Malden's Fisk goes for $1 million prize

Josh Reynolds
Jannine Fisk with a few of the hundreds of ribbons she has won in baking contests.

Malden's Jannine Fisk will be going for a $1 million prize at the 44th annual Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest.
Fisk's recipe for Bourbon Street Muffuletta Braid made her one of 100 finalists for the grand prize, to be awarded at the bake-off April 11-13 in Orlando, Fla.

Fisk has made a name for herself at the Topsfield Fair, where she's won numerous ribbons. She said the challenge of topping other recipes has "raised the bar" for her as a cook.

"It's got to be something eye-catching, it's got to have a great title, and has to be something unique enough to get a second look," she said. "You've got to have something that pops."

At this year's fair, Fisk won three blue ribbons. Here's her winning recipes:

“Pig Out” Mac ‘N Cheese Pops

1 lb. elbow pasta
7 cups milk, divided
6 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
20 oz. grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, divided
1 lb. bacon, cooked and coarsely chopped
2 large eggs
4 cups panko bread crumbs
Canola oil (for frying)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 3 quart casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. In a medium saucepan, warm 6 cups of the milk over medium heat (reserving the remaining 1 cup for later). In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Make a roux by adding the flour to the melted butter and cook for 1 minute, stirring often. Slowly pour the warmed milk into the cooked roux, and whisk to combine. Cook over medium heat, whisking often, approximately 8-10 minutes, until mixture is bubbly and thick. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the salt and the freshly ground black pepper and mix well. Measure out 1 and 1/2 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese and 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese and set these aside for the topping. Stir the remainder of the two cheeses into the milk mixture and stir well. Add the cooked bacon, stir well, cover and set aside. Cook the elbow pasta in a large pot of salted water for 6 minutes (pasta will still be firm). Drain and add to the cheese sauce, mixing well to combine. Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheddar cheese and Pecorino Romano cheeses over the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Cool completely then refrigerate for 4 hours. Heat canola oil to 350 degrees F. in a fryer or heavy saucepot. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the reserved 1 cup of milk. Place breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. Scoop chilled mac ‘n cheese into balls, molding with your hands as necessary. Dip the balls in the egg and milk mixture, then roll in the breadcrumbs, coating well. Insert a stick and deep fry for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy!

Ghirardelli chocolate championship

Chocolate Strawberry Truffle Tart
2 lbs. fresh strawberries
1-1/2 cups chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. toasted almonds, finely chopped and divided
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 large egg white
6 Tbsp. butter, divided
2 cups Ghirardelli semi-sweet morsels
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp. Amaretto liqueur (or almond flavoring)
1 4 oz. bar Ghirardelli white chocolate
1-1/2 tsp. vegetable shortening
1 4 oz. bar Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate
1 4 oz. bar Ghirardelli milk chocolate

Rinse strawberries, remove end stems and place cut side down on paper towels. In a food processor, combine the chocolate wafer cookie crumbs, the 1 cup of finely chopped toasted almonds, sugar and egg white. Melt 2 Tbsp. of the butter and add it to this mixture, pulsing to combine. Spray a 9-inch tart pan with non-stick cooking spray and press the crust mixture firmly into bottom and sides of the pan. Freeze for 10 minutes or until firm. In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 4 Tbsp. of butter with the 2 cups of Ghirardelli semi-sweet morsels over low heat until melted, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in the heavy cream and Amaretto liqueur (or almond flavoring). Refrigerate for 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes until filling reaches spreading consistency. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove crust from freezer, cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely. Spread chilled filling into the crust and top with the cut strawberries, point side up. Melt each of the three remaining Ghirardelli chocolates separately with 1/2 tsp. of vegetable shortening each. Drizzle each of the three melted chocolates over the strawberries in a crisscross pattern. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 Tbsp. of finely chopped toasted almonds. Refrigerate for 1/2 hour or until ready to serve. Serves 8-10 people. Enjoy!

Eagle Brand great baking bonanza