Prepare a festive feast with these classic Christmas recipes

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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

Photos: Supplied

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.

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