Ledger Photos / SCOTT POWELL Tables set up July 10 on the Chamber of Commerce's front porch were laden with scrumptious peach desserts as some of the area's best cooks waited patiently for judging to begin in the S.C. Peach Festival's peach dessert competition. The dessert contest is one of the oldest and most popular events on the festival's event schedule. Tricia Pedersen took home the first place $250 cash prize for her "Peach Pecan Delight" concoction in the South Carolina Peach Festival's peach dessert competition sponsored by Abbott Farms.

Pedersen operated the Red Clover Inn in Vermont for three years before moving with her husband to Gaffney in 2002. She now enjoys trying out new recipes on her family as well as members of St. Paul's Lutheran Church who visit the refreshment table before Sunday School.

There were 15 entries in this year's contest compared to 10 for the 2008 event.

Hope Gault won $100 second place for "Just Peachy Upside Down Cake" while Tracy Will won third place and $50 for her entry, "Topsy Turvy Bread Pudding." Plaques were awarded to all three winners.

Two contestants (top) anxiously wait for judges Lauren Infante and Janet Tsiknias (right) to make their decision. PEACH PECAN DELIGHT

First Place
Tricia Pedersen
1 pkg. Pepperidge Farm puff pastry
shells (6)
Lightly brush with half & half. Bake
according to package directions.
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 Tbsp. white sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Mix finely chopped pecans with
sugar and cinnamon. Put 1 teaspoon of
the mix into each cooked shell after
tops are removed.
1/4 cup chopped peaches
Place 1 teaspoon peaches over pecan
mix.
1 cup blended yogurt
1/2 cup cold half & half
6 Tbsps. Abbott's peach syrup
2 tsp. lemon juice
Stir syrup, lemon juice, yogurt and
half & half together in a bowl.
1 small pkg. (3.7-oz.) Jello vanilla
instant pudding
Add pudding mix to the bowl, beat
together well and chill until set.
1 can whipped cream
Take cooled shells, cover peaches
with 1 tablespoon pudding and finish
with a swirl of whipped cream. Decorate
with peaches and/or sprinkles if
you wish.
Keep refrigerated until ready to
serve.

JUST PEACHY UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

Second Place
Hope Gault
1 cup plus 2 Tbsps. packed light
brown sugar
1 lb. fresh peaches, pitted, cut into
1/4-inch thick wedges, 3 cups
1 pkg. (1-oz.) pound cake mix, preferably
Betty Crocker
2 eggs
1 cup heavy cream

3 Tbsps. purchased caramel sundae topping (opt.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 8" springform pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle bottom of pan with 1/3 cup brown sugar. Arrange 1/3 of fruit over brown sugar

On medium speed, beat cake mix, eggs and 3/4 cup water until blended. On medium-high speed, beat until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.

Spoon 1 1/2 cups batter over fruit.

Sprinkle batter in pan with 1/3 cup brown sugar; arrange 1/3 of fruit over sugar. Spread 1/2 of remaining batter over fruit to cover completely.

Sprinkle batter again with 1/3 cup brown sugar; arrange remaining fruit over sugar. Spread remaining batter over fruit to cover completely.

Bake 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cook on rack 30 minutes. Remove pan bottom; cook cake completely.

Beat cream with remaining 2 Tbsps. brown sugar until stiff. Transfer cake to serving plate; spread side with whipped cream. Refrigerate until ready to serve; drizzle caramel topping over cake.

TOPSY TURVY PEACH BREAD PUDDING

Third Place
Tracy Will
6 eggs
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 tsps. vanilla extract
6 cups bread cubes
1 Tbsp. Butter
1 can peach pie pilling

Wisk together eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar. Add milk, cream and vanilla. Pour mixture over bread crumbs. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 1/2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Mix in pie filling to bread mixture. Fill baking dish. Dot top with 1 tablespoon butter. Bake 1 1/2 hours in water bath, cover dish with foil. Uncover and bake additional 30 minutes. To check doneness, insert knife in center; if it comes out clean, pudding is done. Let stand 15 minutes before serving warm. Drizzle each serving with peach preserves that have been melted in microwave.