2011 Monmouth County Fair Award Winning Recipes COOKIES: CHILD Chocolate Crackles By Noah Christensen – Age 10 of Jackson – First Place 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped 1¼ cups flour ½ cup cocoa powder 2 teaspoons baking powder ¼ teaspoon coarse salt 1 stick butter 1½ cups light brown sugar (packed) 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/3 cup whole milk 1 cup sugar 1 cup confectioner’s sugar Melt chocolate in double boiler. Let cool. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. With an electric mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the eggs, vanilla and melted chocolate. Mix in ½ the flour mixture. Mix in the milk. Mix in the remaining flour mixture. Divide the dough into four equal parts. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for about 2 hours, until the dough gets firm and cold. Preheat the oven to 350°. Roll the dough into 16 balls that are about 1 inch in diameter. Roll the dough into the sugar. Roll the dough into the confectioner’s sugar. Place on parchment- lined cookie sheet. Space, 2 inches apart. Bake until surfaces crack, about 14 minutes. Rotate the cookie sheet halfway through. Let cool on sheets and then move to wire racks. Snickerdoodles By Nathaniel Christensen – Age 12 of Jackson – Second Place 2¾ cups flour 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon coarse salt 2 sticks butter (room temperature) 1½ cups sugar 2 tablespoons sugar 2 large eggs 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon Preheat the oven to 350°. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Put butter and 1½ cups of sugar into electric mixer bowl. Use paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for about 3 minutes until the mixture is soft and creamy. Mix in the eggs. Gradually mix in the flour mixture. In a small bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons of sugar and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon. Shape dough into 20 balls that are about 1¾ of an inch. Roll the balls into the cinnamon-sugar mix. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Rotate the cookies halfway through. Cool on wire racks. Molasses Cookies By Carolyn Carmody - Age 8 of Freehold – Third Place 1½ sticks butter 1 cup sugar ¼ cup molasses 1 egg 1¾ cups flour ¼ teaspoon ground cloves ½ teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon baking soda Preheat the oven to 350°. Melt butter. Add sugar and molasses. Beat egg then add and blend well. Sift all dry ingredients then add to the wet ingredients and mix together. Batter will be wet. Put foil on cookie sheet. Leave 3 inches between cookies. Bake 8 - 10 minutes. Let cool on foil. Bryan Potter – Age 8 of Howell – Honorable Mention COOKIES: Teen Lemon Bars By Lauren Bauer and Cara Trulli – Age 13 of Freehold – First Place Crust: ½ pound unsalted butter, at room temperature ½ cup granulated sugar 2 cups flour 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt Filling: 6 extra-large eggs at room temperature 3 cups granulated sugar 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons) 1 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice 1 cup flour Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting Preheat the oven to 350°. For the crust, cream the butter and sugar, until light, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 x 13 x 2 inch baking sheet, building up a ½ inch edge on all sides. Chill. Bake the crust for 15 - 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on. For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 - 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature. Cut into triangles and dust with confectioner’s sugar. Apricot Oat Cookie Bars By Emily Halo – Age 16 of Manalapan – Second Place Crust: 1¾ cups all-purpose flour 1 cup light brown sugar, packed 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt ¾ teaspoon baking soda 1¾ cups old-fashioned oats 1 cup (4ounces) coarsely chopped walnuts 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted 1 egg, at room temperature, beaten 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Filling: 1 (13 ounce) jar apricot jam or preserves (about 1¼ cups) 8 dried apricots, chopped into ¼ inch pieces (about 1/3 cup) Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a 9 x 13 x 2-inch metal baking dish with vegetable oil cooking spray. Line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with vegetable oil cooking spray and set aside. For the filling, in a small bowl, mix together the jam and the apricots. Set aside. For the crust, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour sugar, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Stir in the oats and walnuts. Add the butter, egg, and vanilla and stir until incorporated. Using a fork or clean fingers, lightly press half of the crust mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan. Using a spatula spread the filling over the crust leaving a ½ inch border around the edge of the pan. Cover the filling with the remaining crust mixture and gently press to flatten. Bake until light golden, about 30 - 35 minutes. Cool for 1 hour. Cut into bars and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Lemon Coconut Squares By Taylor Potter – Age 13 of Howell – Third Place 1½ cups all-purpose flour ½ cup confectioner’s sugar ¾ cup cold butter or margarine 4 eggs 1½ cups sugar ½ cup lemon juice (3 lemons fresh squeezed) 1 teaspoon lemon zest 1 teaspoon baking powder ¾ cup flaked coconut In a bowl, combine flour and confectioner’s sugar; cut in the butter until crumbly. Press onto the bottom of a lightly greased 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, lemon juice and baking powder until well mixed. Pour over crust; sprinkle coconut evenly over the top. Bake at 350° for 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack. Cut into bars. COOKIES: Adult Somewhere Over the Rainbow Cookies By Andrew Micallef of Manalapan – First Place 1 can (8 ounces) almond paste (not marzipan) 1½ cups (3 sticks) butter, softened 1 cup sugar 4 eggs, separated 1 teaspoon almond extract 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour ¼ teaspoon salt 10 drops green food coloring 8 drops red food coloring 1 jar (12 ounces) apricot preserves 5 squares (1 ounce each) semisweet chocolate Preheat the oven to moderate 350°. Grease three 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pans; line with wax paper; grease paper. Break up almond paste in large bowl with fork. Add butter, sugar, egg yolks, and almond extract. Beat with electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in flour and salt. Beat egg whites in medium size bowl with electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Stir into almond mixture with wooden spoon, using a turning motion similar to folding. Remove 1½ cups of batter; spread evenly into one of the prepared pans. Remove another 1½ cups of batter to a small bowl; add green food coloring. Spread evenly into second prepared pan. Add red food coloring to remaining 1 ½ cups of batter and spread into third prepared pan. Bake in preheated moderate oven 350° for 15 minutes or until edges are lightly golden. (Note: Cake layers will each be ¼ inch thick). Immediately remove cakes from pans onto large wire racks. Cool thoroughly. Place green layer on upturned jelly-roll pan. Heat apricot preserves in small saucepan; strain. Spread half of the warm preserves over green layer to edges. Place yellow layer on top. Spread with remaining preserves. Place pink layer, top side up, on yellow layer. Cover with plastic wrap. Weight down with large wooden cutting board or heavy flat tray. Refrigerate overnight. Trim cake edges even. Cut cake crosswise into 1 inch wide strips. Frost top (pink layer) with melted chocolate. Turn strip on side. Frost bottom (green layer). Let chocolate dry. Cut into 1 inch pieces. Repeat with remaining strips. Mint Chocolate Delights By Rose Ann Brandl of Farmingdale – Second Place 2 cups flour 2/3 cups baking cocoa 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup butter 2/3 cup sugar 2/3 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 eggs 1 2/3 cups dark chocolate and mint morsels Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter, sugars and vanilla in large mixing bowl until creamy. Add eggs and beat well. Add flour mixture gradually. Stir in morsels. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 325° for 11 - 13 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen cookies. Craisy Oatmeal Cookies By Betty Soto of Lakewood – Third Place 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature 1¼ cups dark brown sugar 1 tablespoon honey 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 eggs ½ cup sweetened coconut flakes ¾ cup dried cranberries 2 cups quick oats ½ teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped Preheat oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar with a mixer.