FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SUNDAY, OCT. 18, 2009

CONTACT:

Lisa Prince, cooking contest coordinator N.C. State Fair (919) 906-0067

 

 

Raleigh man wins Pillsbury pie baking championship

RALEIGH – Domino Ireland of Raleigh took the top prize in the Pillsbury Pet-Ritz Pie Baking Championship at the N.C. State Fair. Ireland’s Whipped Nutella Cream Pie beat out 98 other competitors for the $200 cash prize.

Judy Myklebust of Durham took home second place and $100 for her Sour Cream Raisin Pie, and Shelley Gregory of Burlington took home third place and $50 for her Bavarian Port Pear Pie.

Rules called for recipes to include one or two packages of Pillsbury Pet-Ritz frozen pie crusts. Any dessert-style pie could compete. Entries were judged on taste, appearance, creativity, ease of preparation and general appeal.

The winning recipe follows:

Whipped Nutella Cream Pie

• 1 Pillsbury Pet-Ritz pie crust
• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup Nutella
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• ¼ cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• Dark and white chocolate for grated topping

Prepare one crust according to package directions and allow to cool. Beat cream cheese, Nutella and brown sugar together until smooth. Whip cream, then gently fold into Nutella mixture along with graham cracker crumbs. Spoon mixture into cooled crust and top with grated chocolate. Refrigerate before serving. For best results, place pie in the freezer until semi-frozen, then remove 10 to 15 minutes prior to serving so it softens slightly.

-nja-1,2-

Second Place: Sour Cream Raisin Pie
Judy Myklebust of Durham

• 1 9" deep dish Pet-Ritz pie shell, unbaked
• 3    eggs, beaten until just mixed
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts (walnut or pecans)

Beat and pour in pie crust.

Poaching Liquid

• 1 750-milliliter bottle ruby port wine
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 cloves
• 2 strips lemon zest
• 1 strip orange zest
• 1 vanilla bean
• 6 pears, ripe but firm
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Combine the port, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, lemon zest, and orange zest in a small non-reactive pot. Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and add both the pod and the seeds to the pot. Heat until the sugar dissolves. Peel the pears and cut in half. Add the pears to the pot.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes, or until slightly tender.  Flip them over half way through. Using a slotted spoon, remove the pears to a plate. Let pears cool.  Boil the poaching liquid another 14 to 16 minutes, or until thickened and slightly syrupy. Stir in the lemon juice, strain through a fine mesh sieve.  Use this to drizzle over the whole pie or the sliced pie on a plate for garnish.

Topping

• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  

Top filling with pear slices, cinnamon, sugar and chopped walnuts. Bake at 400F for 30 to 40 minutes.  Crust should be a golden brown and pie should be bubbly. Drizzle poaching glaze over the pie or sliced pie on the plate for a finishing garnish.