Tap into Maple: Tips and Tastes Takes Over Headwaters!

On Sunday, March 15th, Headwaters Outdoor Education Center hosted "Tap into Maple: Tips and Tastes" with our guest speaker, Eddie Lou Meimer, owner of Pleiades Maple Products.

Eddie Lou gave a 250 year look into the history of maple syrup in Morrow County. She shared details on how maple syrup is harvested today and the modifications of tools and processes used through time. Many of the mentioned tools were on display for folks to see and experience, including, taps and lines.

A variety of maple products (coated nuts, cookies, suckers and pure maple syrup) were available for tasting.

After a very informative display and detailed presentation, we focused our attention to the "Jean Zwick Memorial Dessert Contest" judged by Morrow County Prosecutor, Andrew Wick, Mayor, Donna Carver, and Morrow SWCD Board Secretary, Devon Heacock.

The winners received gift baskets filled with goodies from Pleiades Maple Products, slate painting by Kim Forget, and other items to indulge in with maple syrup.

Maple dessert judges.

The Results of the Jean Zwick Memorial Dessert Contest are as follows (recipes included!)...

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1^st Place – CARMEL COOPER – Pouding Chomeur

Prep Time-  15 mins.

Cook Time- 35 mins.

Servings: 10

INGREDIENTS:

For the syrup:

2 cups pure maple syrup

2 cups heavy whipping cream

For the batter:

¾ cup unsalted butter at room temperature

¾ cup white sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs at room temperature

1 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon fine salt

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS:

Step 1- Pre-heat oven to 425

Step 2 – Bring maple syrup and whipping cream to a boil in a deep saucepan over medium - high heat. Turn heat off once mixture starts to bubble, stir, and set aside.

Step 3-  Beat butter and sugar together in a bowl using a spatula or electric mixer until creamy or well blended. Whisk in vanilla extract and 1 egg until incorporated. Mix in the other egg. Sprinkle in baking powder, salt, and flour. Mix with spatula until batter is combined.

Step 4-Transfer batter to the prepared dish and pour the maple-cream sauce on top, stopping between 1/2 to 1 inch from the top. Reserve any extra sauce.

Step 5- Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes or until center pudding is a golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out mostly clean. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve pudding with any extra sauce, ice cream, or whipped cream.

NOTE: Make sure to place pan under baking dish as the batter and sauce will overflow.

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2^nd Place: SUE CRESWELL – “Amish Shoofly Pie”

Prep Time- 15 min.

Cook Time- 30 min.

INGREDIENTS

For the crust:

1 egg

2 cups of cold water

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon flour-heaping

1 cup pure maple syrup

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon of vanilla

For the topping:

1 cup flour

1 cup flour

½ cup brown sugar

½ teaspoon cream of tarter

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ cup butter

DIRECTIONS

Step 1- Mix first set of ingredients together, bring to a boil and let cool. Add the vanilla extract to cooled pie filling.

Step 2- After pie filling is cooled, pour into your pie crust, crumble topping mixture on top and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

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3^rd Place: GAIL WEST – “Maple Pecan Pie”

Prep Time- 10 min.

Cook Time- 1 hr.

INGREDIENTS

1 pie crust

For the filling:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

½ cup brown sugar – packed

1 tablespoon flour

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 large eggs- room temperature

1 cup pure maple syrup

2 cups of pecans

DIRECTIONS

Step 1- Bake pie crust at 425 for 12 minutes

Step 2- In medium bowl, whisk butter, sugar, flour and vanilla until combined. Add maple syrup and eggs – whisk together.

Step 3- Spread pecans on bottom of crust then pour filling over top.

Step 4- Bake at 420 for 35-45 minutes or until  pie is firm on the outside edges and a little jiggly in center.

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Bonus Recipe: Eddie Lou Meimer – Maple Cheesecake

Prep Time- 10 min.

Chill Time- Overnight

INGREDIENTS

8oz. cream cheese- softened

8oz. container of whipped cream

½ cup pure maple sugar

Graham Cracker Crust – either pre-made or home made

DIRECTIONS

Step 1- Mix all ingredients together and let chill overnight, sprinkle pure maple sugar on top before serving.