The 2011 Fleischmann's Yeast "Bake for the Cure" contest is a nationwide recipe contest that celebrates bread baking and raises breast cancer awareness.
There's $400 in cash prizes plus $3,000 in national grand prizes, and for each entry nationwide, ACH Food Companies Inc. also donates $10 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure on behalf of contestants and its Fleischmann's Yeast brand.
Contestants are invited to submit any flavor or shape of baked good using any type of Fleischmann's Yeast. Themes and decorative presentations are encouraged.
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Submitted Photo - - Pesto Swirl Bread
Categories include the main category of any yeast bread, along with a second "Whole Grain Bread" category.
The main category awards $150 for first place, $75 for second and $50 for third. The "Whole Grain" category has a $100 top prize and a new $50 runner-up prize.
Judges choose the local winning recipes based on flavor, texture, appearance and creativity. Contestants can enter once per category. Contestants of all ages are welcome.
From all first-place winning recipes, ACH Test Kitchens will select one grand-prize-winning recipe from each of three regions: Northern, Central and Southern. National grand prizes will be awarded in January.
Contest judging is set for July 22 at 2 p.m. in the 4-H Building at the North Dakota State Fair. Fair officials noted the Fleischmann's baking contests and culinary demonstrations are being moved this year from the State Fair Center lobby, where they have been held several years, to the 4-H building.
"The change will make more comfortable surroundings for cooks and spectators, as well as move people through the lobby more easily," said foods chairman Fern Laudenschlager.
As inspiration, try one of these past prize-winning recipes, including Pesto Swirl Bread, German Chocolate Ring and White Chocolate Cherry Bread.
Pesto Swirl Bread
Prep time: 30 minutes; Rise time: 60 minutes Bake time: 30 to 35 minutes. Makes 1 loaf.
2-3/4 to 3-1/4 cups bread flour
1 envelope rapid-rise yeast
1 tablespoon nonfat dry milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1-1/4 cups water
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 tablespoon + 1/2 cup prepared pesto sauce
Combine 1 cup flour, undissolved yeast, dry milk, sugar, parsley, salt and garlic powder in a large bowl. Heat water and butter until very warm (120 F to 130 F). Add to flour mixture. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally.
Add 1 tablespoon pesto sauce and mix well. Stir in enough remaining flour with a spoon to make a soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Cover dough with towel and let rest on floured surface 10 minutes. Roll dough to 15-inch-by-10-inch rectangle. Spread with 1/2 cup pesto sauce. Beginning at short end of each rectangle, roll up tightly as for jelly roll. Pinch seams and ends to seal.
Place, seam sides down, in greased 9-inch-by-5-inch loaf pan. Cover and let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 60 minutes. Bake at 375 F for 30 to 35 minutes or until done.
Remove from pan and let cool on wire racks.
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German Chocolate Ring
Prep time: 40 minutes; Rise time: 50 to 60 minutes; Bake time: 30 to 40 minutes.
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
1-1/4 cups flaked coconut, divided
3/4 cup chopped pecans
3 eggs
4 to 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 envelope rapid-rise yeast
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
5 tablespoons butter, divided
Mix 3/4 cup chocolate chips, 1 cup coconut, pecans and 1 egg in a medium bowl; set aside. Combine 2 cups flour, undissolved yeast, sugar and salt in large mixer bowl. Heat milk and 4 tablespoons butter until very warm (120 F to 130 F) and add to flour mixture.
Beat until smooth. Add 2 remaining eggs and beat for 2 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Roll dough into an 18-inch-by-10-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter and brush over dough. Spread with reserved chocolate-coconut mixture. Roll up dough jelly roll style, starting from the long side; pinch seam to seal.
Place dough seam side down on a greased baking sheet. Form a ring by pinching the ends together. With sharp scissors, cut from outside edge to two-thirds of the way toward center of ring at 1-inch intervals. Separate strips slightly to allow filling to show. Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 50 to 60 minutes. Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.
Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips; let stand for 5 minutes. Spread melted chips; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup coconut. Carefully remove from pan to a wire rack to cool.
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White Chocolate Cherry Bread
Prep time: 30 minutes; Rise time: 55 minutes. Bake time: 25 to 30 minutes. Yield: 2 loaves.
Bread:
1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained; reserve juice
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3-1/4 cups bread flour
2-1/4 teaspoons bread machine yeast or 1 envelope rapid-rise yeast
Filling:
1/2 cup chopped white chocolate baking chips
1/3 cup chopped slivered almonds
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup maraschino cherries, cut in half and well drained
Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 to 4 teaspoons reserved cherry juice
1 egg slightly beaten
Add the bread ingredients in the order given (or the recommended order for your bread machine) to the machine pan. Select Dough/Manual cycle. Do not use delay cycles.
After bread machine turns off, remove dough from machine and place on lightly floured surface; cover. Let rest for 10 minutes.
Mix white chocolate baking chips, almonds and sugar in a small bowl. Grease a large baking sheet (or 2 baking sheets).
Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 12-inch-by-9-inch rectangle. Spread 1 tablespoon butter over each rectangle. Sprinkle with half the white chocolate mixture and cut cherries. Press into dough. Roll up dough from long side. Pinch loaf to seal bottom and ends.
Place on baking sheet(s). Cover and let rise in warm place about 45 minutes or until double. Brush with egg.
Bake on center rack of preheated 350 F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Note: If using 2 baking sheets, switch the position of the sheets half way through baking. Transfer loaf to wire rack placed on top of waxed paper. Cool. Mix glaze ingredients until smooth and of desired consistency. Drizzle each loaf with glaze.
Recipe tip: A 10-ounce jar of maraschino cherries contains just enough cherries and juice for this recipe.