Home Plate: Cathy Knapp has a passion for baking
Cathy Knapp was born in Sturgis and is an alumna of Sturgis High School. She has degrees in commercial art and advertising, and began her post-ed adult life pursuing careers in the Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor areas.
“My husband and I were living outside of Ann Arbor when our daughter was born,” Knapp said. “A year or so later I was offered a job opportunity in Sturgis, so we decided to make the move, bringing me back to Sturgis in 1995. We wanted our children to grow up near their grandparents, and we’ve been here ever since.”
Knapp feels that it was only natural for her to be inclined to follow them.
“My mother and grandmother were both bakers, so it’s clearly in my blood," she said. "We have family photos that show me helping my mom with baking projects all the way back to when I was pre-school aged. Frosting cookies, licking the beaters from the mixer, wearing Mom’s aprons ... Mom also had a tradition of making us special themed birthday cakes in shapes like Raggedy Ann, a daisy, and others, which is a tradition I picked up to carry on with my own children.”
Knapp has been entertaining herself with baking ever since she was a young girl. She recalls coming home from school with her best friend and they decided to bake a cake for fun. In home economics class in high school she developed a love for baking yeast bread.
While Knapp has a busy life managing her family and a career in economic development that has evolved over time, in recent years she has nurtured a side project in fresh-baked goods.
“I have been selling baked goods at farmers markets and events for the past couple years, and it’s been fun,” she said. “My daughter, who graduated with a marketing degree, has designed a logo and marketing materials for me, and my mother and husband help sell my wares right alongside me in my booth. They, as well as my friends, are also designated taste-testers, so it’s a group project.”
Knapp has her favorites.
“I love to bake pies and I think that making a homemade pie crust is becoming a bit of a lost art.”
Her mother taught her how to make pie crust. Knapp believes her “from scratch” crust is what helps set her pie above the rest.
“I feel like I’m channeling Mom whenever I’m mixing up pastry and Dad says that our crusts are the best because they are buttery, golden, flaky and delicious,” Knapp said.
She appreciates how limitless baking is.
“There’s no end to the possibilities of what you can make, so it never gets boring,” she said.
When deciding which recipe to share, Knapp chose one she had found in a magazine, that her family loved.
“I made an award-winning pie recipe and shared it with family and friends and it became an instant hit," she said. "I’d never experienced this flavor combination. it is delicious.”
Oh-so-pleasing Wisconsin harvest pie
1 recipe for double crust pie (below)1/3 cup sugar1/4 cup all-purpose flour1 teaspoon ground cinnamon6 cups thinly sliced, peeled, and cored tart apples, such as granny smith1 cup dried cranberries1 cup frozen pitted tart red cherries, thawed and drained1/4 cup honey1/4 cup maple syrup1/2 teaspoon almond extract2 tablespoons butter1 egg white, lightly beaten1 tablespoon sugarWisconsin cheese or ice cream (optional)Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Prepare and roll out Pastry for the double crust pie. Line a 9-inch pie plate with pastry circle, trimming to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate; set aside. In a large bowl, stir together the 1/3 cup sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Add the apples, cranberries, and cherries; toss to coat. Add honey, maple syrup and almond extract. Toss to combine. Transfer the apple mixture to a pastry-lined plate. Dot with butter. Trim bottom pastry to the edge of the pie plate. Roll the remaining pastry ball into a 12-inch circle. Cut slits or small shapes for vents in pastry circle; place on filling. Trim to 1/2 inch beyond the edge of the pie plate. Fold top pastry edge under bottom pastry edge. Crimp edge as desired. Brush the top of the pie with egg white and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Place a foil-lined shallow baking pan on the rack below the pie in the oven. Bake pie for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Bake about 50 minutes more or until crust is browned and filling is bubbly, covering loosely with foil the last 10 minutes to prevent overbrowning, if necessary. Cool on a wire rack for at least 3 hours. If desired, serve with cheese or ice cream.Pastry for double-crust pie: In a large bowl stir together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in 3/4 cup shortening until pieces are pea-size. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of water over part of the flour mixture; toss with a fork. Push moistened pastry to the side of the bowl. Repeat moistening flour mixture, using 1 tablespoon water at a time, until flour mixture is moistened. Gather flour mixture into a ball, kneading gently until it holds together. Divide pastry in half. Form halves into balls. On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten one pastry ball. Roll it from center to edge into a 12-inch circle.
This article originally appeared on Sturgis Journal: Home Plate: Cathy Knapp has a passion for baking
