We just received these recipes, hot off the press! They are for the winning entries from the 45th annual Art&Apples festival. I can't wait to try these out.

The first recipe is for the 1st place pie winner, and the second recipe is for the 1st place apple dessert winner. For the full story on Art&Apples and the contest winners, click here. See recipes below.

Pie
Apple, Strawberry, Rhubarb Pie          

Bottom Crust          
 1 1/4 cups flour         
 1/3 cup shortening         
 1/2 tsp. salt         
 4-5 tbsp warm water         

 Mix the flour, shortening and salt in a medium mixing bowl.         
 Add the warm water, 1 tbsp at a time, until dough is firm          
 Roll out the dough and mold it into the pie dish, removing the excess         

Pie Filling          
 5 granny smith apples - peeled, cored, sliced and diced
 8 strawberries - sliced small
 2 stalks of rhubarb - finely chopped
 1 cup sugar
 1/4 cup flour
 1-2 tsp cinnamon

 Mix the apples, strawberries and rhubarb in a large bowl - set aside
 Mix the sugar, flour and cinnamon - add to the apple/strawberry/rhubarb mixture and mix well
 Fill the pie with the apple mixture

Top Crust 
 1 cup flour
 1 cup brown sugar
 1 cup quick oats
 1 stick butter - melted

 Mix the flour, sugar and oats together in a medium bowl
 Add the melted butter and mix until the crust is crumbly
 Carefully pour the top crust mixture onto the apple mixture and smooth evenly.

 Place in an oven pre-heated to 350 degrees on a middle rack
 Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes

Dessert
Ann-Marie’s Bavarian apple torte
Apple filling
5 - 7 apples, peeled, cored and sliced*
1/3 c. light brown sugar
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. cardamom
½ tsp. lemon juice
1/8 – ¼ tsp. salt

Crust
1/3 c. butter
1/3 c. white sugar
¼ tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 c. white AP flour
1/3 c. whole wheat AP flour

Filling
1 8-oz. pkg. Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
2 tsp. cornstarch
¼ c. light brown sugar
1 large egg
½ tsp. vanilla extract

Glaze (optional)
1/2 c. apricot preserves
1 ½ Tb. white sugar
1 ½ Tb. dark rum

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Apples: Toss peeled, cored & sliced apples in a large microwave-safe bowl with sugar, spices, lemon juice and salt to evenly coat. *(For company or other festive occasions:  Reserve 1 – 2 apples’ worth of slices.  These will be arranged attractively on top of apple mixture before baking.)  Microwave apples for 3 – 4 minutes.  Pour apple mixture into a colander or large strainer over a bowl and allow to drain for 15 – 20 minutes.  Pour apple juices into a small (preferably non-stick) saucepan, bring to a simmer, and reduce to a syrupy consistency.  Pour syrup back over the apple mixture and toss well.  Set aside.

Crust:  Cream together butter and sugar.  Add flour and blend well; add vanilla and incorporate.  Mixture should resemble fine bread crumbs.  Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan, and press crust mixture into the flat bottom and about an inch up the sides of the pan.  Bake in oven for 5 - 6 minutes, or until browned on the edges.  Remove from oven and set aside.

Cheesecake filling:  In a medium bowl, blend softened cream cheese and cornstarch until smooth; add brown sugar and mix well.  Beat in egg and vanilla. 

Pour cream cheese mixture into center of crust.  Pile apple mixture over all.  *(If you are arranging apple slices on top for a more formal presentation, now is the time to do it.)

Bake for 10 minutes.  Then reduce the heat to 400 degrees and continue baking for 30 minutes.  Cool on baking rack.

If possible, refrigerate the torte beforehand for several hours or overnight to give the cream cheese filling a chance to set.  Allow the torte to come to room temperature before serving.

Optional glaze:  Sieve apricot preserves through a fine strainer.  Melt with sugar and rum in small (preferably non-stick) saucepan until sugar is melted.  Bring to a boil; at 228 degrees (soft ball stage), remove from heat.  Paint on top of cooled torte with pastry brush.

Click here for the winners of the 2011 Arts and Apples Pie and Dessert contest.
Click here for the 1st-place winning recipe from 2011 Art and Apples Dessert contest.
Click here for the 2nd-place winning recipe from the 2011 Art and Apples Dessert contest.
Click here for the 3rd-place winning recipe from 2011 Art and Apples Dessert contest.
Click here for a photo gallery of the 2011 Arts and Apples Festival.
Click here for the winners of the 2010 Arts and Apples Pie and Dessert contest.
Click here for the winners of the 2009 Arts and Apples Pie and Dessert contest.
Click here for the winning recipe from the 2010 Art and Apples Dessert contest.
Click here for the winning recipe from the 2010 Art and Apples Pie contest.
Click here for more info on Arts and Apples.