Tasty treats wanted for festival contest

The Huckleberry Festival will be sponsoring the annual dessert, jelly and jam contest and invites bakers and preservers to join the fun Sunday, August 13. Each year the festival committee is amazed at the creative culinary delights which are judged based on flavor, texture, presentation and the best use of huckleberries.

Past entries have included huckleberry macaroons, bars, streusel muffins, cookies, pie, cake pops and even a huckleberry cordial, which was a favorite of many of the hardworking volunteers. The judges of the jams and jellies always remark on the various flavor combinations, one being huckleberries infused with jalapeno peppers. Two divisions are set up for judging: junior (under age 12) and senior (12 years and older.)

Carol Day, a past winner of the dessert contest, shared her recipe for streusel muffins.

Huckleberry Streusel Muffins

(from Cooks Magazine, September/October 2001)

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 large egg

1 cup sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1-1/4 cup sour cream

1-1/2 cup frozen huckleberries

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray standard muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.

Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl until combined. In second bowl, whisk egg about 20 seconds until light colored. Add sugar and whisk vigorously until thick, about 30 seconds. Add melted butter in 2 or 3 steps, whisking after each addition. Add sour cream in 2 steps, whisking just to combine.

Add frozen berries to dry ingredients and toss to combine. Add sour cream mixture and fold in until batter comes together and berries are evenly distributed. Do not over mix.

Scoop batter into greased muffin tins. Bake 25-30 minutes until golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, rotating pan halfway through baking. Cool muffins on a wire rack for five minutes.

Brush with melted butter and dip in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Best served warm!

Quite often the festival committee hears “Oh, I would never win,” but they say you never know if you do not enter. To enter the competition, bring entries and contest entry form (available on the festival brochure) to the green building at the Trout Creek Park by 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, August 13.

Without volunteers the Huckleberry Festival would cease to exist. To help even for a few hours, contact Elizabeth at (406) 274-7814.