PORT ROYAL — Did you see all those apple pies at the Juniata County Fair? Local bakers in the area created these special pies for the annual Blue Ribbon Apple Pie Contest. The winner of this year’s Blue Ribbon Apple Pie contest was Rickee Miller from Shermansdale.
Caramel Apple/Pear Streusel Tart
Pastry :
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon of salt
¾ cup butter flavored Crisco
¼ cup cold butter (cubed)
6 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon of white vinegar
1 beaten egg
Combine flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Chop shortening and butter until coarse crumbs form. Mix the beaten egg
and water; add vinegar. Fold the egg mixture into the flour mixture with a fork. Divide the dough into two balls (makes two crusts).
Streusel filling:
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup light brown sugar
1 tbsp extra sugar to sprinkle over the pie once the crumbs are on it.
Mix butter, flour and brown sugar with a pastry blender until crumbly.
Apple filling:
4 cups light brown sugar
½ cup flour
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 tablespoon of tapioca
5-6 cups sliced apples (Gala and Honeycrisp mix)
1 cup sliced pears
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 cup caramel chips
Combine the first four ingredients in a large bowl and set aside. Peel, core and thinly slice apples and pears – mix with lemon
juice. Toss the apple and pear slices with the sugar flour mixture until coated and let sit for 15-20 minutes. Just before
add to pie crust, stir in % cup butterscotch chips.
Line a 9 or 10 inch pie plate with a crust. Whisk the apple/pear mixture into the crust. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the
piled apple/pear mixture – press lightly. Sprinkle the pie with 1 tablespoon of sugar.
Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for about 45-60 minutes – until filling is bubbly. Take out of the oven and let cool down
completely on a cooling rack
More than 100 fairs across the state are offering cash prizes in the Blue Ribbon Apple Pie contest. The Juniata County Fair Contest is a preliminary competition that leads to the selection of the final winner of the Blue Ribbon Apple Pie to be held each January at the Pennsylvania State Farm Show. This year’s contest was sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and the Pennsylvania State Association of County Fairs.