Dec 7, 2023 4 min read Newsletters

Easy Glazed Ham - Issue #45

Glazed Christmas ham.

Happy Thursday!

I'm really getting into the holiday spirit now that December is here. Christmas is just the best time of year, isn't it? The hustle and bustle, the warmer weather and the quality family time shared around delicious food (simple or fancy), all come together to create some special memories.

This Easy Peasy newsletter issue has everything you need to know to nail that holiday ham, whip up some easy festive cookies for the little ones, and enjoy a fun Christmas activity - making your own gingerbread house from scratch.

Wishing you an awesome week ahead, and don't forget to take a moment to chill amidst the chaos too. Enjoy the festivities!

In this issue:

Fresh off the press - The only way I ever glaze a ham
Inspiration from my kitchen - Gingerbread Men Reindeer
Video Throwback - Gingerbread House

Fresh off the Press...(+ Recipes)

Our latest video - The only way I ever glaze a ham - has just been published.

In this video I'll show you how easy it is to glaze a ham beautifully using only 2 ingredients. A ham can be glazed to serve cold or hot, and in this video we'll look at both of these options.

You don't need any experience to make this stunning table showpiece. Whether it's for a special occasion, a Christmas dinner, or if you're simply feeding a crowd, a ham is a great option.

As always on this channel I'll show you how to garnish it ready to serve beautifully.

You can have a look at the video here...

Glazed Ham

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar (I used brown sugar, but any type of sugar will work)
A quantity of whole cloves

Method:

Score a zigzag pattern around the ham hock.
Carefully remove the rind.
Score the ham fat in lines approximately 2 cm apart, and only a few millimetres deep.
Score in the opposite direction to create little diamond shapes.
Push one clove into every point where the score lines cross over.
Sprinkle over some of the sugar in a even layer all over the fat.
Put the ham into a roasting dish and add a little water in the bottom to cover the bottom of the tray.
Bake in the oven at 150 degrees Celsius (300 degrees Fahrenheit) for approximately 2 hours.
Check the ham every half hour, baste with the liquid in the bottom of the pan and add more sugar in the lighter patches.
Remove from the oven when warmed through and golden all over.

Alternatives:

Add walnuts to the glaze about 30 minutes before it's done.
Toothpick rings of pineapple and glacé cherries onto the ham 20 minutes before cooking is complete.
Add some spices (like cinnamon) to the sugar before putting it onto the ham.
Spread on a little wholegrain mustard before sprinkling on the sugar.

Ideas To Serve:

Cover the hock with tin foil.
Spike onto a ham stand if you have one to use
Tie a ribbon around the hock.
Garnish with some fresh green herbs.

Inspiration From My Kitchen - Gingerbread Men Reindeer

Did you know you can use your trusty gingerbread man cookie cutter to make some fantastic Christmas inspired reindeer cookies by simply turning them upside down? It's such a simple tweak and you end up with the most gorgeous festive cookies.

Here is a link to the recipe for these gingerbread men/reindeer.

To give these reindeer their 'Christmas identity' I have iced them with melted white chocolate and M&M's. I love how quickly the chocolate sets so that's why it's usually my cookie icing default, but you could use royal icing if you prefer.

Video Throwback - Gingerbread House

Making a gingerbread house is one of those Christmas traditions that's always enjoyed by adults and children a like. You don't need to have a special set of cookie cutters or buy a custom kit. If you have a gingerbread cookie recipe and a template it's very easy to create yourself. Oh and it's probably a whole lot tastier too!

I have linked to an older video where we make and assemble a gingerbread house. There are a few tips in there to help you succeed in your gingerbread house making venture.