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You Need

  • 7- to 10-lb bone-in, spiral-cut city ham
  • glaze of choice, from the recipes below

Wickedly Delish Glazes for Ham

Each glaze recipe yields enough to generously glaze up to a 10-pound, bone-in, spiral-sliced city ham. Remove your ham from its package, discard the glaze, and instead use one the glazes below. Follow the reheating instructions included with ham packaging and the glazing instructions indicated in the recipes below.  

Make-Ahead Tip

Glazes can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated in an air-tight container until ready to use. Reheat gently on a low setting in short bursts in the microwave or in a small saucepan over low heat. For both rewarming methods, stir frequently until the mixture is warmed through and brushable. 

Apricot-Peach-Ginger Glaze Ingredients

Makes about 2 cups 

Ingredients 

  • 1 1/2 cups apricot preserves, about 1 lb 
  • ½ cup peach preserves, about 5 oz 
  • 6 Tbsp water 
  • 2 Tbsp Calvados 
  • 2 tsp freshly grated ginger 
  • Pinch kosher salt

Hot Honey-Dijon Glaze Ingredients

Makes about 2 cups  

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup Dijon mustard, about 8 oz 
  • 1 cup honey, about 12 oz 
  • 2 Tbsp Madeira, optional 
  • ¼ tsp ancho chili powder, more to taste 
  • Pinch kosher salt

Pineapple-Orange-Chipotle-Glaze Ingredients

Makes about 2 cups 

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cup canned crushed pineapple (in pineapple juice), about 10-3/4 oz

  • 1 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, about 9 oz 

  • 1 Tbsp light brown sugar 

  • 2 tsp minced canned chipotle in adobo pepper 

  • 1 tsp chipotle in adobo sauce from the can 

  • Pinch kosher salt 

TIP:

  • To freeze ham, portion leftovers into batches, double wrapping, dating, and labeling each package before stashing it away. 
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Cranberry Jam

Makes about 2 cups (600g)

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups (about 10oz) (280g) fresh cranberries, thawed if frozen 
  • 1 1/4 cups (265g) granulated sugar 
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 Tbsp (30ml) Campari, optional 
  • 2 Tbsp (30ml) orange liqueur, such as Triple Sec 
  • 1 pinch ground cloves 

Storage

  • Store the jam in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Makes about 3 cups (500g)

Ingredients

  • 3 large egg whites
  • 3/4 cup (159g) granulated sugar 
  • 1/2 tsp (1.5g) coarse salt 
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) (226g) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces and softened 
  • 1 Tbsp (15ml) pure vanilla extract, optional

Storage

  • Unflavored buttercream can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day or refrigerated for up to 1 week. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat lightly by hand or with an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth. Buttercream that has been flavored with perishable items, such as fresh fruit or preserves, should be kept at room temperature for no more than a few hours, or stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Tip: Flavoring Buttercream

  • You can easily flavor this buttercream with additional extracts, jam, or custards (as I do for the Cranberry Yule Log) by beating them in with the paddle attachment in step 4, above.

Chocolate Custard

Serves 12 to 15

Ingredients

For the chocolate custard
  • 2 Tbsp (10g) unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed
  • 1 Tbsp (8g) cornstarch 
  • 1 pinch coarse salt 
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) whole milk 
  • 3 oz (85g) best-quality dark chocolate, 70% to 80% cacao, finely chopped
For Assembly
  • 2 Tbsp (30ml) orange liqueur, such as Triple Sec 
  • 1 recipe Perfect Chiffon Cake, baked and cooled as a roulade, chilled
  • 3/4 cup (225g) Cranberry Jam 
For Finishing
  • 1 recipe Swiss Meringue Buttercream, room temperature
  • finely chopped pistachios, for garnish

Storage

  • The assembled cake will keep for 2 or 3 days in the refrigerator, loosely covered.

Perfect Chiffon Cake

Makes two 8-inch Cake Layers or One 13 x 18-Inch Sheet Cake for a Roulade

Ingredients

  • Non-stick pan spray and flour, for greasing the pan
  • 1 1/2 cups (170g) cake flour 
  • 1/2 tsp (1.5g) coarse salt 
  • 1/4 tsp (1.5g) baking soda 
  • 6 large eggs, separated 
  • 1 cup (212g) granulated sugar, divided 
  • 1 Tbsp (15ml) pure vanilla extract 
  • 1/4 cup (62ml) neutral oil, such as safflower 
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) buttermilk 
  • confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (if you’re making a roulade)

Storage

  • The cooled cakes can be used immediately or wrapped and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Round layers can be frozen for up to 1 month. I wouldn’t recommend freezing roulades, as they are apt to crack.

 

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Tips For Arranging Flowers:

  • Keep it simple, don’t try and add too many different flowers to one arrangement
  • If you don’t have a vase, wrap the flowers in brown parchment or newspaper, it’s way cuter than the plastic wrap that stores put on flowers 
  • Always add the flower food to your water before gifting the bouquet 
  • Don’t add a ton of water, and don’ get any leaves in the water, as the flowers won’t last as long that way
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Makes About 28

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (380g) dried figs, stemmed and halved
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) tawny port
  • 2 cups (386g) Medjool dates, pitted
  • 1 cup (100g) unsweetened shredded coconut, divided
  • 2 Tbsp (15g) cocoa nibs, optional
  • 1 pinch coarse salt
  • 28 (about 1/4 cup) (40g) almonds, lightly toasted

Storage

  • Store in an airtight container at cool room temperature for a month, or in the refrigerator basically forever.

 

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Serves 4 

Ingredients  

  • 1 lb green beans, trimmed 
  • 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 
  • ½ tsp kosher salt, more to taste 
  • ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, more to taste 
  • 3 large garlic cloves, minced 
  • 1 tsp lemon juice, more to taste 
  • 2 Tbsp hoisin sauce OR finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano, optional

TIP:

  • For maximum blistering, be sure your green beans are very dry before you put them in the oven. And take time to arrange the beans in a single layer on the pan because contact with the pan’s metal surface promotes caramelization. 
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