Pear-Cardamom Streusel Pie wins first place in the Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crust Pie Baking Championship at the State Fair

RALEIGH – Felice Bogus won first place, $200 and a chance to win a national $1,000 grand prize in the Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crust Pie Baking Championship for her Pear-Cardamom Streusel Pie recipe. Mary Boury of Knightdale won second place and $100 with her Apple Cranberry Walnut Pie recipe, and Janice Wolfe of Fuquay-Varina won third place and $50 for her Pumpkin Apple Praline Pie.

Judges also awarded honorable mention to Alice Spickard of Raleigh for her Apple Custard Pie recipe. Each winner received a Pillsbury apron, ribbon and award certificate.

Judging was based on taste, convenience and creativity.

The winning recipe follows:

Pear-Cardamom Streusel Pie

1 package Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crusts
½ cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned and chopped
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 vanilla bean, chopped, or 1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ teaspoon cardamom
3 pounds Bartlett pears, halved, cored and cut into ½ to ¾ -inch thick slices
2 tablespoons pear nectar

Place rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Dice up one Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crust. Mix together with hazelnuts and 1/3 cup brown sugar until crumbly. Chill until needed. Place 1/3 cup brown sugar and vanilla bean in processor and grind one minute. Add cornstarch and cardamom and process until bean is almost blended in. Transfer to bowl. Add pears and pear nectar. Toss well. Fit second pie crust in a 9-inch glass pie plate. Fold excess crust under and crimp decoratively. Pour filling into crust. Bake 25 minutes. Spread streusel evenly over the filling and bake another 25 minutes until the pears are tender. Cool on rack.

-lpm-

Apple Cranberry Walnut Pie
Second Place winner: Mary Boury

5 cups sliced apples
3 tbsp. Tapioca
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 tbsp. butter
1 tsp butter for 9-inch pie pan
1 package of Pillsbury just unroll refrigerated pie crust

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly butter bottom of a glass pie pan. Line pan with Pillsbury piecrust and bake for 7 minutes.

Mix all ingredients except the butter and let sit for 15 minutes. Fill pre-baked crust and dot with butter. Seal with top Pillsbury crust and cut out vents. Sprinkle top crust with cinnamon and sugar.
Bake at 400 degrees for 50-65 minutes...until bubbly and crust is done

Pumpkin Apple Praline Pie
Third Place winner: Janice Wolfe

1 pkg. 2-crust Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crusts (2) divided
3 C Apple slices, peeled and sliced
1 tbsp. softened butter
2 tsp Flour
1/3 C brown sugar
1 tsp Lemon Juice
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/3 C Chopped Pecans
1 C Pumpkin
2/3 C Half & Half
1/2 C Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 tsp. Cloves

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Roll one piecrust and place in pie dish. Mix apples, butter, flour, sugar, spices, pecans and lemon juice in bowl. Pour mixture into 10" pie plate. Mix pumpkin, half and half, sugar, eggs, and spices. Pour over apple slices. Bake pie at 450 for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 and continue to bake 30 to 45 minutes until done. Put foil around edges to prevent browning. Remove foil for the last 10 minutes.
Roll out second piecrust and sprinkle with ground pecans. Roll lightly. Cut out with cookie cutters into Fall shapes and bake at 450 degrees on cookie sheet for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Arranged baked shapes on topof pie.
Cool completely before serving. Serves 8

Apple Custard Pie
Honorable Mention: Alice Spickard

One pkg. Pillsbury Just Unroll Refrigerated Pie Crusts
2 medium to large Gala Apple
1/4 cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon orange juice
3 large eggs
1-cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
¾ cup low-fat buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla

Unroll one piecrust into a 9-inch pie pan. Crimp edges.

Peel, core, and thinly slice apples. In a bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange juice. Place apples in this mixture and toss to coat.

Arrange coated apples evenly along the bottom of the piecrust.

In another bowl, combine eggs, 1-cup sugar, melted butter, buttermilk and vanilla. Mix well. Carefully pour buttermilk mixture over apples into piecrust. (Don't worry if the apples begin to float.)

Cut second piecrust into strips and criss-cross strips across top of pie. Crimp at edges.

Carefully place pie into a preheated 350-degree oven. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the middle comes out clean. Makes one 9-inch pie.