State fair contests cook up creativity

The News-Enterprise

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Ghirardelli Rocky Road Cupcakes

The Kentucky State Fair is calling all creative cooks.

Registration is open for three ingredient-specific recipe contests.

In the Ghirardelli Chocolate Championship, contestants are to create any dessert they like using a Ghirardelli premium baking product. The dishes will be judged on flavor, creativity and how easy it is to follow the recipe. Judges also want to know the tale behind the treat, inviting contestant to share their thoughts and memories.

First and second place winners will receive $150 and $50 respectively.

In observance of the sandwich’s 250th birthday, bakers can enter the Sensational Sandwich Bread Contest. Using any Fleischmann’s Yeast in anything from bread and buns to bagels and biscuits, the top recipes will share $400 in prizes.

And then, there’s the Great American SPAM Championship. The taste, originality and presentation of any dish using SPAM and no more than 10 ingredients will be judged in a contest for youth and a contest for adults.

The best SPAM recipes advance to national competition after the 2012 fair season ends.

Registration for the contests is open until July 1. For details, call the state fair entry office at (502) 367-5190 or go to www.kystatefair.org.

Ghirardelli Rocky Road Cupcakes

2 cups Ghirardelli 60 percent bittersweet chocolate chips, divided

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

3 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1 cup mini marshmallows

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the lower third. Grease or spray the top surface of the pan with nonstick spray and line the cups with paper liners.

In the top of the double boiler or in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water, melt 1-1/4 cups of the chocolate chips with the butter, stirring frequently until melted and smooth. Remove the chocolate from the heat and let it cool to lukewarm.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the flour and baking powder together thoroughly.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and salt with an electric mixer on high speed for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is very pale and thick.

Scrape the warm chocolate over the egg mixture and fold it in with a large rubber spatula. Sprinkle the flour into the bowl with half the remaining chocolate chips and half the walnuts. Fold just until the ingredients are blended.

Divide the batter evenly among the lined cups. Sprinkle the tops with marshmallows followed by the remaining walnuts and the remaining chocolate chips. Bake 18 to 20 minutes until the marshmallows are golden brown.

Set the pan on a rack to cool for 5 minutes. Run the tip of a table knife around the top of each cupcake to detach any melted marshmallow or chocolate from the pan. Let the cupcakes cool until firm enough to remove from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 12 cupcakes.