Baked Ham (wrapped in bread!)

Method11 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: The evening before a brunch bake, mix 150 ml pre-dough water, 150 ml dark rye flour and 1 g yeast. Cover and leave for 10–12 hours before continuing. For the source evening-meal schedule, refrigerate the covered pre-dough after mixing, then take it out the next morning and keep covered until proceeding.

   Uses 150 milliliters water · 150 ml dark rye flour for the pre-dough · 1 gram active-dry yeast

2. 2

   Step 2: Mix the separate 3 g main-dough yeast with 15 g honey and 275 ml water and let stand for a few minutes until bubbly. Knead with the pre-dough, 35 g balsamic vinegar, 250 g main-dough rye flour, 270 g wheat flour and 15 g dough salt until smooth. Cover and rise in a warm spot, or a 32°C /90°F proofer, for 2 hours. After the first hour, fold the dough up and over itself around the bowl, then continue the same rise for the remaining hour.

   Main dough rise:fold after first hour · 120 minUses 3 grams active-dry yeast (Half of a little pouch.) · 15 grams honey · 275 milliliters water · prepared rye pre-dough · 35 grams balsamic vinegar (I use balsamic vinegar in the rye bread recipe, as it adds a nice touch of complex flavor.) · 250 grams dark rye flour · 270 grams all-purpose flour · 15 grams salt

3. 3

   Step 3: Preheat the oven to 250°C /480°F with an oven-safe casserole dish of hot water on the bottom for steam. This steam water is separate from the measured dough water.

4. 4

   Step 4: While the oven heats, take the fully cooked ready-to-eat smoked ham from the refrigerator and trim its fatty outer layer. Trim uneven bottom pieces if needed so the bottom is flat. Set trimmings aside for another use.

   Uses 1 fully cooked, ready-to-eat smoked ham

5. 5

   Step 5: Turn the risen dough onto an extra-floured surface and dust as needed. Roll it large enough to enclose the ham. Wrap around the prepared ham and pinch the dough closed. Keep any ham crevices facing up so thick dough does not remain trapped beneath it. Place the wrapped ham seam-side down on a sheet lined with a silicone baking mat rated for the 250°C oven.

   Uses risen rye bread dough · trimmed ready-to-eat ham · Extra all-purpose flour as needed for dusting and rolling

6. 6

   Step 6: Score a shallow repeated diamond pattern across the top dough with a sharp knife or bread lame.

   Uses rye-dough-wrapped ham

7. 7

   Step 7: Check that the oven steam dish still contains hot water and carefully top it up if needed. Transfer the wrapped ham to the oven and bake for 60 minutes total. After the first 10 minutes, reduce the oven to 220°C /430°F for the remaining 50 minutes. The bread should be fully baked; the already-cooked ham may be only slightly warm in its centre.

   Bake ham · 60 minUses scored bread-wrapped ready-to-eat ham

8. 8

   Step 8: While the bread bakes, mix 100 g sour cream, 100 g Greek yogurt, 2 tbsp cream cheese, 80 g prepared horseradish, 2 tbsp chopped chives and ½ tsp chili powder into a sauce. Season with sauce salt and black pepper to taste. Add optional extra prepared horseradish if desired. Refrigerate until serving.

   Uses 100 grams sour cream (I use full fat sour cream, but you can go lower ) · 100 grams Greek yogurt (I use thick-strained Greek yogurt by the Fage brand) · 2 Tablespoons cream cheese · 80 g prepared horseradish for the sauce · 2 tbsp finely chopped chives for the sauce · ½ teaspoon chili powder · Salt to taste for the sauce · Black pepper to taste for the sauce

9. 9

   Step 9: Transfer the baked bread-wrapped ham to a cooling rack and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

   Rest ham · 10 minUses baked bread-wrapped ham

10. 10

    Step 10: Slice the rested ham and surrounding bread with a suitable bread knife or slicer. Alternatively, cut it in half, lift out the ready-to-eat ham and slice the ham and bread separately.

    Uses rested bread-wrapped ham

11. 11

    Step 11: Serve the sliced ham and bread immediately with the prepared chilled horseradish sauce.

    Uses sliced ready-to-eat ham and baked rye bread · chilled horseradish cream sauce