Forage and Feast Festive Gammon by Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen

1. Cook the gammon according to the instructions on the packet to heat it. While it’s cooking, combine the honey and orange juice, and glaze the gammon every 15 minutes using a pastry brush.

2. Once the gammon is removed from the oven, garnish with dried orange slices, olives and choux buns filled with gravy.

3. To make the craquelin, cream butter and sugar together, until pale yellow in colour and fluffy in texture.

4. Gently mix in salt and flour using either a paddle attachment or a spatula.

5. Roll it out in between two greaseproof papers, until about 5 mm thick, then place in the fridge or freezer to set. Ensure that the pastry is on a level surface.

6. After it sets, cut out circles with a round cutter or the back of a pastry nozzle that is slightly bigger than a R5 coin.

7. To make the choux buns, preheat the oven to 200°C and line two baking trays with baking paper or a silicone sheet.

8. In a medium saucepot, bring the butter, milk, salt, and sugar together to a gentle simmer over a low heat to allow the butter to melt completely.

9. Remove the pot from the heat, and quickly add the flour by stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon, until the dough has a smooth and shiny consistency.

10. Place the saucepot back onto the heat and cook over a low heat for about 2 – 3 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, allowing the flour to cook through.

11. Remove from the heat and place the dough into a mixing bowl. Allow the mixture to cool down slightly until lukewarm to the touch.

12. Beat in the eggs one by one, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. The mixture should be a pipeable consistency. If it’s ready before adding all the eggs, the remaining egg must be left out to avoid the mixture being too runny.

13. Pipe the choux buns onto a prepared baking tray, making each the size of a R5 coin and about 1 cm high. Place a craquelin disk on top and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. With the oven door closed, reduce the temperature of the oven to 180°C and bake for another 5 – 10 minutes. The choux bun should have a crisp shell and feel hollow when ready. Make a small hole at the bottom of the choux.

14. Preheat the oven to 200°C.

15. Place the peeled and sliced sweet potatoes in a baking dish.

16. In a saucepan, warm the milk and butter over low heat until the butter melts. Pour this mixture over the sweet potatoes, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

17. Cover the baking dish with aluminium foil and bake in the preheated oven for about 40 – 45 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are soft and easily pierced with a fork. Remove the dish from the oven and allow it to cool slightly.

18. Using a potato masher or a hand mixer, mash the baked sweet potatoes until smooth, add the mustard sauce and cook for another 2 minutes. Then place the mixture in a piping bag and fill the choux buns.

19. Serve the choux buns hot with the gammon