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Um, if I am misinterpreting this request, I apologize. But I think pilfering a recipe for a county fair baking contest is totally illegal. Using a recipe that you do not create yourself is cheating.

Am I the only one appalled by this request?

I also cannot believe that the Editor suggested recipes for her to use and basically cheat with.

Joydreamz- Sorry, not trying to "pilfer" a recipe- rather was asking for advice as to what held up in heat- sample recipes that people would suggest hold up in heat. I have my own idea for what I am going to make but was curious if I needed to tweak ingredients here or there.

As far as it being "illegal"- I highly doubt it. I've been entering fairs for a long time (4-H etc) and I don't know many people that just make up their own recipe, especially kids but I will check with a 4-H leader for you.

Uh, I feel like if you're entering a contest, you should already have a recipe in mind. A recipe that all of your friends rave about or something. Requesting a recipe for a summer party is one thing, but for a contest? Who does that?

Lets retract the fangs..
Deb's take on chocolate cake..
http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/07/you-are-owed-chocolate-cake/

I don't think there's anything wrong in asking for inspiration or advice, which is what Kristine is doing. Every recipe is a collaborative enterprise; there's nothing entirely original out there, and as long as she adds her own spin, then this is a great way to approach preparing for a challenge.

So, back to the topic: what kind of chocolate desserts hold up well in heat?

The post specifically asks for a recipe. In my experience with cooking contests, you do have to use your own recipe.

Also, I love the turn to imply that I hate kids in 4-H contests.

Wow, sorry to upset you. I was just saying I better ask my 4-H leader so I don't break any rules on accident.

Here is what I really wanted to know and should have just flat-out asked in the first place:

I want to make a chocolate cheesecake with a ganache topping. I've made it before and people really liked it. I thought I would use it for the fair. I am concerned that the ganache will melt and the cheesecake after sitting outside all day might go bad. I don't want to make anyone sick. Once it is cooked is it okay to sit out for a day or should cheesecake always be refrigerated? Sorry I didn't just ask this in the first place but my friends read this column and I didn't want them to know what I was making. I was sort of fishing for an answer in a roundabout way. If people would have suggested cheesecake recipes or ganache as an ingredient I would have known I was on the right track without announcing to my friends/competitors what I was making.

jeez, it's a county fair, not iron chef...calm down....

What's with all the hating?

A county fair competition is not exactly Bocuse d'Or. Using other recipes as inspiration and seeking advice on what can survive the heat is entirely reasonable.

I don't think a cheesecake would survive well in the heat. I would stick with cake, cookies, brownies--something you wouldn't normally store in the refrigerator if you were going to keep it over night. I worry that ganache and most frostings would also get rather drippy and melty on a hot and humid day. Maybe you could try molten chocolate cake, where the center part is supposed to be warm and gooey, and where the delicious goo is also rather conveniently contained.

Ha! And they DO "cheat" on Iron Chef anyway... :-)

Again, back to the topic. Kristine, I think that the chocolate cheesecake and ganache combo is a little chancy for a summer fair. I would be nervous about it going bad, and I think the ganache would melt or sweat.

What about a firmer chocolate cake -- perhaps a riff on German chocolate cake? That kind of topping seems to hold up better in heat.

Just a guess but I would say that your cheesecake might suffer from the heat...Generaly, dairy and heat = not a good thing but I could be wrong on the cheesecake.

I'm not saying anything on "recipes at 4H". Switzerland.

German chocolate cake is a good idea. I do make those a lot since it is my dad's favorite. Maybe I could do a twist on the frosting and use something besides pecans and coconut or do a twist on the inside part- maybe make it a Mexican chocolate cake and add some chipotle pepper flakes. I have seen some spicy chocolate at Target recently. Thanks for the advice!!

The outrage here is ridiculous. Entering food items in a county fair is NOT a recipe contest, but a cooking contest. The judging is on how well the food turns out, not whether you designed the recipe or not. I've been a judge. For heaven's sake.

Don't tell me that every award winning chef/cook/baker just **poof** comes up with their own recipe. Recipes are a guide. Read them, try them, play with them, improve upon them, and make them your own. That's what makes a good chef/cook/baker. Yeesh!

Good luck Kristine. Hope you do wonderfully.

Maybe a little selection of macarons? They're pretty difficult to make but would definitely be impressive.

I have just read on another forum that someone won a competition using this cake: http://bakerella.blogspot.com/2009/04/hey-yall.html with a few modifications and decorating with shaved chocolate and fresh flowers
(like this: http://www.jandlgourmetsweets.co.nz/images/trufflecakes2.gif )

did I make an inappropriate comment? or there just something wrong with the server?...

I totally had the cake pictured at my wedding. It was the yummiest thing I have ever eaten....mmmmmm

I've made a dessert that people really seem to like. Basically it is a brownie recipe made in one of those pans that is indented in the middle (I think it is called an Anna pan). After baking and cooling, I fill the indent w/peanuts and caramel. I then top it w/ganache. It looks nice and you could be as decorative as you wanted w/the ganache and maybe chocolate shavings. Since it is flat, it would hold in the heat. Also, all the elements taste good warm. I would stay away from icings or cheesecake. Neither take the heat well and cheesecake doesn't taste its best warm. Good luck with the contest!

Cranky, folks!

Anyway. This is not meltproof, but it's funny. You know that recipe called "Chocolate Better Than Sex Cake"? My mom and I once submitted it to a church cookbook fundraiser thing and were gratified to see they accepted our name-modification: "Chocolate Almost As Nice as Jesus Cake"