Pimp Your Pumpkins This Halloween

While October is famed as pumpkin season, most people will only recognise this fleshy squash as a Jacko’ lantern, carved in spooky designs, displayed for Halloween and then discarded. But there are plenty of more tasty ways to use a pumpkin, whether you’ve got one leftover from Halloween or have cultivated one on the allotment. Why not try our spiced pumpkin jam recipe!
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Pumpkin and Ginger Jam Recipe
While jam is usually associated with summertime berries that are tangy yet sweet, pumpkins differ in size and colour, but they are actually relatively sweet, making them the perfect flavour base for a smooth and silky jam. With pumpkin spice all the rage you can be bang on trend with our pumpkin and ginger jam recipe which makes three 500g jars with just a single pumpkin!
Ingredients

• 1 pumpkin (1kg approx.)
• 1kg granulated sugar
• 1 lemon
• 5 – 7cm piece of ginger

Method

1. Peel your pumpkin and remove the seeds. You can either place these in the compost heap, garden waste bin or you can clean the seeds and plant them for next year’s harvest.
2. Weigh out a kilo of pumpkin flesh and then chop up into 1-2cm cubes using a sharp knife.
3. Next, cut the lemon into segments and remove the seeds.
4. Place the lemon, pith and skin included into a food processor and blitz into a puree. The lemon adds pectin to the jam which helps it to set, but if you prefer you can omit the lemon and use pectin or jam sugar instead.
5. Peel your ginger and chop small. If you want a smooth jam, grate your ginger or if you prefer chunky, chop roughly into small pieces.
6. Place the pumpkin and into a pan with the sugar and heat over high heat.
7. Stir in the lemon, ginger and bring to a rolling boil.
8. Simmer for 30 minutes, making sure to stir frequently, until the mix is set. The pumpkin should become translucent but still hold its shape.
9. Ladle your hot jam into sterilised jam jars and seal!