LUMBERTON — Each year, the Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair brings out some of the county’s top bakers to display mouthwatering recipes prepared from scratch.
This year did not disappoint at the King Author Baking Competition, during which blue ribbons were awarded in several categories.
Taking the blue ribbon in the cake competition was Maxton’s Julia Brayboy, who won for her chocolate buttermilk pound cake. Along with the blue ribbon, Brayboy received a $75 King Arthur Flour gift card.
Gretchin Lutz, an agent with the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service, placed second for her chocolate cake, and took home a $50 gift card.
Paulette McRae, of Pembroke, also presented a chocolate cake in the category, but hers was layered. She placed third and her prize was a $25 King Arthur gift card.
Young bakers also showed off their baking skills in the muffins category, which was divided into three age groups. First place in the 5-8 age division went to Hazel Pittman, of Lumberton. The blue ribbon winner presented a mouth-watering recipe she titled Hazel’s gingerbread muffins. She received a $25 gift card along with the ribbon. Placing second was Madilyn Pittman, of Lumberton, with her Choc-Full muffins. She received a ribbon and gift bag full of baking utensils.
Pembroke’s Hannah Prince wowed the judges with her fluffy lemon muffins, earning her first place in the 9-13 age division. Prince also received a $25 gift card. Reece Hamilton, also from Pembroke, placed third and also took home a bag of baking utensils.
In the 14-18 teen age division, Destiny Locklear, of Shannon, placed first with her banana crumb muffins. She was unopposed and earned a $25 King Arthur gift card.
Lumberton artist Joy McGugan, who was unopposed this year, took home the blue ribbon in the adult yeast baking category for the second year in a row.
Her secret is beginning with the King Arthur Flour’s recipe for the “The Easiest Loaf of Bread You Will Ever Make.” McGugan said both of her blue-ribbon breads are her twist on the classic recipe.
“I use to go strictly by the recipe,” McGugan said.
The Easiest Loaf of Bread You Will Ever Make:
— 1 tablespoon sugar
— 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry or instant yeast
— 2 cups warm water
— 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
— 5 1/2 to 6 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
To prepare the bread, add the sugar and yeast to the warm water and let the ingredients dissolve. McGugan gradually adds the salt and flour to the liquid and mixes thoroughly until the dough pulls from the sides of the bowl. She turns the dough out onto a floured surface to knead, and folds the far edge of the dough back over on itself toward her. She presses the dough away with the heels of her hands, rotating the dough 90 degrees. She repeats this process with a rhythmic, rocking motion for about three minutes.
After letting the dough rest, it’s scraped out and the dough is kneaded for about three more minutes until it’s bouncy and smooth. The dough is then placed in a greased bowl and turned over once to grease the top. Then it is covered with a plastic wrap or a damp towel to rise and double in size in one to two hours.
After it has risen McGugan deflates the dough and briefly kneads out any gas bubbles. It can be cut it in half and shaped into an Italian or French-style loaf, such as those seen in grocery stores.
The loaves rise again for 45 minutes, or until puffy, and are placed in an oven preheated to 450 degrees.
In McGugan’s 2018 blue ribbon recipe she braided the bread and stuck a seed mixture on top, which added some texture to the crust. She mimicked last year’s formula this year but created a cinnamon swirl version of the bread.
“I added a lot of cinnamon,” McGugan said. “It’s really pretty when it’s cut.”
Although she just began the competitive baking scene last year, McGugan has prepared by working elbow deep in bread for roughly 40 years. During that time she has experimented with several recipes.
“The breads I baked are different black breads — heavy rye breads — and whole wheat,” McGugan said.
Through trial and error she conquered yeast, getting it right in dough for breads, pizza and cinnamon rolls.
“The hardest thing is making sure yeast is fresh,” she said. “I keep it in the fridge.”
She said it’s also important to not let the water get too hot when activating the yeast.
“You’ll kill it,” she said.
Her cinnamon roll recipe has been a treat for neighbors in Lumberton. During the Christmas holiday, she makes the dough and bags the icing for them to bake themselves.
“So it will be fresh,” she said.
McGugan shared a fail-proof recipe for pizza dough with students when she taught at St. Pauls High School.
