Winning Allentown Fair recipes include chocolate booze bonbons

The Great Allentown Fair held 10 culinary contests in 2023. Here are the winning recipes:

THE BUTTERED CRUMB – CRUMB CAKE CONTEST

BLUEBERRY CRUMB CAKE

Cake 

2 ½ cups sugar

4 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

4 tsps. baking powder

1⁄2 cup oil  

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

4 cups blueberries 

Crumb Topping 

1 1/3 cups sugar

1 1/3 cups flour

2 tsps. cinnamon

8 Tbsps. butter 

Cake: Sift dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and mix well. Fold in blueberries.

Crumb topping: Place ingredient in a bowl and make crumb topping by hand.

Pour batter into two 8 x 8-inch or one 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle top with crumb topping. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

— Ashley Troxell, Catasauqua

SWEET GIRLZ BAKERY FRUITED COOKIE/BAR CONTEST

RHUBARB CHEESECAKE BARS

Crust

1 cup flour 

1⁄2 cup packed brown sugar

1⁄4 tsp. salt 

¼ cup cold butter 

1⁄2 cup chopped walnuts 

1 1⁄2 tsps. vanilla extract 

Filling

2 pkgs. cream cheese, 8 oz. each, softened

3/4 cup sugar 

3 eggs 

1 1⁄2 tsps. vanilla extract 

Topping

3 1⁄2 cups sliced fresh rhubarb 

¾4 cup sugar 

1⁄4 cup water 

1 Tbsp. cornstarch 

1⁄4 tsp. cinnamon 

2-3 drops red food coloring, optional

In a bowl, combine flour, brown sugar and salt; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in walnuts and vanilla, and press into greased 13 x 9-inch pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cool slightly. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Pour over the crust and bake at 375 degrees for 18-23 minutes or until center is set and edges are light brown. Cool.

In a saucepan combine the rhubarb, sugar, water, cornstarch and cinnamon and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool, then add food coloring if you’d like. Pour over filling, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Garnish as you like.

This bar must be refrigerated after serving.

— Collette Gaugler, Fogelsville

KING ARTHUR FLOUR FILLED CUPCAKES

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER BOMBS

Cupcakes

2 cups flour 

2 cups sugar 

2 eggs

1 cup coffee 

½ cup oil

1 cup milk

2 tsps. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder 

¾ cup cocoa 

Peanut Butter Filling 

1 stick butter, salted

1 box 10x confectioners sugar

2 tsps. vanilla 

¼ cup heavy cream 

½ cup peanut butter 

Chocolate Buttercream

2 sticks butter, unsalted 

3-4 cups 10x sugar

½ cup cocoa

5 Tbsps. heavy cream

¼ tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

Cupcakes: Sift dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 14 minutes. Let cool. Makes about 30 cupcakes.

Peanut Butter Filling: Put all ingredients into a bowl and mix until fluffy. Using a spoon, scoop out some of the cupcake from the top center of cupcake. Fill the hole with the filling.

Chocolate Buttercream: Beat butter until creamy. Add the rest of the ingredients and beat until smooth. Ice cupcakes. Note: The icing will cover the cupcake and the peanut butter filling.

— Kim Troxell, Catasauqua

PA PREFERRED, JUNIOR COOKIES, BROWNIES AND BARS CONTEST

SALTED CARAMEL APPLE PIE BARS

1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, melted  

1⁄4 cup granulated sugar 

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 

¼ tsp. salt 

1 cup all purpose flour 

Apple Filling 

2 large apples, peeled and thinly sliced 

2 Tbsps. all-purpose flour 

2 Tbsps. granulated sugar 

1 tsp. cinnamon 

1/8 tsp. nutmeg 

Streusel 

1⁄2 cup old fashioned whole rolled oats 

1/3 cup brown sugar 

¼ tsp. cinnamon 

¼ cup all-purpose flour 

¼ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed  

Salted Caramel Sauce 

1 cup granulated sugar 

6 Tbsps. salted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces 

1⁄2 cup heavy cream, room temperature 

1 tsp. salt 

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line bottom and sides of 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.

Shortbread Crust: Stir melted butter, granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt together in medium bowl. Add flour and stir until combined. Press mixture evenly into prepared baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes.

Apple Filling: Combine sliced apples, flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl until all of the apples are evenly coated.

Streusel: Whisk the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour together in a medium bowl. Cut the chilled butter with a pastry blender/fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.

Turn oven up to 350  degrees. Evenly and tightly layer the apples on top of the warm crust. Sprinkle the apple layer with the streusel and bake for 30-35 minutes until the streusel is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes and then chill in refrigerator for at least two hours. Cut into bars.

Caramel Topping: Heat sugar in saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Be careful not to burn it. Once sugar is completely melted, immediately stir in the butter until melted and combined. Caramel will bubble rapidly when the butter is added. If butter separates or sugar clumps, remove from heat and whisk to combine again. After the butter has melted and combined with the caramelized sugar, stir constantly while adding the heavy cream slowly. After all the heavy cream has been added, stop stirring and allow to boil for one minute. Remove from heat and add salt. Allow to slightly cool and then drizzle the caramel sauce over the top of the bars.

— Ben Weslosky, Schnecksville

CLOVER HILL WINERY, HOMEMADE CANDY

BOOZY CHOCOLATE CARAMEL APPLE BONBONS

Boozy Apples Ingredients

1⁄2 large honey crisp apple 

Clover Hill Spiced Apple Wine 

Caramel Ingredients 

1/8 cup water 

½ cup sugar 

1⁄2 cup heavy cream, room temperature 

2 Tbsps. butter, salted, room temperature 

Bonbon Ingredients 

24 oz. 55% dark couverture chocolate

Colored cocoa butter, optional

Boozy apples: Cut apple in 1/4-inch slices. Place in mason jar and cover with wine. Let soak 2-4 weeks to achieve maximum flavor.

Caramel: Place water and sugar in a saucepan. Heat on medium-low, swirling pan every 30 seconds. Water and sugar will clump together before sugar dissolves completely. Continue to swirl pan until sugar is dissolved and turns an amber color in appearance. Remove from heat and stir in heavy cream and butter. Place in refrigerator to cool. Once caramel is cool, remove apple slices from jar and dice apples. Mix diced apples and caramel together and set aside for filling.

Bonbons: If you want to decorate your bonbons, start by heating cocoa butter to 89 degrees. Decorate molds as desired. Let cocoa butter dry before moving onto next step.

Next temper chocolate. Heat chocolate in microwave, starting with one minute. Then continue to heat in 10 second intervals until a temp of 87-89 degrees is achieved. If the mixture is too hot, allow to cool within this temperature range.

Fill chocolate molds with chocolate. Then drain to create an outer shell. Let set 10 minutes in the freezer.

Fill chocolate shells with prepared boozy apple caramel filling. Leave 1/8-inch open at top of each mold cavity. Set in freezer for 1 hour.

Remove molds from freezer. Temper leftover chocolate to 87-89 degrees.

Fill rest of the mold cavities w/ tempered chocolate.

Let set another 10 minutes in freezer. Pop out of mold and enjoy.

Note: This recipe makes approximately 48 1-inch bonbons.

— Kaitlyn Moyer, Allentown

THE PAMPERED CHEF, FRUIT TARTS

CREAMY CHERRY TART

Crust

3 cups flour 

1 1⁄2 tsps. salt 

1 tsp. granulated sugar 

1 1⁄2 cups butter flavored Crisco 

1 large egg, beaten

5 Tbsps. cold water 

1⁄2 tsp. vanilla extract 

1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar 

Creamy Filling 

1 cup heavy whipping cream 

1 cup confectioners sugar 

4 Tbsps. butter, softened 

8 oz. cream cheese, softened 

1⁄2 tsp. vanilla extract 

1 pack, 0.35 oz., whipped cream stabilizer 

Cherry Filling 

5 cups frozen pitted sour cherries, thawed (1 3/4 pounds) 

1 Tbsp. Fruit Fresh, can be found in canning aisle 

¾ cup granulated sugar 

1/4 cup cornstarch 

1 Tbsp. butter

1⁄2 tsp. vanilla 

Crust: Mix flour, salt, sugar and Crisco with mixer. Add beaten egg mixed with water, vanilla and vinegar. Divide dough into two pieces and wrap in plastic wrap. Place dough in refrigerator for at least one hour. Using a rolling pin, roll dough piece out on a floured board and transfer into a 9-inch deep dish pan. Trim excess and flute edge. This recipe makes two pie shells plus enough for cut-outs to place on top of pie if desired. Place pie shell in freezer for one hour prior to baking. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line pie crust with foil and weigh it down with two cups of rice. Bake on center rack for 30 minutes. Remove foil and rice; bake for 5 more minutes or until lightly golden brown. Cool completely. Place creamy filling into the bottom of the cooled pie shell and smooth with a spatula. Place chilled cherry filling evenly over creamy filling. Top with pie crust cut outs and edible glitter if desired. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Creamy Filling: With an electric mixer, beat whipping cream on medium high speed for 2 minutes or until stiff peaks form when beater is slowly raised. Set whipped cream aside. In a large mixing bowl, blend butter, cream cheese, confectioners sugar and vanilla. Mix on medium high speed for 2 minutes or until well blended and smooth. Add whipped cream to cream cheese mixture and mix on medium high speed for 1 minute or until light and fluffy. Add whipped cream stabilizer and mix for an additional 1 minute or until well mixed.

Cherry Filling: Place cherries in a medium pot with 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar and fruit fresh. Cook on medium heat stirring frequently until juicy and simmering, about 10 minutes. Mix the remaining sugar and cornstarch together until well mixed and slowly add to cherry mixture and cook, stirring constantly until thickened and bubbling, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. Stir until butter is melted. Cool to room temperature and then place in refrigerator for 2 hours or until chilled.

Note: I find it a lot easier to make if I pit all of the cherries before freezing them.

— Sharon Kurtz, Emmaus

BECHDOLT’S ORCHARD, FRESH PEACH DESSERT

PEACH COBBLER CHEESECAKE

Crumble 

¾ cup flour-heat treated 

1/3 cup brown sugar 

1 tsp. cinnamon 

½ tsp. salt 

5 Tbsps. butter, unsalted, cubed 

Peaches

6-8 peaches, cut into thick slices

4 Tbsps. melted butter, unsalted

3 Tbsps. brown sugar 

1 tsp. cinnamon 

Graham Cracker Crust 

2 cups crushed graham crackers

1/3 cup sugar 

½ tsp. cinnamon 

½ cup melted butter, unsalted

Cheesecake Batter 

4 blocks cream cheese

1 ¼ cups sugar

2 Tbsps. cornstarch 

3 eggs, plus 1 yolk, room temperature

1 Tbsp. vanilla 

1 cup sour cream, room temperature

Non-stick cooking spray

Crumble: Mix all ingredients for crumble by hand. Set aside.

Peaches: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine all peach ingredients. Place in single layer on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes until tender. Cool. Reserve half of the mixture.

Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray springform pan with non-stick cooking spray. Combine crust ingredients spread into bottom of pan. Press down with hand or bottom of a glass. Bake 10 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes.

Cheesecake batter: Drop temp to 325 degrees. Mix cream cheese, sugar and cornstarch until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing ingredients on low. Scrape bowl in between. Mix vanilla in with the last egg yoke. Fold in sour cream.

Pour half the batter into the band crust. Layer half the peach mixture on it, then pour in the other half of the batter. Place 3/4 of crumb mixture on top of the peaches. Tap pan to release air bubbles. Bake in a water bath for 75 minutes. Turn oven off. Crack the door and leave the cheesecake in oven for additional hour. Take out and let cool. Place in refrigerator over night. Also refrigerate remaining reserved peaches and remaining crumble. To serve, place remaining peaches and crumble on top of cheesecake.

— Ashley Troxell, Catasauqua

PARKLAND JEWELRY, NO BAKE DESSERT CONTEST

STRAWBERRY-ELDERFLOWER PANNA COTTA 

Strawberry Jelly

2 tsps. powdered gelatin 

4 tsps. water 

240 grams hulled strawberries 

50 grams sugar 

2 Tbsps. elderflower liqueur 

Panna cotta 

1 1⁄2 Tbsps. cold water 

2 tsps. powdered gelatin

1 1/2  cups heavy cream 

50 grams sugar 

1⁄2 cup milk 

Pinch of salt 

1 tsp. vanilla bean paste 

Strawberry sauce

1⁄2 Tbsp. cornstarch 

1 1/2 Tbsps. warm water 

8 oz. hulled and quartered strawberries

25 grams sugar 

1 Tbsp. elderflower liqueur 

Garnish

Fresh strawberries

Strawberry Jelly: Combine gelatin and water in a small bowl and allow to bloom for at least five minutes. Puree strawberries and pass through a sieve to remove seeds. Place strawberry puree and sugar in a small pot and bring to a boil. Then, remove from heat and stir in gelatin until dissolved followed by liqueur. Cool slightly then pour into individual dishes to set.

Panna Cotta: Combine cold water and gelatin in a small bowl and allow to bloom for at least five minutes. In a large saucepan, combine heavy cream, milk, sugar, and salt and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and microwave gelatin mixture for 10 seconds to return to liquid consistency. Stir gelatin into heavy cream mixture. Place pot over an ice bath and stir until cool. Stir in vanilla bean paste. Pour mixture over top of jelly and refrigerate until set.

Strawberry Sauce: Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Place strawberries, sugar, and cornstarch mixture in a medium saucepan and stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium heat and while stirring and breaking up the fruits a bit. Once simmering, keep at a simmer, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in liqueur. Once completely cooled, spoon over top of set panna cotta. Garnish with fresh berries as desired.

— Sarah Keppel, Easton

VYNECREST WINERY, HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE CAKE

THE ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE & PEANUT BUTTER CAKE

Cake

1 3⁄4 cup King Arthur flour, sifted, then measured

1 1⁄2 tsps. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 1⁄2 tsps. baking soda

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs “PA Preferred”

2 tsps. vanilla extract

1 cup water

1 cup 2% milk

1⁄2 cup canola oil

¾ cup Hershey baking cocoa

¼ cup Hershey dark cocoa

2 tsps. espresso powder

Peanut Butter Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup creamy peanut butter

3 cups 10X powdered confectionary sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1⁄2 tsp. salt

2 Tbsps. whole milk

Chocolate Frosting

1⁄2 cup half-and-half

6 Tbsps. Hershey Cocoa powder

¼ tsp. salt

4 oz. chopped bittersweet chocolate

1 cup unsalted butter

3 cups powdered sugar

Cake: In a large bowl, beat the sugar, water, milk, oil, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder and salt; gradually beat into sugar mixture until blended. Transfer the mixture equally into three greased and floured 8-inch round baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool before removing from pans.

Peanut Butter Frosting: Cream together butter and peanut butter. Add 10X sugar a third at a time when mixing. Stir in vanilla and salt then add milk at low speed to mix then increase to high speed for 30 seconds.

Chocolate Frosting: Simmer half-and-half, cocoa powder, and salt in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in chopped bittersweet chocolate until smooth; cool 5 minutes. Beat softened butter and powdered sugar on medium heat until fluffy. Gradually add chocolate mixture and beat until smooth (it may be necessary to double the chocolate frosting recipe depending on how thick the cake is frosted and decorated).

Assembly: Place one cake upside down on cake server and top with 1 cup of peanut butter frosting, then add 1 cup of chocolate frosting. Repeat with second layer. Place final cake right side up and frost the top and sides with chocolate frosting. Decorate top edge and bottom of cake by piping peanut butter and/or chocolate frosting. Option to use fresh Reese’s peanut butter cups and place on top of cake in design of your choice.

— Lorrie Rauch, New Tripoli

GRIM’S ORCHARD, BLUE RIBBON APPLE PIE CONTEST

CREAMY CARAMEL APPLE-PECAN PIE

Crust

2 cups flour 

1 ½ tsps. sugar 

½  tsp. salt 

1/8  tsp. baking powder 

½ stick unsalted butter 

½ cup butter flavored shortening 

1 egg, beaten 

1 ½ tsps. apple cider vinegar 

Creamy Layer 

4 oz. cream cheese, softened 

7 oz. sweetened condensed milk 

½ tsp. vanilla 

Filling 

7 cups PA grown apples of choice, peeled and sliced thin

1 tsp. lemon juice 

¼ cup boiled cider 

1 tsp. vanilla 

½ cup toasted pecans, chopped fine 

1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed 

3 Tbsps. granulated sugar 

2 tsps. ground cinnamon 

1/3 cup pie enhancer 

1/3 cup salted caramel topping, room temperature 

Streusel

¾ cup flour 

2/3 cup finely chopped pecans 

¼ cup light brown sugar, packed 

6 Tbsps. cold butter 

¼  cup salted carmel topping, room temperature 

Crust: Sift dry ingredients. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles course crumbs. Mix egg, vinegar, and water. Add to dry ingredients. Mix just until dough comes together. Fit into 9-inch or 10-inch pan.

Creamy layer: Beat these ingredients together until smooth and creamy.

Filling: Toss apples with lemon juice, cider, and vanilla. Let it set for about 30 minutes. Combine pecans, sugars, cinnamon, and pie enhancer. Add to apple mixture and let sit for 30 minutes.

Streusel: Blend ingredients together.

Pour cream cheese mixture onto bottom of chilled crust and swirl in 1/3 cup caramel. Put apples on top. Place blended streusel topping on top. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Drop temperature to 375 degrees and finish for another 15 minutes. Cover edges of crust if necessary and put foil over crumbs. Bake for another 30-40 minutes until filling is bubbling and topping is brown. Top with caramel. Decorate as desired.

— Cindy Hendershot, Danielsville