UBC Farm Fall Fair
Saturday September 16, 2023 from 10:00AM-2:00PM
Celebrate the changing seasons and learn about sustainable food at our fifth annual Fall Fair! Get your fill of fall bounty fruits and vegetables alongside u-pick pumpkins, a pie contest and tasting, live music, kids’ activities, fun veggie activities, and more!
Just in time for the return of students to campus, the UBC Farm Fall Fair is your chance to learn more about your local teaching and research farm, get involved in our sustainable food systems programming and celebrate the fall harvest with fellow students, faculty, staff, alumni, neighbours and beyond!
Pie Contest
Our 2023 winners:
Judging team
- Rose Concepción, co-owner and baker at Doughgirls in Wesbrook village
- Margaret Timmins and Rickey Yada, our Dean of the Faculty of Land and Food Systems and discerning “first lady” duo
- Sydney Southam, 2023 UBC Farm Practicum Student and resident star baker @auntiesydneybakes
We look forward to our annual Fall Fair pie contest all summer long to taste the medley of flavours our community bakes up for the occasion! Folks enter their time- and taste-tested pies to be judged (kindly!) and sampled, and we get to reap the rewards of their careful work. This year's winner, baked by Avril, is an Apple Rose Tart with Pistachio Frangipane carefully arranged with a mesmerizing spiral of thinly sliced apples. Delight your dinner guests with this recipe, and put your own twist on it!
Fall Fair 1st Place Pie (Apple Rose Tart with Pistachio Frangipane)
Recipe
-
Pâte Sucrée Crust
- 1/2 cup butter at room temperature
- 1/3 cup caster sugar
- 1 & 1/4 cup flour
- 1 egg yolk
-
Pistachio Frangipane
- 3/4 cup butter at room temperature
- 3/4 cup caster sugar
- 3/4 cup shelled, unsalted pistachios
- 1 egg
-
Apple Topping
- 5 apples of different varieties, thinly sliced (Granny Smith, Red Delicious and Pink Lady are good ones to use)
- Honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375˚
Cream together sugar and butter.
Combine flour into the sugar and butter mixture (it will look very dry).
Add in the egg yolk and mix together until combined.
Form dough into a ball and flatten it out into a disc; wrap in plastic wrap and let chill in fridge for ~15 minutes. - Grease an 8” tart pan with removable bottom
- Remove dough from fridge and begin evenly pressing dough into the tart pan
Once dough has been formed in the pan (should be about 1/4” thick) bake for 15 minutes until light golden brown. Once tart has been removed from the oven; allow to cool before spreading on the frangipane. - While it bakes, begin making the frangipane:
In a food processor, grind the pistachios into a fine powder.
Cream together the butter and sugar and then add in the egg.
Fold in the pistachios until combined. - Evenly spread the pistachio frangipane onto the cooled pie tart and begin working your apple slices into a rose formation by starting from the outside rim inwards, overlapping the apples.
- Place tart back into the oven for 45 minutes.
- Remove tart from oven and allow to cool slightly before drizzling with honey.
- Admire your work, slice and enjoy!
Last year's First Place winner:
Yasha's recipe for "Pear with Hazelnut Frangipane and Cardamom"
Pastry dough:
- 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons organic sugar
- Pinch sea salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (115 g) – cold, cut in 1″ chunks
- 3 tablespoons cold water
For the frangipane:
- 3 oz (85 g) toasted hazelnuts (3/4 cup)
- 1/3 cup organic sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter – at room temperature
- 1 extra large egg – at room temperature
For the filling:
- 2 medium, ripe Bartlett pears
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 oz) (30 g) – cold
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons organic sugar
Step 1: Place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process at high speed for 15 seconds. Add the chunks of butter and pulse until the mixture looks crumbly. Add the water and pulse until the dough comes together in a ball. Place the dough on a work surface. Form a single ball and flatten with the palm of your hand to make a 1 1/2″ thick circle. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes until cold, but still pliable.
Step 2: Preheat the oven to 350F. To make the frangipane – Place the hazelnuts and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and process until the hazelnuts are very finely ground. Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the soft butter. Whip at medium speed until the mixture is creamy, about 1 minute. Add the egg and continue whipping at medium speed until thick and ribonny, about 2 more minutes. Spread the hazelnut frangipane in the prepared tart shell. Peel the pears, trim both ends, then cut each pear in half lengthwise and core them. Slice each half lengthwise into 1/4″ slices, holding the slices together as you slice them. Slightly spread the slices and arrange them on top of the frangipane.
Step 3: Place the cold butter, lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture starts to foam, stirring continuously. Transfer to a small bowl and brush the pears with half the mixture. Bake the tart for 30 to 35 minutes at 350F until the frangipane is golden. Remove from oven, brush the pears with the balance of the butter-sugar mixture and let cool to room temperature.
Join us for a celebration of the harvest and enjoy a fun-filled day!
Throughout the market all day:
- Live music from our market musicians
- Farm photo booth
- Pie contest - details below
- Free farm tours explaining our active research and programs
- Self-serve pumpkin piles
- Food and coffee trucks
- Hands-on activities for kids
- Fun veggie activities
- More than 40 different local vendors selling produce, fruit, mushrooms, eggs, baked goods, beverages, sweet treats, alcohol, artisan goods, and more
- Information showcasing all the research, teaching and learning happening at the UBC Farm
- Information on how to get involved with food security initiatives on UBC campus
Timed Events:
- 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. The Farm Friends rabbit petting zoo
- 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Walk of the Woods Costume Workshop & Tree Parade (12 p.m.)
- 11 a.m. Chef Demo with our very own UBC Farm and Practicum chefs!
- 11 a.m., 12 p.m., and 1 p.m. Research tour of the Farm with four stops: soil and climate change (Dr. Sean Smukler), sustainable soil management (Dr. Sandra Brown and Sylvia Nyamaizi), blueberry production (Dr. Simone Castellarin and Yifan Yan) and pollinators (Melissa Platsko).
- 12:00 - 12:30 p.m. Pie Contest Judging
- 12:15 p.m. Public Pie Tasting until the pie runs out!
Date and Time
Saturday September 16, 2023 | 10:00AM - 2:00PM
Location
UBC Farm | 3461 Ross Drive
Cost
Free