reach about 120 degrees for 2 ½ to 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl, beat with mixer until high peaks form, about four minutes. Fold egg mixture into white chocolate; mix thoroughly. Spread butter cream on top and sides of the cake. Finished surface should be free of specks of chocolate. Refrigerate one hour.

White chocolate ganache:

¾ cup heavy cream

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

12 ounces white chocolate, broken into ½-ounce pieces

Heat heavy cream and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Place white chocolate in a bowl. Pour boiling cream over the white chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Set aside until cooled completely. Pour over cake evenly, using a spatula to coat. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Decorations:

7 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

1 ¼ cup sugar, plus 5 Tablespoons

¼ tsp. lemon juice

May also top with fresh raspberries if desired

Caramelized sugar:

Place 1 ¼ cups sugar and ¼ tsp lemon juice in a saucepan. Stir to combine. Caramelize for five to six minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly. When starting to brown, pour onto a non-stick baking sheet. Harden in the freezer 12 to 15 minutes. When done, chop into small pieces.

Remove cake from refrigerator and apply caramelized sugar by pressing it into the sides of the cake. If desired, place fresh raspberries on top and drizzle with decorating chocolate.

Information courtesy of Kathy Cline