Still deciding what to serve up for your festive function? Well, we’ve rounded a couple of Christmas recipes that will be sure to impress your guests.
Try your hand at two absolute classics of the Christmas table, with these recipes for an oven-baked ham and a steamed Christmas pudding.
Recipes by Mitsubishi Electric Australia ambassador, Ed Halmagyi.
Oven-baked ham with bush honey and organic apple glaze
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 1.5 hrs
Serves 20
1 whole leg ham, on the bone (approx. 8kg)
2L organic apple juice
1/2 cup bush honey
2 Tbsp lime marmalade
2 lime leaves
1 sprig rosemary
1 tsp fennel seeds
Star anise, ribbon and bouquet, to garnish
Preheat oven to 180°C. Use a small knife to cut a zig-zag around the neck of the ham, then prise off the skin using fingers. Cut parallel lines into the ham’s top fat to make 5cm squares. Arrange on a roasting rack over an oven tray and bake for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the apple juice, honey, marmalade, lime leaves, rosemary and fennel seeds in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over a moderate heat. Cook rapidly until mixture thickens.
Brush half the baste over the ham and bake for 30 minutes, then repeat. Arrange star anise on the ham squares, then tie a bouquet on the neck, securing with ribbon.
Classic steamed Christmas pudding
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 8 hrs
Serves 24
800g mixed dried fruits
250ml dark rum
250g unsalted butter, softened
500g dark brown sugar
2 eggs
6 egg yolks
2 tsp natural vanilla paste
2 cups plain flour
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
3 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp ground cloves
300g breadcrumbs
Custard and berries, to serve
Combine the dried fruits and rum, then refrigerate for 2 weeks to absorb.
Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat with the paddle attachment on medium speed for 5 minutes, until very light. Beat in the eggs and yolks.
Sift half the flour, cocoa and spices together, then fold into the butter mixture with the breadcrumbs.
Wash a 75cm square piece of calico in boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain well. Sprinkle the remaining flour over one side, then place flour side up in a 3L bowl. Spoon in the pudding mixture, then secure with kitchen string. Simmer in a large saucepan for 6-8 hours.
Drain thoroughly, then hang pudding in refrigerator for at least three days. Rewarm in boiling water, peel away calico, then serve with custard and berries.
For more festive season recipes:
