While you're more likely to find dried fruit, spice and brandy flavours in a traditional Christmas pudding, they also go fantastically with ham.
Ingredients
½ cup date syrup
1 tbsp soy sauce
¼ cup brown sugar
2 cups apple juice
2 tbsp brandy
2 star anise
2 sticks cinnamon
8kg whole leg ham
¼ cup cloves
2 cups dates, to serve
dressed salad leaves, to serve
Method
1. Combine the date syrup, soy sauce, brown sugar, apple juice, brandy, star anise and cinnamon in a saucepan, and bring to a simmer for about 10 minutes until the glaze reduces to the consistency of maple syrup.
2. Heat your oven to 160C fan-forced (180C conventional). Remove the skin from the ham and score the fat. Stud with the cloves and brush liberally with the date and brandy glaze. Roast the ham for 1½ hours, brushing with thee glaze a few times throughout cooking. Serve the ham with the dates and dressed salad leaves.
Serve with: Adam Liaw's caramalised pineapple and cherry pavlova
Find more of Adam Liaw's recipes in the Good Food Favourite Recipes cookbook.