The 2003 Egg Desert Recipe contest was held at the Westerly Rhode Island Sun newspaper offices on Friday December 15, 2003. It was a cold and slushy day but that did not put a damper on the six finalist’s, the news paper staff and the lucky judges who had to sample each entry.

The contest was advertised 16 days in the Westerly Sun (12,000 circulation) and two days is the Suns sister papers the Sun Express (18,000 circulation) and the Mystic River Press (10,000 circulation).

Winners of the contest were:

First place: Ann Doran, Charlestown, RI: Carmel Pecan Cheesecake

Second place: Carol-Jean Plunkett, Charlestown, RI: Brownie Cupcakes

Third place: Three Winners

• Luann Silvestri, Westerly, RI, Italian Lemon Cookies
  
• Julie Buchanan, Bradford, RI: Grapenut Pudding
  
• Joelle Classey, Westerly, RI: Pumpkin Pound Cake
  

Youth winner: Ben Pearson, North Stonington, CT: Graham Cracker Pie

The Winning Receipies:

CARAMEL PECAN CHEESECAKE

2 cups pecans (about 8 ounces)
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
26 Kraftâ caramels
1 ½ Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk or heavy cream
Filling
4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla extract

Topping
1 cup chilled whipping cream
2 Tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. vanilla extract

For crust: Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Wrap foil around outside of 9-inch diameter springform pan with 2 ¼ -inch high sides. Finely grind nuts and sugar in processor. Add melted butter and blend until moist crumbs form. Press crumb mixture
onto bottom (not sides) of springform pan.

Cook caramels and sweetened condensed milk in top of double boiler over simmering water until caramels are melted and smooth, stirring occasionally (mixture will be sticky). Drizzle caramel over crust.

For filling: Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating just to combine after each addition. Mix in vanilla.

Pour filling into crust. Place cheesecake in large baking pan. Add enough hot water to pan to come one inch up sides of cake pan. Bake until top appears dry and cheesecake no longer moves in center when pan is shaken, about one hour. Remove
cheesecake from water bath. Cool. Remove foil. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

For topping: Release pan sides from cheesecake. Beat whipping cream, sugar and vanilla extract in medium bowl to stiff peaks. Spoon whipped cream into pastry bag fitted with star tip. Pipe rosettes of cream decoratively around edge of cheesecake.

Ann Doran
45 Quail Lane
Charlestown, RI 02813-3013
(401)-364-4048

Second Place Winner

BROWNIE CUPCAKES Serves 12

Cake Layer
1 stick butter, softened
4 ounces Ghiradelliâ* Bittersweet Chocolate (or semisweet)
Baking Bar, chopped
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons Ghiradelli* unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
*
Frosting Layer
2 ounces cream cheese (regular or reduced fat), softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
12 fresh raspberries (optional)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 12 regular-size muffin cups with paper or foil liners.

Prepare frosting: Beat all ingredients on low speed to blend, then on high speed 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Melt butter and chocolate in a medium saucepan over low heat stirring until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk in sugar and vanilla, then eggs, one at a time, until well blended. Stir in next 3 ingredients just to blend. Pour into muffin cups, filling each equally.

Bake 33 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out with moist crumbs. Cool in pan on wire rack.

Spoon a dollop of frosting on top of each cupcake and top with a fresh raspberry, if desired.

Note: These have a crusty top and are very moist on the inside.

*I use Ghiradelli brand chocolate and cocoa, but any brand will do.

Carol-Jean F. Plunkett
43 Hoxie Ave.
Charlestown, RI 02813
401)P-322-1576

THIRD PLACE WINNER 1

ITALIAN LEMON COOKIES

2 sticks butter
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
½ cup milk
4 teaspoons baking powder
4 cups flour
1 tablespoon lemon flavoring

Bake at 375 degrees 8 to 10 minutes

Mix wet ingredients, add dry ingredients. Roll into 2 inch
balls onto parchment paper.

Glaze:
1 cup confectioners sugar
few tablespoons water
some lemon flavoring to taste

Dip each cookie top into glaze. Sprinkles may be added if desired.
These are a light, yummy cookie. My kids love them!

Mrs. Luann Silvestri
4 Nob Court
Westerly, RI 02891
(401) 348-0607

THIRD PLACE WINNER 2

GRAPENUT PUDDING
1 quart milk
4 beaten eggs
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup grapenuts
2 tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. salt

Soak grapenuts and sugar in 2 cups milk for 15 minutes. Add other ingredients, including the extra 2 cups milk. Pour into a buttered 2-quart casserole. Place dish in a pan of warm water and bake 1 ½ hours in 300 degree oven.

Everyone raves about this pudding! It’s definitely the best! My mother called me (she’s 84) to tell me to enter this contest. She’s tried a lot of grapenut pudding in that time!

Julie Buchanan
13 Diamond Hill Road
Bradford, RI 02808
(401)-377-2518

THIRD PLACE WINNER 3

PUMPKIN POUND CAKE

1 cup brown sugar
1 ¼ cup sugar
1 ¼ cup Criscoâ
4 eggs
1 can pumpkin (16 oz.)
3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
3 ½ tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. allspice

In bowl, combine sugars, Criscoâ and eggs. Beat 2 minutes. Add pumpkin and stir. Add flour, salt, soda and spices together. Beat 2 minutes at high speed. Pour into greased and floured tube pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes.
Cool 15-20 minutes before removing.
Dust with powdered sugar.

Joelle Classey
7 Milrose Ave.
Westerly, RI 02891
(401)-348-8766

YOUTH WINNER

GRAHAM CRACKER PIE.

Crumbs:
16 graham crackers (crumbs)
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Filling:

3 ½ tablespoons corn starch
2 egg yolks (beaten) – save whites and bring them to room temperature
1/3 cup sugar plus 3 tablespoons
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon baking powder

Crumbs:

Cream butter, sugar and cinnamon together and add to graham crackers to make crumbs.
Spread 2/3 of mixture on bottom and sides of a slightly greased 9-inch pie plate. Set aside. Save 1/3 graham cracker mixture to use later.

Filling:

In a double boiler over water, cook the following – corn starch, egg yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, milk, and butter.
Cook until thickened. Cool and add vanilla. Pour into pie shell. Beat egg whites until stiff. Slowly add 3 tablespoons sugar and baking powder. Then spread this lightly on top of custard. Sprinkle rest of crumb mixture on top of this. Bake 25 minutes at 350 degrees.
This is my great, great grandmother’s Graham Cracker Pie.

Ben Pearson (age 12)
61 Mystic Road
North Stonington, CT 06359
(860)-535-8419