Q: What foods won the Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion in the 4-H Division at the Douglas County Fair?
A: Ashley Lesser, age 12, from the Stull Busy Beavers 4-H Club, exhibited the Strawberry Daisy bread that was awarded the Grand Champion Nonperishable Food Product at the fair. Lauren Jamison, age 8, Stull Busy Beavers 4-H Club member, received the Reserve Grand Champion award for her Angel Food Cake with vanilla glaze; which is posted online at www.ljworld.com. The other champions in Nonperishable Food Products were awarded to Libby Queen, age 15, from the Lone Star 4-H Club, for her Danish Wheat Walnut Wreath; and Erin Jansen, age 11, of the Palmyra 4-H Club, who exhibited Apricot Oatmeal Bars, also posted online. Here are two of the recipes:
Strawberry Daisy Bread
3/4 cup warm water
1/3 cup oil
1 tablespoon yeast
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup mashed potatoes
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 to 4 cups flour
Filling:
1/2 to 3/4 cup strawberry jam
Topping:
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons shortening
2 tablespoons butter
Frosting:
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon margarine
2 teaspoons vanilla
Milk or cream
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Stir in the sugar, salt, oil, eggs and potatoes. Beat in 1 1/2 cups flour until the batter is smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a stiff dough. Knead until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise for 1 1/2 hours. Punch down and let rise for another 30 minutes. Punch down. Divide dough in half (you will make two separate daisy flowers). Divide each half into 10 equal pieces. Put 2 pieces together and shape into a ball to form the center of the flower (place on a greased pizza pan). Shape the remaining 8 pieces into slightly oblong pieces. Place on the pan, around the center, leaving room for the bread to rise. Flatten all slightly. Cover. Let rise for 30 minutes. Use thumb or finger to make an indentation in each petal and the center. Fill each indentation with 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons jam. Mix together the topping ingredients until crumbly and sprinkle over the daisy. Bake 20 minutes in a 350-degree oven. Cool slightly. Mix frosting ingredients, adding enough milk to give it a cream consistency, and then drizzle the desired amount of frosting across the top of the flower.
Source: Variation of a recipe from Pearl Wulfkuhle
Danish wheat walnut wreath
1 cup boiling water
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water, 105-115 degrees
1 tablespoon dark corn syrup
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup unflavored yogurt or buttermilk
4 1/2 to 5 1/2 cups bread or unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
In a small bowl, pour the boiling water over the whole wheat flour and let stand until room temperature. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the 1/2 cup warm water. Let stand 5 minutes. Add the corn syrup, salt and yogurt. Add the cooled wheat flour mixture and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. (The whole wheat flour mixture may be lumpy). Stir in bread or all-purpose flour 1 cup at a time, beating after each addition until dough is stiff. Let stand 15 minutes.
Turn out onto lightly floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Clean the bowl, oil it and add dough to the bowl, turning to grease all sides. Let rise for about 1 hour or until doubled, knead the walnuts into the dough.
Lightly oil a work surface and turn dough out onto it. Divide into 2 parts. Roll each part out to make a long strand, 26 to 30 inches long. Twist together to make a 2-strand rope. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it. Place rope onto the baking sheet to form a wreath; pinch ends together. Let rise, covered with plastic wrap or a towel, until puffy, not quite doubled, about 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until the loaf is lightly browned. Cool on a rack.
Note: I chose to divide the dough into 3 equal parts, roll it out and braid it instead of twisting the 2 pieces.
Source: The Great Scandinavian Baking Book
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