Posted by Boston Herald, MA on October 29, 2009 at 15:32:46:
Bay State in Pillsbury Bake-Off
Jannine Fisk is living a baker’s dream. She just learned she’s a finalist in the 44th annual Pillsbury Bake-Off, the biggest and most competitive baking competition in the nation. The grand prize, to be chosen in April, is $1 million.
“I couldn’t believe I was chosen from all those entries,” said the Malden resident. The competition generates tens of thousands of entries, according to the Pillsbury Web site.
It’s been a good month for Fisk. At the Topsfield Fair this month, she swept all three awards in a bake-off hosted by the Essex County Beekeepers’ Association.
Fisk’s Pillsbury submission is Bourbon Street Muffuletta Braid, a New Orleans-style sandwich. She can’t share that recipe yet, but insists her apple pie “is my biggest award winner.”
Recipe: JANNINE FISK’S ALL-AMERICAN APPLE PIE FILLING
4 T. flour
3/4 c., plus 1/2 t. white sugar
2 T. brown sugar
1 1/2 t. cinnamon
1 dash nutmeg
1 dash allspice
1 dash ginger
10 Cortland or Honeycrisp apples, peeled and sliced
1 T. lemon juice
4 T. butter (cut in cubes)
Two-crust pie dough
Egg wash (1 large egg, 1 t. water)
2 T. half-and-half
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, combine flour, cup white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and ginger and mix well. Sprinkle apples with lemon juice, then toss in the sugar and spice mixture, coating well. Roll out the bottom crust of two-crust pie and fit into pie plate and brush with egg wash. Pour coated apples into bottom crust of a two-crust pie and dot with the butter. Brush edges of the bottom crust with the egg wash. Roll out top crust, place on pie and seal the edges. Cut vents in top crust and decorate with extra crust, if desired. Chill for 15 minutes. Brush entire top of pie with half-and-half, then sprinkle with the extra teaspoon sugar. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake additional 45 to 60 minutes or until crust is nicely browned and juices are bubbling. Makes 1 pie.
kbyrne@bostonherald.com
FOLLOW UP POSTS ARE NOT PERMITTED - DO NOT COMPLETE & SUBMIT FORM