Schinkli im Brotteig
Ham baked in bread crust
Schinkli im Brotteig: Swiss smoked ham baked in a bread crust for Christmas Eve
Schinkli im Brotteig, a small smoked pork ham baked inside a bread crust, is a much-loved Christmas Eve dish in German-speaking Switzerland because it can be prepared ahead and goes into the oven while the family opens presents. The dough seals in the ham's juices and soaks them up as it bakes, and the ham is sliced with the crust and served with potato salad, mustard and pickles. Buy a ready-cooked smoked ham (Schüfeli or Schinkli) of about 1 kg. Chef's tip: dry the ham well before wrapping it, or the dough turns soggy inside.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1 ⅛ lb strong white flour
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 ¼ cups lukewarm water
- 1 tbsp oil
For the ham
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Fresh ingredients (2)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix 1 ⅛ lb strong white flour, ¼ oz fast-action dried yeast and 1 ½ tsp salt, add 1 ¼ cups lukewarm water and 1 tbsp oil and knead for 8 minutes to a smooth dough. Cover and leave for 1 hour, until doubled.
10 minStep 2: Pat 2 ¼ lb cooked smoked pork ham (Schinkli) dry with kitchen paper and brush all over with 1 tbsp mustard.
Step 3: Roll the dough into a rectangle about 5 mm thick and large enough to wrap the ham. Set the ham in the middle, fold the dough over it and press the seams tightly. Put seam-side down on a lined tray.
Step 4: Decorate with strips or stars cut from the trimmings, brush with 1 egg and prick a few holes for steam. Leave for 20 minutes.
Step 5: Bake at 400°F (350°F fan) for 15 minutes, then at 350°F (325°F fan) for 60–70 minutes, until the crust is deep brown and a thermometer pushed through the crust into the ham reads at least 145°F. A common mistake is pulling it early because the crust looks done; the ham inside needs that full time to heat through.
80 minStep 6: Rest for 15 minutes, then cut into thick slices with the crust.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 48 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does schinkli im Brotteig take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 90 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of fast-action dried yeast?
- Fresh yeast, three times the weight.
- What can I use instead of egg?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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