Learn how to make the famous ham bread

Stephany SánchezFollow

Dec 20, 20216 min de lectura

The ham bread is a complement that cannot be missing in the Venezuelan Christmas dish, but thanks to its extraordinary flavor it has managed to transcend borders. Thanks to this, we see him at Christmas dinner in various Latin and even European countries.

This is a bread roll with ham, bacon, cream cheese, raisins and olives, with a soft filling and a slightly crunchy crust.

In addition, its flavor complements very well with the Hallecas, Chicken Salad and Pernil. However, you can accompany it with the meals at your table at dinner on Christmas Eve.

Ham bread ingredients

For the mass

• 500 grams of all-purpose wheat flour

• 50 grams of butter at room temperature

• 260 milliliters of warm milk

• 3 yolks + 1 egg to paint the bread

• 50 grams of sugar

• 5 g of salt 12 grams of fresh yeast or 4 grams of dry

For the filling

• 400 grams of ham, preferably smoked

• 200 grams of bacon or smoked bacon

• 100 to 120 grams of olives stuffed with pepper

• 50 grams of raisins

• 25 milliliters of rum

Steps for making ham bread

Note: Since the production process is a bit long, we will divide the explanation into several phases.

1. Take the raisins and place them in a glass or container that you can close. Next, cover it with the 25 milliliters of rum. Close the glass and let the raisins marinate.

2. Wash the olives and drain them before using them on the ham bread.

3. Wash the raisins and drain them, drying very well with the help of some napkins before using them on the ham bread.

Preparation of the dough

1. In a bowl or large container pour the warm milk and add the fresh yeast and 20 grams of sugar. Mix so that they integrate perfectly and wait 10 to 15 minutes for the yeast to activate. You will notice that the yeast has been activated because it makes a lot of foam.

2. Add the rest of the sugar, followed by the yolks and mix to blend.

3. Sift 150 grams of wheat flour over the previous mixture and begin to beat until integrated. In this way the yeast will be taught to work in an enriched medium.

4. Cover the container with clear plastic wrap and wait for the wash to activate, and you will know that it is ready when the mixture doubles in size. This may take longer depending on the climate where you are.

5. Sift 350 grams of flour, followed by 5 grams of salt and mix everything with a paddle. When you notice that you can no longer mix with the paddle, knead with your hands until you form a ball.

6. Cover the bowl with the dough and let it rest for 20 minutes.

7. After 20 minutes, place the dough on the table and knead until smooth and even.

8. Add 50 grams of butter to the dough, but do it in two batches, kneading with the first, and after it is integrated, add the second batch and continue kneading.

9. Place the dough back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and wait for the dough to rise doubling.

Assembling the ham bread

1. Sprinkle flour on the table and roll out the dough with the help of a rolling pin, trying to make it have the same thickness around the perimeter.

2. Once you get a rectangle with the dough, place the olives one after the other, forming a line one centimeter from the right outer edge. Then cover the olives with the rim batter.

3. Visually divide the remaining dough into three parts. To do this, you can measure by hand so that the size is the same in all three parts.

4. In the first and second part, place the 400 grams of smoked ham. Remember to dry it a bit before putting it on. Also, ideally, the ham should stand out a bit.

5. On top of the ham, place the bacon or bacon, until it is completely covered.

6. Spread the raisins over the entire surface of the bacon. Later, add the remaining cut olives, spreading them evenly over the entire surface.

7. Roll starting from the line of olives covered with the dough, but without tightening, until the third part that you had left without filling.

8. Cut approximately one centimeter toras with the dough from the remaining third part and take each one, stretching a little and wrapping the upper part, sticking them under the bread.

Baking the ham bread

1. Prepare a tray with waxed or baking paper and place the ham bread on top.

2. Prick the ham bread with a fork in each of the slits so that the steam escapes while the bread cooks.

3. Cover the ham bread with a piece of transparent paper and wait for it to grow doubling.

4. Break an egg into a bowl and add a pinch of salt, then beat the egg.

5. Once the bread has risen, brush it with the beaten egg.

6. Take the bread to the oven and bake at 170º C with heat up and down for 40 to 50 minutes or until you notice that it is golden on the surface. Remember that the oven must be preheated.

7. Place 50 grams of papelón or panela in a saucepan and add 50 milliliters of water and cook over medium heat. Once it has started to boil, cook for a couple more minutes. The ideal is to obtain a kind of syrup.

8. A couple of minutes before the bread is ready, brush with some syrup and then let them cook for a couple more minutes.

9. Take the ham bread out of the oven and wait for it to cool on a rack.

10. Once it's cold, cut and enjoy.

The ham bread is an ideal recipe for the contours of the Christmas dinner and its flavor is a delight. In fact, it is thanks to this unique and authentic flavor that has managed to transcend the borders of the South American country.