Schwarzwälder Schinkenbrot is a very attractive main dish, served hot or cold by itself with wine or beer and some mustard or with a variety of salads.
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon sugar
1 ¼ tablespoons yeast
80 ml (⅓ cup) warm water
315 ml (1 ⅓ cups) warm water
4 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon salt
830 ml (3 ½ cups) flour
120 ml (½ cup) rye flour
2 kg (4.4 lbs) boneless Black Forest Ham
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon milk
Instructions:
Dissolve sugar in warm (but not boiling) water, then sprinkle yeast over the solution and let stand for 10 minutes until bubbles form.
Add yeast mixture to liquid ingredients and mix.
Bit by bit, blend both flours and salt into liquid mixture, then work together until a smooth dough has formed. Knead dough on lightly floured surface for 3 to 4 minutes. Shape into a smooth ball, place into greased bowl, turning to grease all over.
Cover with greased wax paper and clean tea towel. Let rise in a warm place until dough has doubled in size.
Once dough has doubled in size, take out of bowl and punch down, then roll dough out on lightly floured surface until about 1 cm thick. Reserve small amount of dough for decoration.
Cover ham entirely with dough, tucking ends in beneath. Place on parchment paper covered cookie sheet. Cut small hole in centre on top of ham for steam to vent.
Decorate by making braids from reserved dough, then bush dough with egg yolk and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 50 to 60 minutes until crust is golden brown.
Credit: Rosa Gebhardt, Saskatoon