To make the cake, combine the dried fruit, cherries and peel in a large saucepan, cover with the Marsala and simmer gently over a medium-low heat until all the liquid has been absorbed. Take off the heat, pour over the 300ml rum, then cover and let soak overnight.

Heat the oven to 180˚C (160˚C fan-forced). Butter a 23cm cake tin and line with baking paper.

Tumble the dried fruit into a food processor, along with any boozy juices, and blitz to a paste.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy and paler. Add the treacle, zests and vanilla, then beat until combined. Now add the eggs, one at a time, beating until combined. In a second bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and spices, then fold this into the cake mix in four parts, trying to keep as much air as possible in the batter. Lastly, fold in the macerated fruit paste, adding it in three parts.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake for 60 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 160˚C (140˚C fan-forced) and bake for a further 4 hours, until a knife comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cake.

Once cooked, use a toothpick to make holes all over the top of the cake and use a pastry brush to brush over the 30ml rum. Let cool completely in its tin.

To ice the cake, roll the marzipan out between 2 sheets of baking paper into a 2.5mm-thick disc large enough to cover the top and sides of the cake. Warm the jam together with the measured water in a small saucepan over a gentle heat, until it turns liquid and hot, then use a pastry brush to glaze all over the sides and top of the cake to create a tacky surface. Drape the marzipan disc over the cake and gently press it down to snugly cover the sides, trimming away any excess and patching up gaps as needed (don’t worry, you won’t see this layer, so it doesn’t need to be perfect).

Now make the royal icing: in a spotlessly clean mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy, then add the icing sugar, a spoonful at a time, whisking all the while. Lastly, whisk in the liquid glucose and lemon juice and whisk until you have a thick, glossy white icing that holds stiff peaks.

Spoon the frosty white icing over the top and sides of the cake, then spread it out evenly all over, making sure every last little corner and crevice is covered. Now use a fork to create a snowy texture in the thick, glossy layer of icing. Let the icing firm up somewhere cool and dry (not the fridge) for 24 hours.

Lastly, use a paint brush to dab a small amount of edible glue on to a small patch of the white icing and gently stick a sheet of edible gold leaf on to it; then press down and even out with the brush. Repeat this process in a haphazard pattern all over the pristine white cake with the remaining sheets of gold.

In a bowl, combine the olive oil, maple syrup, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice with a generous pinch of salt, then whisk lightly with a fork.

Add the beetroot slices to the bowl with the dressing, then toss together so everything is well coated in glossy juices. Cover and set to one side to macerate for at least 30 minutes. (You can leave the beetroot to rest in the fridge for up to 3 days.)

When ready to serve, arrange the slices of beetroot, overlapping, on a serving dish. Crumble over the feta, then scatter with pomegranate seeds and walnuts.

Place the turkey in a large, deep pan, add the brine ingredients and top with cold water to cover (4–5 litres, depending on the pan). Cover and set somewhere cold for 10–12 hours. (I know some recipes require you to boil the brine first, but I never bother and it’s still amazing.)

When ready to roast the turkey, lift it out of the brine, discard the liquid and put the bird on a rack in a roasting dish. Leave it for 1 hour to come to room temperature.

Heat the oven to 220˚C (200˚C fan-forced).

Combine the 220ml pomegranate juice, molasses, maple syrup, 2 tablespoons of the oil, the crushed peppercorns and salt flakes in a small bowl and whisk with a fork, then use a pastry brush to brush some of this glaze on the turkey, sprinkling more salt flakes over, to help it crisp in the oven. Now, pour 300–400ml of the stock into the roasting dish.

Reduce the oven temperature to 180˚C (160˚C fan-forced) and immediately set the turkey in the bottom half of the oven. After 30 minutes, pour half the remaining glaze over the breast with 2 tablespoons more of the olive oil and top up the roasting dish with a little more stock. Repeat again after a further 30 minutes. If the skin looks browned, cover the turkey with foil before placing back in the oven, though it will inevitably blacken a bit with its sticky dark glaze.

Roast until it has cooked for 1 hour 40 minutes in total (or 2 hours 10 minutes for a not free-range bird). Start checking the temperature halfway through cooking by inserting a meat thermometer in 3 places – the breast, the outer thigh and the inside thigh – to get an accurate reading. When the thermometer reads 72˚C, it’s done. Remove the turkey from the oven and rest on a carving board, covered with foil, for 20–30 minutes, before carving and serving.

Slice the panettone into pieces roughly 2 fingers thick.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon together until well combined.

Dip each panettone slice into the mixture, holding it in there for at least 20 seconds, so it can soak up the custard. Carefully lift the panettone out of the custard and allow any excess liquid to drain off.

Melt a little butter in a large non-stick frying pan and fry half the panettone slices gently over a medium-low heat for 3–5 minutes, until lightly golden, then flip over and cook for a further 3–5 minutes on the second side, until warm all the way though. To check if they’re done, gently press the centre of a slice: if it feels firm, it’s ready; if it feels a little jiggly, keep cooking on a low heat a little longer. Repeat this process with the second half of the slices.

Dust with icing sugar and a sprinkling of salt flakes, if you like, and serve immediately.

Finely chop glacé cherries. Place in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon amaretto. Cover and stand for 2 hours, or overnight to soak.

To prepare paper moulds, cut 6 x 30cm x 20cm sheets of non-stick baking paper. Trim 6 sheets of A4 paper into the same size. Lay a baking paper sheet over a sheet of regular paper. Bring top right corners down to the middle of the paper and then roll to form a cone shape. Staple and sticky tape to secure. Repeat with remaining sheets of paper and place in 6 tall glasses.

Cut 6 circles from the sponge to match the size of the end of each cone. Crumble the remaining sponge.

Fold crumbled sponge, cherries, lemon zest, pistachio and marzipan into softened ice-cream. Spoon the ice-cream mixture into the paper cones, packing down ice-cream tightly and levelling the top. Dip sponges in remaining amaretto and press into the ice-cream.

Carefully transfer to the freezer for at least 6 hours or overnight until firm.

To serve, remove tape and unwrap the paper. Invert cones onto serving plates. Slice to serve and share.

Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Combine butter, sugar and golden syrup in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir until butter is melted. Add 2 teaspoons brandy and remove from the heat.

Add flour and mix well to combine. Set aside to cool. Line 2 large baking trays with non-stick baking paper. In batches, spoon 2 teaspoons of mixture onto trays, leaving room to spread. Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until lacy and golden. Set aside to cool. Repeat with remaining mix.

For the ice-cream, place ice-cream in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on low speed, until softened. Add remaining brandy, nutmeg and vanilla and beat until combined. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm star nozzle. Place in freezer for 30 minutes.

To serve, pipe ice-cream onto half the biscuits. Sandwich to serve. Serve immediately or freeze until ready to serve.

Place raisins and rum in a small bowl. Set aside to soak for 24 hours. The next day, line 2 large baking trays with non-stick baking paper and place in the freezer to chill.

Place ice-cream in a bowl with soaked raisins and biscuits and, working quickly, mix to combine. Spoon into a loaf tin and freeze for 2 hours, or until just set.

Scoop the ice-cream into 1-teaspoon-sized balls. Place on the trays and freeze for 1 hour or until firm.

Mix the melted cooled chocolate with oil. Place cocoa powder on a tray. Working quickly, insert a toothpick into each truffle. Dip the truffles in the melted chocolate, allowing any excess to drip off and reserving the remaining chocolate. Push off the toothpick and into the cocoa powder. Toss to coat. Return to the freezer for 10 minutes or until set.

Lightly grease the sides of a 22cm tart ring. Place on a tray lined with non-stick baking paper.

Process biscuits to make fine crumbs. Add 100g butter, process to combine. Press crumbs firmly over base and sides of prepared tin. Freeze for 15 minutes. Arrange the cherries, cut-side down in the tart shell and freeze for 10 minutes.

For the mousse, place the chocolate and extra 20g butter in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until melted and smooth. Stir through the egg yolks and set aside.

Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Whisk the cream until soft peaks form. Fold through the kirsch.

Fold the whisked egg whites through the chocolate mixture, then the whisked cream. Spoon into the tart shell. Smooth the top and freeze for 6 hours, or until set.

To serve, top with frozen cherries. Serve with thick cream.

Make paper collars for 4 x 1¼ cup (310ml) ramekins by folding 30cm lengths of non-stick baking paper in half. Wrap around the outside of the ramekins to form a 2.5cm high collar, stapling to secure. Place in freezer.

Place strawberries, cranberries and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook for 4–6 minutes, or until strawberries and cranberries are soft.

Place in a small food processor with Cointreau and process until smooth. Set aside to cool.

Place egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk until soft peaks form. Add icing sugar and whisk until stiff peaks form.

In a separate bowl, whisk cream until thickened. Fold the strawberry and cranberry mixture through the cream. In 3 batches, fold egg whites through the cream.

Spoon into prepared ramekins, filling them to the top of the paper and smoothing with a pallet knife. Place in freezer for 6 hours, or overnight. Dust with icing sugar, to serve.

Using a large, serrated knife, slice about 2cm from the base of the pandoro, trim and reserve the base. Using a 13cm round as a guide and leaving a 2cm-thick edge, cut into the underside of the cake and remove the centre to make a hollow. Brush lightly with 1 tablespoon limoncello.

Line a tray with non-stick baking paper. Place pandoro inverted on tray. Working quickly, spoon sorbet into the hollow, followed by vanilla ice-cream. Top with reserved base and press to secure. Place pandoro, base-down, on the tray and freeze for 3–4 hours or until solid.

For the mascarpone, combine mascarpone cream, cream, icing sugar, freeze dried raspberries, red food colouring, if using, and remaining limoncello in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until just thickened.

Remove the pandoro from the freezer 20 minutes, before serving. Spread the mascarpone over the pandoro. Decorate with raspberries and dust with icing sugar, to serve.

Make dressing: place all ingredients in a screw-top jar; shake well.

Combine cabbage, beans and green onion in a large bowl; mix well.

Just before serving, toss through almonds and the dressing. Sprinkle over fried noodles, toss gently.

Freeze pandoro for at least 2 hours or until firm.

Turn pandoro upside down on a board. Using a long, thin, sharp knife held at an angle, cut out a 12cm round from the base; the round should look like a wide cone. Cut a cavity in the pandoro as neatly as possible, leaving a 2cm-thick wall all around. Remove the centre of the pandoro. (As the pandoro is star-shaped, it will be thinner in some parts and thicker in others.) Keep the 12cm round. Reserve pandoro offcuts for another use (see Tips).

Use a small palette knife to spread the chocolate-hazelnut spread over the inside wall of the pandoro. Spoon jam into the base. Freeze for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove ice-cream from the freezer to soften for 15 minutes.

Spoon ice-cream into the centre of the pandoro a little at a time. Replace the reserved pandoro round. Cover and freeze for 4 hours or overnight until firm.

Remove pandoro from freezer 15 minutes before serving. When ready to serve, decorate with raspberries and dust with sifted icing sugar.

Make the pistachio mint pesto: blend or process ingredients until smooth; season to taste.

Place asparagus and 1 tablespoon of the chilli oil in a medium bowl; toss to coat. Season.

Cook asparagus, turning once, on a heated chargrill pan or barbecue for 10 minutes or until asparagus is tender. Cook peaches for the last 2 minutes, cooking until golden.

To serve, layer peaches and tomatoes on a platter, then top with asparagus, mozzarella and basil; drizzle with vinegar, remaining chilli oil and the pesto.

Make stuffing: combine ingredients in a large bowl; season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Preheat oven to 150°C. Discard neck from turkey.

Fill neck cavity loosely with stuffing; secure skin over opening with toothpicks. Fill large cavity loosely with half the remaining stuffing. Tie legs together with kitchen string, then tuck wing tips under body.

Place turkey on an oiled wire rack in a medium flameproof roasting pan. Dip muslin in melted butter and place it over turkey. Pour 1 litre (4 cups) water into pan, then cover dish with a double layer of foil. Roast for 4 hours.

Meanwhile, place prosciutto slices, side by side and slightly overlapping, on a large sheet of plastic wrap to form a 26cm x 30cm rectangle. Place the remaining stuffing lengthways in the centre of the prosciutto; lightly press the mixture into a log shape. Bring bottom edge of long side over the stuffing, then using the plastic wrap as a guide, roll up firmly. Refrigerate.

Place apples on a medium oven tray; brush all over with maple syrup. Sprinkle with salt flakes and top with thyme.

Remove the foil and muslin from turkey, then brush with pan juices. Increase oven to 200°C. Roast for a further 30 minutes, brushing occasionally, or until turkey is golden brown. Remove from oven. Cover and stand for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, roast the prosciutto-wrapped stuffing roll and apples for 30 minutes.

Drain turkey pan juices into a large jug, then skim fat from top and discard; you need 2 cups of pan juices for the gravy. Place roasting pan over medium heat; melt extra butter. Add flour; cook, stirring, until well browned. Stir in port, reserved juices and the stock. Cook, stirring, until gravy boils and thickens. Strain into a serving jug.

Serve turkey with cranberry sauce, gravy, apples and prosciutto-wrapped stuffing roll.

Preheat oven to 220°C.

Boil, steam or microwave potatoes for 5 minutes; drain. Pat dry with paper towel; cool 10 minutes. Gently rake rounded side of potatoes with the tines of a fork.

Place par-cooked potatoes, cut-side down, in a single layer, on an oiled oven tray. Brush with oil and dot with butter; add garlic and rosemary. Roast, brushing occasionally with oil mixture on the tray, for 50 minutes or until potatoes are browned and crisp.

Meanwhile, make rosemary salt: Combine the salt and rosemary; season to taste with freshly ground black pepper.

Serve potatoes and garlic sprinkled with rosemary salt.

Place peppercorns, fennel seeds and chilli flakes in a mortar and pestle (or spice grinder) and lightly crush. Place in a medium saucepan with jam, ginger, honey, sugar, cooking wine and vinegar; bring to the boil. Reduce heat. Simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Cool. Reserve ⅓ cup of the glaze.

Place oven shelf in the lowest position. Preheat oven to 180°C.

Using a small, sharp knife, cut the ham rind about 12cm from the shank end of the leg. Remove rind from ham by sliding your hand between the rind and the fat layer. (Rind can be used to cover the cut surface of the ham to keep it moist during storage.) Score the ham fat at 2cm intervals and cover the hock with foil.

Line a large oven tray or roasting pan with baking paper. Place ham on top and brush generously with the glaze. Roast ham, basting several times with glaze (picking up the caramelised glaze from around the ham) to build up a golden colour, for 1 hour or until the ham is golden brown all over.

Meanwhile, make the caramelised peaches: heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Brush peach halves with oil; press cut sides into sugar. Cook, cut-side down, for 2 minutes or until caramelised.

Transfer ham to a platter and decorate with rosemary sprigs. Serve sliced ham with caramelised peaches.

Preheat oven to 180°C.

In a bowl, dress carrots with 50ml olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

Roast the hazelnuts in oven for 6 minutes or until golden brown, allow to cool. Once cooled, roughly chop.

Place the carrots on a baking tray and roast in oven for 12–15 minutes, or until tender.

Mix the Greek yoghurt with lemon zest and juice, 50ml olive oil, and salt to taste.

Spoon the yoghurt mix onto a large plate and place the roasted carrots on top of the yoghurt.

Garnish with roasted hazelnuts and olive oil.

Chop the herbs finely and mix well together, set aside. Season snapper with olive oil and a generous amount of salt.

Melt butter in a saucepan on the stovetop until it starts to smell toasted and look slightly caramelised in colour.

Add the capers, lemon zest and juice to the pan along with 7g of salt. Mix well until the salt is dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Cook the snapper over a hot barbecue for approximately 5 minutes on each side. Once cooked, the flesh should pull away from the bone easily.

Place the cooked fish in the centre of a large plate.

Warm the butter sauce on the stovetop and add the chopped herb mix.

Dress the fish with the butter sauce, ensuring the fish is coated well with the capers and herbs.

Split the avocados, remove the seed and skin and roughly cut into chunks. Place into a medium mixing bowl, add in half the lime zest and juice, 50ml olive oil and salt to taste, then mix until combined, broken down and smooth.

In a bowl, dress the prawns with 50ml olive oil, salt, and the remaining lime juice and zest.

To plate, place a good spoon of the avocado onto the base of a serving platter, place the prawns on top and repeat for remaining ingredients to form a layer.

Garnish with the thinly sliced cucumber, chilli flakes and herbs.

Preheat oven to 160°C.

Mix the olive oil, mustard, vinegar and salt to taste together in a bowl to make a vinaigrette, then set aside.

Cut the peaches in half, carefully removing the stone. (If the stone is difficult to remove, leave it in for roasting. It’s much easier to take out once the peaches are cooked.)

Roast peaches in the oven until soft but not mushy, around 8–10 mins. If you have left the stone in for roasting, remove this now.

Tear the mozzarella balls into small pieces.

In a bowl, mix the radicchio leaves, mozzarella and peaches, and dress with vinaigrette and salt to taste.

Arrange the salad in a serving bowl and lay slices of prosciutto over the top to serve.

Place brandy, tea, ½ cup of the sugar, vanilla, juice and zest in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Place the dried fruit, figs and mixed peel in a large bowl. Pour over warm brandy mixture, cover and leave to marinate for 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan-forced). Grease and line a 20cm x 10cm high round cake tin with a layer of brown paper, followed by 2 layers of non-stick baking paper, allowing the sides to extend 3cm above the top of the tin.

Place the butter, remaining sugar, ginger, cinnamon and cloves in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add the flour, bicarbonate and breadcrumbs and fold to combine. Add the soaked fruit mixture and any reserved liquid and crystalised ginger. Fold well to combine.

Spoon into the tin, smoothing the top. Bake for 3 hours 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean (cover with foil if browning too quickly). Set aside to cool for 1 hour. Spoon over the extra brandy and set aside to cool completely.

To serve, roll out marzipan to 5mm thick. Trim to fit top of cake. Sprinkle with sugar and torch until caramelised and golden, using a brûlée torch. Top with glacé figs, to serve.

Combine raisins, currants and cherries in a medium bowl, pour over the sherry, cover and leave to marinate at room temperature for 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan-forced). Grease a 22cm-diameter (base measurement) cake tin and line with 2 layers of baking paper.

Combine chocolate, hazelnuts and mixed peel in a large bowl. Set aside.

Place the butter, sugars and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Fold in nut mixture, soaked fruit and any sherry, lemon zest and honey, then add flour and fold well to combine.

Pour into prepared tin, smooth top. Bake for 2 hours 30 minutes, or until deep golden and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean but with moist crumbs. Cool in tin then turn out and cool completely.

To make the syrup, combine sherry and chocolate in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring to melt the chocolate. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, or until syrupy. Set aside to cool.

To serve, decorate with gold leaf and slice. Serve drizzled with syrup.

Preheat oven to 160°C.

Cut peaches or stone fruits you are using in half, carefully removing the stone. (If the stone is hard to remove, leave it in for roasting, it is much easier to take out once the peaches are cooked.)

Roast peaches in the preheated oven until soft but not mushy. If you have left the stone in for roasting, remove this now.

Remove the green tips from the strawberries and cut them in half.

Cut the raspberries in half.

Set aside fruit for later assembly.

Cut vanilla pods in half and scrape the seeds out. In a bowl, add the seeds to thickened cream.

Whisk cream and vanilla until soft peaks are formed.

Set aside in the fridge for assembly.

Preheat oven to 140°C.

Line oven trays with baking paper.

Using a stand mixer or electric whisk, whisk egg whites until fluffy (speed 2 works well).

Gradually add sugar to eggs in slow increments, allowing each addition of sugar to dissolve before adding the next. Once the sugar is added and the eggs are fluffy, slowly add corn flour and whisk in gently. Finally, add the white vinegar and gently combine. When fully incorporated, remove from the mixer and give the mixture a final quick fold with spatula.

Fill a piping bag with meringue and pipe onto the lined oven trays in large circles (you will need two dinner plate-sized meringue circles).

Bake in the oven for approximately 60 minutes. Meringue should be set, and a light cream without too much browning.

Turn the oven off and leave the door slightly ajar. Allow the meringues to cool in the oven for 30 minutes.

Remove the meringues from the oven and let them rest on the bench until use.

Place one meringue disc in the centre of a large plate.

Spoon half the cream mix onto the disc and spread out evenly.

Arrange a third of the fruits over the cream.

Place the second disc on top. Spread the remaining cream over the meringue disc. Spread with peach puree.

Arrange fruits over the cream and peach puree and garnish with fresh mint leaves to serve.

Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Lightly grease a 25cm (12-cup capacity) bundt tin with some melted copha. Set aside.

To make the cookie crumble, combine biscuits and butter in a small bowl and mix to combine. Set aside.

Combine melted copha, sugar, milk, vanilla and eggs in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the flour, baking powder and salt, and mix to combine.

Pour half the batter into the prepared tin. Sprinkle with two-thirds of the cookie crumble. Top with remaining cake batter and sprinkle with remaining cookie crumble.

Place on a baking tray and bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Set aside in the tin to cool for 15 minutes. Invert and cool completely.

Serve sliced with Biscoff spread.

To make jelly, soak gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes, or until soft. Heat rosé and sugar in a saucepan over a medium heat until hot and sugar has dissolved. Squeeze liquid from gelatine leaves and add to pan. Stir until dissolved. Allow to cool for 20 minutes. Pour into a 4 litre trifle bowl or glass cylindrical vase. Refrigerate for 3 hours or until set.

Meanwhile, to make vanilla zabaglione, whisk egg yolks, sugar, vanilla paste and wine in a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water, for about 10-12 minutes or until pale and thick. Sit bowl in a large bowl of iced water and whisk occasionally until cool. Cover and refrigerate zabaglione for 2 hours to chill and thicken more.

Fold whipped cream through zabaglione until combined. Spread a large spoonful of zabaglione over jelly layer. Combine botrytis wine and ⅓ cup water in a small shallow bowl.

Using ⅓ of the sponge finger biscuits, dip one at time in wine mixture and place in two layers on top of zabaglione. Spoon ⅓ of the remaining zabaglione over the top. Repeat to make two more layers. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

To make Italian meringue, beat egg whites and sugar with a handheld electric mixer in a medium heatproof glass bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, on low, until the sugar dissolves, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Increase speed and beat for about 6 minutes or until glossy firm peaks form. Be careful not to overheat and cook egg white.

To serve, sprinkle half of the raspberries on top of zabaglione. Spoon meringue on top and swirl to form peaks. Use a kitchen blow torch to singe meringue. Sprinkle remaining raspberries on top and serve.

Put ginger beer, ginger and marmalade in a saucepan over a medium heat and whisk until melted. Bring to the boil. Boil for about 10-12 minutes or until thickened slightly. Set aside to cool slightly and thicken.

Preheat oven to 200°C. Make a zigzag cut around the shank of ham, about 8cm from the tapered end. Cut around rind at the widest end. Insert fingers under rind and start to rub across ham between rind and fat layer, peeling back rind until you reach shank. Remove rind and discard.

Use a sharp knife to score fat in a diamond pattern. Pour a thin layer of water into the base of a large baking dish. Place ham on a rack in roasting dish. Brush half of the glaze over fat layer. Push a clove into the centre of each diamond. Cover shank end with foil.

Roast for 30 minutes. Reduce temperature to 180°C. Brush with remaining glaze and continue to roast for a further 25-30 minutes or until golden.

Stand for 15 minutes. Make a cover for the shank with baking paper and string, to make carving easier. To serve, transfer to a platter and garnish with thyme.

Tip

To store ham, dip a calico ham bag, clean fabric bag or pillowcase in a solution of 2 cups water and 1 tbsp of white vinegar. Squeeze out moisture, allow bag to dry then place ham in bag. In three days, remove ham, repeat dipping solution, return ham to damp bag and store for another four days. After this time, remove any ham from bone and freeze.