Parkland Fifth Grader, Mom Win Baking Contests at Allentown Fair

Ten-year-old Leah Toomey took first place in the Great Allentown Fair's PA Preferred Cookie, Brownie and Bar Contest, for kids.

You may remember Leah, of South Whitehall, from Jif's Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich contest, where this year in the national competition.

Leah, a fifth grader at Parkland School District's , won for her Chocolate, Raspberry and Cream bars.

Her mom, Diane Toomey, took second place in the Chocolate Cake contest, as well as a second place in the Peach dessert contest.

Diane Toomey said she's entered the fair's contests in the past, but that this was Leah's first competition there. 

Here are two of the winning recipes:

Leah's Recipe

Chocolate, Raspberry and Cream Bars

Crust

½ cup butter

¼ cup sugar

1 square unsweetened chocolate

1 egg, beaten

½ cup chopped pecans

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 cup flaked coconut

Filling

½ cup raspberry preserves

½ cup butter, softened

¼ cup instant vanilla pudding mix

2-3 Tbsp milk, PA preferred

2 cup confectioners’ sugar

Topping

2 Tbsp heavy cream

4 oz semi-sweet chocolate

Garnish-optional

Fresh raspberries

coconut

Blend first three crust ingredients in saucepan; add egg. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring. Add remaining ingredients. Remove from heat. Press crust into greased 9X9 pan. Spread raspberry preserves over crust and chill for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cream ½ cup softened butter and pudding mix until fluffy. Add milk and confectioners’ sugar. Beat until smooth. Spread evenly over chilled crust and chill 15 minutes.

Melt 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate and heavy cream, stir until smooth. Spread over cream filling and chill before cutting. If desired, garnish pieces with fresh raspberries and coconut. Makes 12 servings.

Diane Toomey's Recipe

Mocha/Caramel Cake

Cake

1 cup hot black coffee

1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 ¼ cups cake flour

2 cups sugar

¾ cup  Special Dark baking cocoa

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 eggs- PA preferred 

1 cup buttermilk- PA preferred

1 cup oil

Filling

1 ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ tsp hot water

1 tsp instant coffee

1 cup heavy cream, divided  

8 oz cream cheese

½ cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 -  13 oz can dulce de leche 

2 tsp half and half

Frosting

1 cup sugar

4 large egg whites-PA preferred

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup  semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

Optional garnish-chocolate covered expresso beans, melted chocolate, chocolate shavings

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans. Pour hot coffee over 1/3 cup chocolate chips. set aside. In large bowl, combine remaining cake ingredients. Stir coffee and 1/3 cup chocolate chips until smooth, then add to cake mixture, stir until blended. Pour into prepared pans. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes then remove from pan to finish cooling.
2. To make filling; combine hot water and instant coffee, stir until dissolved. In medium saucepan, combine 1 ¼ cup chocolate chips, ¼ cup heavy cream, and dissolved coffee. Heat until melted and smooth; cool. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until fluffy. Beat in melted chocolate mixture and vanilla. Beat ¾ cup heavy cream until soft peak form then fold into chocolate mixture. In small bowl, combine dulce de leche (reserve 1 Tbsp for garnish) and 2 tsp half and half.
3. To make frosting, in top half of double broiler, combine egg whites and 1 cup sugar. Cook until temperature reaches 160. Place mixture in mixing bowl and use whisk attachment to beat mixture until stiff peaks form and mixture is cooled, about 8 minutes. Beat in butter then melted and cooled 1cup chocolate chips.
4. To assemble, cut each cake in half. Top one layer with ½ cup dulche de leche mixture followed by 1 cup mocha filling, spread evenly. Repeat process for next 2 layers. Top layer will only have mocha filling. Spread frosting on top and sides of cake and use to garnish cake. If desired, add chocolate covered expresso beans and chocolate curls for garnish and drizzle with warmed dulche de leche and melted chocolate. Store in the refrigerator. Serves 12.