The Great State Fair of Texas always has a Cookie Contest in the Creative Arts Department’s Contest Kitchen. There are always six classes: Drop Cookies; Ice Box, Sliced; Bars; Holiday (or Party) Cookies; Sandwich Cookies; and Hand Rolled (Ball) or Pressed Cookies. This is another very competitive contest with many contestants entering all five of the allowed classes.
Entrants do not pre-register for this contest. This year registration is on Sunday, October 14, 2012, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. As with many other cooking contests, judging begins promptly at 10:30 a.m. For each entry this year 1½ dozen or more cookies in any type of container must be provided. If you’re thinking about entering the Cookie Contest this year, see Contests under Creative Arts on www.bigtex.com
for the complete rules.During the 2010 State Fair, Paula Bonchak from my great hometown of Bonham, Texas, entered many cooking contests as she does every year. Paula, who is a very talented cook, won ribbons in 11 cooking contests that year. One was a blue ribbon in the Holiday (or Party) Cookies Contest. Here’s Paula’s 1st Place Cookies recipe.
Kids Birthday Party Cookies
Recipe adapted from the State Fair of Texas 2011 Cookbook - Prize Winning Recipes, Paula Bonchak, Bonham, Texas
Ingredients for Crust
3½ cups crisped rice cereal
½ cup sugar
6 TB light corn syrup
6 TB unsalted butter, melted
½ cup water
Ingredients for Chocolate Peanut Butter Layer
10 oz good quality milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 cup creamy peanut butter
Ingredients for Icing
6 oz dark chocolate 62%, chopped
1 tsp light corn syrup
8 TB unsalted butter
Instructions for Crust
Light grease 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray. Gently combine water, sugar, and corn syrup. Stir until just combined. Over medium-high heat bring to boil. Cook until it reaches 235 degrees soft ball stage. Remove from heat. Stir in butter. Pour over cereal in bowl. Stir until cereal is thoroughly coated. Press into bottom of pan. Let cool to room temperature.
Instructions for Chocolate Peanut Butter Layer
Stir toether chocolate and peanut butter. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water. Cook, stirring until mixture is smooth. Remove bowl from pan. Stir about 30 seconds to cool slightly. Pour over cooled crust. Refrigerate one hour until top layer hardens.
Instructions for Icing
Combine all ingredients. Set bowl of saucepan of simmering water. Cook, stirring until mixture is completely smooth. Remove bowl from pan. Stir 30 seconds to cool slightly. Pour over chocolate peanut butter layer. Refrigerate one hour until topping hardens.
Kathryn’s Texas Kitchen cooks up another prize-winning recipe from the 2010 Great State Fair of Texas Cooking Contest.
Until next time…
Bon appétit!
frankandkath@hotmail.com