Olsen three-peats at Pie in the Park

HURON — “It may rain before; it may rain after, but it never rains on Pie in the Park,” said event organizer Deannie LeRoux Thursday night in Campbell Park.
The weather threatened, but just in time the skies cleared and the annual Fair City Sertoma Club’s pie baking contest took place as scheduled.
Michael Olsen was selected as the winner of this year’s event.
It was the third straight win for Olsen, who has baked the same Fresh Apple Pie - with some subtle changes - for all three wins. Carol Olsen finished second with a Juicy Cherry pie and her Summertime Trio Pie was chosen for third place.
Melanie Wangsness finished fourth with her Fresh Colorado Peach Pie, while Eva Sande took fifth with a Top Crust Peach and Cardamom Pie.
Michael Olsen takes home $100 in Huron Chamber Bucks as the top prize. Carol Olsen receives a 6-month Huron Plainsman subscription and $50 in Huron Bucks, while both Wangsness and Sande will receive free tickets to the Fair City Sertoma Fundraiser event.
Judges for this year’s event were Rhonda Kludt, Bob Eickhoff and Paul Raan. A total of eight pies were entered in this year’s contest

Here are the recipes for this year’s top five pies.
Fresh Apple Pie
Michael Olsen
Crust
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup shortening
1 egg
1/2 cup cold water
1 tablespoon vinegar
Mix first three ingredients to form crumbles. Whisk remaining ingredients together and add to flour mixture. Separate into two discs and chill, in plastic wrap. Makes two 10-inch crusts.
Filling
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
10 cups of thinly sliced Braeburn apples
3 tablespoons of honey
2 tablespoons of lemon juice

Mix first four ingredients, drizzle with honey and lemon and remix. Roll out pie dough and fill with apple mixture. Cover with top crust. Seal and back at 425 for 15 minutes, lower oven temp and back at 375 for 55 minutes.

Juicy Cherry Pie
Carol Olsen
Crust
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup shortening
1 egg
1/2 cup cold water
1 tablespoon vinegar
Mix first three ingredients to form crumbles. Whisk remaining ingredients together and add to flour mixture. Separate into two discs and chill, in plastic wrap. Makes two 10-inch crusts.
Filling

6 cups of frozen sweet cherries, completely thawed (about two pounds)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter
Cream for finishing
Mix all ingredients, except butter and stir several times. Line pan with crust and fill with cherry mixture and dot with butter. Cover with top crust, seal edges and brush with cream and sprinkle with sugar. Make vent slits and bake at 425 for 15 minutes, lower temperature and back at 375 for 30 minutes. Be careful of overflow juice.

Summertime Trio Pie
Carol Olsen
Crust
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup shortening
1 egg
1/2 cup cold water
1 tablespoon vinegar
Mix first three ingredients to form crumbles. Whisk remaining ingredients together and add to flour mixture. Separate into two discs and chill, in plastic wrap. Makes two 10-inch crusts.
Filling
1 pound Braeburn apples, thinly sliced
1 pound rhubarb, diced, drain juice after being frozen
1 pound fresh strawberries, trimmed and quartered
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Blend dry ingredients, then mix in one half into the apples and stir. Mix the rest in the rhubarb and strawberries and mix several times. Prepare pie crusts. Prepare apple mixture (may not use all of its juice) on bottom of pie shell and then fill with rhubarb-strawberry mixture. Cover with top crust and seal. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, reduce temperature and bake at 375 for 45 minutes. Careful of overflow juices.

Fresh Colorado
Peach Pie
Melanie Wangsness
Crust
2 1/2 cups all purpose, unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons salted butter, cut into tablespoon sizes
8 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1/2 cup of ice water, plus 1-2 tablespoons more, as needed.
Mix all ingredients, except ice water, until it looks like cracker crumbs with pea-sized lumps. Sprinkle ice water and mix lightly with a fork and squeeze together until the dough holds together, adding more water as need. Divide into two discs and wrap in plastic wrap and chill for an hour.
Filling
6 cups of peaches
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3 teaspoons orange liqueur
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash of nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/4 plus 1/8 cup of sugar (up to 1/2 cup, depending on sweetness of the fruit.
1/4 cup of flour
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1-2 teaspoons sugar and cinnamon sugar to sprinkle on top before baking.
1 egg white and water for egg wash
Mix filling and add to pie shell. Add top crust and seal with egg wash. Brush the top of the crust with egg wash and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes, reduce temperature and bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes. With 15 minutes left, sprinkle white sugar on top and continue baking until you see steady bubbling through the vents or lattice. Remove pie from oven and cool completely before serving, so filling can set.

Top Crust Peach
and Cardamom Pie
Eva Sande
Crust
2 cups flour
1/4 cup sweet milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup lard
2 tablespoons vinegar
Cut lard into flour and salt with a pastry blender. Stir vinegar into mil and quickly add to dry mixture. Use a fork and your fingers to mix dough until it just holds together, then roll it out.
Filling
5 cups of ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced into half-inch thick pieces
1/3 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 beaten egg (for glaze on top crust)
1 1/2 tablespoons raw sugar
Honey yogurt
Place peach slices into a medium bowl and add sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and cardamom and toss to coat. Transfer peach filling into a 9-inch pie plate lined with bottom crust. Add top crust, seal, brush with egg mixture and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes and cool completely before serving, with honey yogurt.