Venezuelan "Pan de Jamón"

kriskeskitchen

Dec 26, 20202 min read

Last Christmas was the first time I crossed paths with a Pan de Jamón, this traditional Venezuelan Christmas treat is awesome, the perfect harmony between the savoury ham, bacon, olives and the sweet touch of the raisins had me at the first bite. Pan de Jamón is a recipe that cannot be missed during a traditional Christmas in a venezuelan home but for sure it will be in mine as well for many years to come. A special thanks goes out to Digna who took the effort of teaching me how to make this Pan de Jamón the right way where for I'm forever grateful.

Ho Ho Hold your horses this year and stay Safe and Healthy my friends! And a Merry Christmas to you all!

Ingredients for the dough:

365 gr flour
210 gr water
20 gr fresh yeast
5 gr salt
20 gr butter
20 gr powder milk
20 gr sugar

Ingredients for the filling:

430 gr smoked ham
40 gr bacon
50 gr olives
50 gr raisins
10 gr honey or maple syrup (if you are venezuelan use "papelon")

Equipment:

1 bowl
1 pastry roller

Preparation:

1. In a cup put the water and dissolve the yeast

2. Put all the dry ingredients on a bowl and add the softened butter while mixing with your han

3. Open a whole in the middle of bowl with the dry ingredients and add there the water with the yeast and mix with one hand until having a uniform dough that can be worked in a surface.

4. Take the dough out of the bowl and start kneading until the dough do not stick to the surface.

5. Put butter in the working surface and extend the dough using the pastry roller until forming a 40 cm x 45 cm rectangle.

6. In one of the 40 cm long sides create a row with all the olives, put the jamon on top covering the whole pan de jamon dough, the on top the bacon in diagonal form, spread the maple syrup evenly on top, and finally put the raising evenly in the rectangle.

7. Now it is time to roll, start with the side having the olives and start rolling your dough until completely closed.

8. Let the bread rest for 1 hr and pre-heat the oven to 180 ºC

9. Before putting the bread in the oven, pinch it with a fork all way long and brushed with a bitten egg.

10. Bake your bread for around 45 min and when taking it out brushed with softened butter.

11. Let the bread cool down on a raster and voilá, ready to enjoy