Raglan’s finest pumpkins will be vying for top honours in the annual Pumpkin Festival at the Raglan Bowling Club on Sunday, May 4 at 10.30am.
This popular Crop Swap event is in its fifth year and is open to anyone wanting to enter their pumpkins, feijoa and chokos in a variety of categories including biggest, smallest and oddest.
If you don’t think your pumpkin will make the cut, there’s always the popular ‘pumpkin bake off’ that sees keen bakers tempt the judges with various sweet and savoury delights.
The festival is a family affair for Belinda Thomas, and children Hana, 11 and Finley, 8, who will once again try their luck in the bake off and the pumpkin art competitions.
Belinda has won top honours for her sweet offerings for the past four years, and Hannah and Riley have taken home firsts and seconds in various categories as well.
“We cleaned up last year with the art and the baking,” Belinda says.
“And Dad came second in the baking last year,” Hannah adds.
Her dedication to the creating pumpkin delicacies has even put her beloved Kitchen Aid mixer through its paces, requiring a trip into Hamilton to get it back in running order after a kitchen mishap.
“I’d never done dough in my mixer before and didn’t realise that you’re not supposed to take the Kitchen Aid higher than medium for long periods.”
A keen home baker, Belinda is known amongst her family and friends for her elaborate celebration cakes. Not only an excellent baker, Belinda also puts a lot of effort into the decorating.
“Last year, I did macarons that looked like little pumpkins with gold paint and they had a spiced pumpkin jam inside and chestnut mascarpone.”
Finding inspiration for her baking on the internet, Belinda adapts what she finds to make it her own.
“My recipes are pulled together, sometimes from three different recipes,” she says.
To take on Belinda in the Raglan Pumkin Festival bake off, Raglan bakers are invited to bring baking cut into small pieces to the bowling club by 10am.
Adult and children’s pumpkin entries are welcome for Biggest Circumference, Smallest Fully Grown, Weirdest, Pumpkin Art, Pumpkin Baking (savoury or sweet).
Entries also for Biggest Feijoa, Biggest Choko plus Feijoa and Choko Baking (please bring baking cut into small pieces for sampling).
Entries for the Pumpkin Festival must be onsite by 10am. Entrance by gold coin donation.
Belinda’s pumpkin butter or spiced pumpkin jam
Perfect for cake filling or simply spread on toast
425g pumpkin puree
½ cup apple cider
⅔ cup light or dark brown sugar
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
⅛ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Add the pumpkin puree, apple cider, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and salt to a medium saucepan and whisk until fully combined.
Place the saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes so it doesn’t burn. If need to, place a lid slightly ajar on top of the saucepan to prevent any splatters.
Once the pumpkin butter has thickened and reached your desired consistency, remove it from the heat. Add the vanilla extract and mix until fully combined.
Transfer the pumpkin butter to a heat-proof container and let it cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate until ready to use.
