Best Of The Best Apple Pies LOU ANN GOOD Lancaster Farming Staff HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) “She doesn’t believe it,” Barba ra Dale said after phoning her sister Carol Gustafson of Oil City, Ven ango County. Dale had just collected a blue rosette and $lOO for her sister’s prize winning entry in the apple pie contest. It was the third year that Gustaf son’s pie had made it lo the final round of judging but the first time for the coveted first placing. Dale said that her sister bakes an assortment of great-tasting pies. “I told her to use this recipe even though I like the one she entered last year better,” Dale said. Last year’s entry combined apples and cranberries. This year’s entry com bined raisins and walnuts with the apples. Second place went to Charlotte ■Gelnett who also had placed sec ond in competition last year with a different recipe. “She’s my favorite cook. Every thing I want in the food line, I get,” said her husband Richard. “It’s nothing unusual just a plain apple, but it’s his favorite,” Mrs. Gelnett said. The Middleburg couple have four adult children and 10 grandchildren. “When evei it takes a bunch of friends and relatives working together to win championships at the Farm Show. Barbara Dale of Oil City holds the blue ribbon for the prize-winning apple pie baked by her sister Carol Gustafson, who was unable to attend. Because Barbara entered 10 different Items, she needed to make the 200 mile trip to the Farm Show on a Thursday. She won several categories and took best of show with her canned goods. Her husband Walter is at right. Beverly and David Zipfel of Seneca delivered the prize-winning pie for their friend Carol. ?«rH C t^ e l r 9 rand, T other would win. s>hown with grandparents Milt and Judy Craw ford are Andrew Campbell. 11; Eric McNew, 12; and Jared McNew. 12. we bring out the apple pie and a gallon of milk,” Gelnett said. “That’s the only way to cat apple pie.” The Gelnetts live on a 129-acre farm in Snyder County. Although Mrs. Gelnett uses a variety of apples depending on the season, she used the Crispin varie ty for this competition. “I’m the luckiest man in the world. She’s the apple of my eye,” Gelnett said of his wife of 39 years. His wife was also quite lucky in other competitions. She entered four different cakes. In addition to the apple pie contest placing, she won first placings for her chocolate chiffon and chocolate butter cakes and a second for her white butter cake. She also won first and second place in the Fashion Show, held for the first time this year. Third place winner Judy Craw ford is from Chambersburg. She said that she added Christmas left overs mincemeat and pecans. “It’s only the second time that I made it. Even the kids who don’t like mincemeat like it,” she said. Mrs. Crawford, who was raised on an orchard farm, said she is bas ically self-taught. She has six daughters who hold careers but still find time to do some baking. “If they spent more time baking, I’m afraid they’d outdo me,” she said. The 57 entries were the best of the best since each needed to place first in a local fair before being eligible to enter the state competition. “Each one tasted different and was delicious,” said Mellony Apple, a judge from WHP radio. Other judges included George Weigel, Patriot News: Jane Mecum, Juniata/Perry County Extension office, and Wilma Jane Ferster, Richfield. FIRST-PLACE APPLE PIE Pastry: V* cup plus 2 tablespoons shortening 2 cups plus 4 tablespoons flour 1 teaspoon salt 'A cup cold water Cut shortening into flour and salt; mix until blended; add water and mix until well blended. Chill while making filling. Filling: 3 tablespoons butter 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup granulated sugar 3 teaspoons vanilla 1 egg 'A cup all-purpose flour \A teaspoons baking powder 'A teaspoon salt 'A teaspoon cinnamon ’/ teaspoon apple pie spice 6cr Med and sliced aw* ” For the second year, Charlotte Gelnett took second-place for her apple pie, which meant getting up at 3 a.m. to bake It. 'A cup walnuts 3 tablespoons raisins Mix butter, egg, sugars, and van illa until well blended. Add flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and apple pie spice. Mix until blended well. Add apples and mix well. Prepare pie shell and add one half mixture. Sprinkle with half of nuts and raisins in center and fill with remaining apple mixture. Sprinkle remaining nuts and rai sins on top. Bake at 350 degrees for approxi mately one hour or until knife inserted in center of pie comes out clean. After pie is cooled, glaze top with confectioners’ sugar and milk. SECOND-PLACE APPLE PIE Crust Makes 5 balls of dough 4'A cups flour 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1/* cup butter Crisco 'A cup grated sharp cheese Mix with pastry blender until size of peas. Put one egg in cup, add 1 tablespoon vinegar and cold water to make V, cup. Blend into flour mixture. Apple Filling: 4 cups cubed tart apples 1 tablespoon tapioca V* cup sugar Mix together and put into pie shell. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Cover with top crust. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Lower heat to 375 degrees for remaining bak ing time. Bake until apples start juicing. Cover with foil for remain der of baking. Homestead Notes * Carol Gustafson Jefferson Co. Fair Charlotte Gelnett Middleburg NUTTY, MINCE, APPLE CRUMB PIE Crust: 1 cup flour l A teaspoon salt 'A cup shortening 1 tablespoon softened creai cheese 2-3 tablespoons water Use a pastry blender to maki crumbs from everything except th water. Add water and form into ball. Roll to fit a 9-inch pie pan crimp edge. Apple filling: Cook and cool the followini ingredients: 8 apples (York and Yellov Delicious) . 1 cup apple juice or cider 1 tablespoon cornstarch 'A cup sugar Sprinkle of cinnamon While apple filling is cooling, prepare nutty bottom and cruml topping. Mix together 2 tablespoons beaten egg Vj cup brown sugar Vi cup chopped pecans 1 tablespoon melted butter V 2 teaspoon vanilla Spread over the bottom of the prepared pie shell. Crumb topping: Vi cup flour Vi cup brown sugar 3 tablespoons butter '/< teaspoon cinnamon 2 tablespoons chopped pecans Over the nutty layer, spread a thin layer of prepared mince meat and over the mincemeat, pour your cooled apple filling. Top the apples with the prepared crumb topping. Bake 10 minutes at 400 degrees; reduce heat to 375 degrees and continue baking 30 minutes longer or until nicely browned. May garnish with leftover crust scraps. Judy Crawford Cbambersburg
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