Michigan’s #1 apple pie features oatmeal-pecan topping, cream cheese filling
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Contact: Holly Whetstone
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(Frankenmuth, Mich.) — It was a delicious pecan and oatmeal crumb-top apple pie with cream cheese filling that earned the praise of judges, including two perfect scores, in the 5th Annual Michigan’s Best Apple Pie Contest Wednesday afternoon.
Kim Landhuis of DeWitt was pleasantly surprised that her Cream Cheese Apple Pie with Oatmeal Pecan Streusel Topping was named the best entry in the field of 43 homemade pies. The amateur baking competition was held Wednesday, Jan. 27 during Zehnder’s Snowfest, an ice carving contest in Frankenmuth.
Landhuis said the pie competition was strong and attributed her win to “luck.”
Competing pies were ranked on appearance, texture and taste by a panel of 18 judges, including two professional chefs. This is the fifth consecutive year that the Michigan Apple Committee, Pioneer Sugar, radio station WSGW and Zehnder’s restaurant have joined forces to sponsor the statewide baking contest.
A total of three awards were presented:
• 1st Place – Cream Cheese Apple Pie with Oatmeal Pecan Streusel Topping by Kim Landhuis of DeWitt
• 2nd Place – Crumb Topped Apple Pie by Jenny Wilcox of Elsie
• 3rd Place – Yankee Spy Apple Pie by Dan Beck of Flint
As the top winner, Landhuis earned $500 and a trip to Florida in April to compete in the National Pie Championships, courtesy of MAC.
The following is Landhuis’ winning recipe:
CREAM CHEESE APPLE PIE WITH OATMEAL PECAN STREUSEL TOPPING
From the kitchen of Kim Landhuis of DeWitt, Michigan
Pie crust:
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unbleached flour
2 tablespoons water
¼ heaping teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup canola oil
Filling:
4 large Michigan Northern Spy or Ida Red apples, peeled and sliced
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Pioneer Sugar (reserve 6 tablespoons)
4 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 large egg
½ teaspoon vanilla
Topping:
½ cup unbleached flour
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup oatmeal
¾ cup chopped pecans
½ cup (1 stick) hard butter
Heat oven to 400 degrees. In large bowl, combine all pie crust ingredients. Mix well and form into a ball. Place between two sheets of wax paper and roll into 12-inch diameter for one crust. Place crust onto a 9-inch pie pan. Flute the edge. Use a fork to prick crust before baking for 12 minutes. Remove and place on rack. Reduce oven to 375 degrees.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, over medium heat, stir and cook apple, sugar, melted butter, flour and cinnamon for 15 minutes with lid on. Spoon mixture over pie crust.
Beat cream cheese, the remaining sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth and pour on top of apples. Fold the cream cheese into apple mixture. Bake for 25 minutes or until filling is set. Cover the edge with aluminum foil.
Meanwhile, mix flour, brown sugar, oatmeal and pecans together. Cut butter in dry mixture into pea-size morsels. Sprinkle this mixture on cream cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes more or until golden brown. Remove the foil the last 5 minutes of baking. Cool completely on wire rack and then refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with a slice of apple in the center (optional).
The complete list of winning recipes will be posted at MichiganApples.com. Contestants were required to use Michigan Apples and Pioneer Sugar in their original creations.
The Michigan Apple Committee is a grower-funded, nonprofit organization devoted to promotion, education and research activities to distinguish the Michigan apple and encourage its consumption by consumers in Michigan and around the world. For more information, visit MichiganApples.com.