Pan de jamón

Ingredients

• 60 ml (¼ cup)warm water
• 1 tablespoon (about 13 g)sugar
• 1 teaspoonyeast
• 420 gplain flour
• 3eggs (2 for the dough and 1 for glazing)
• 80 ml (⅓ cup) plus 1 tablespoon (15 ml)warm milk
• 4 tablespoons (about 57 g)melted butter
• 1 tablespoon (about 13 g)brown sugar
• 2 slicesbacon
• 454 g (1 lb)thinly sliced ham
• 20whole pimento-stuffed Manzanilla olives
• 120 ml (½ cup)sliced pimento-stuffed Manzanilla olives
• 120 ml (½ cup)raisins
• 120 ml (½ cup)golden raisins
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml)molasses, or papelón syrup

Instructions

1. 1

   Dissolve the sugar

   Stir the white sugar into the warm water until dissolved.

2. 2

   Bloom the yeast

   Add the yeast and leave it to activate for about 15 minutes.

3. 3

   Mix the dough

   Once the yeast has risen, put the yeast mixture, milk, 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons of melted butter, the salt and flour in a mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook.

4. 4

   Form the dough

   Mix until the dough comes together into a smooth, even ball. Add a little more flour if needed.

5. 5

   Let it rise

   Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a large bowl with a little olive oil. Brush the dough with the oil, cover with a damp tea towel or cling film, and leave it to rise for at least 30–45 minutes, or until doubled in size.

6. 6

   Heat the oven

   Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F).

7. 7

   Roll the dough

   On a floured surface, use a rolling pin to make a rectangle about 40 × 50 cm and 5 mm thick.

8. 8

   Place the olives

   Along the edge that will sit in the centre of the loaf, arrange a row of whole stuffed olives. Fold the dough over them and press with your fingers to hold them in place.

9. 9

   Brush and sweeten

   Brush the dough with melted butter and scatter the brown sugar over it.

10. 10

    Layer the ham

    Arrange a generous layer of ham over the olives, overlapping the slices and leaving half of each slice beyond the dough edge so the filling shows in the centre when sliced.

11. 11

    Cover the dough

    Cover the remaining dough with the rest of the ham, leaving about 7.5 cm (3 inches) of dough uncovered. Fold or ruffle the ham rather than laying it flat.

12. 12

    Add the bacon

    Distribute the bacon over the dough.

13. 13

    Scatter the fruit

    Scatter the sliced olives and both kinds of raisins over the filling.

14. 14

    Roll the loaf

    Carefully roll up the dough, keeping the roll fairly loose rather than tight.

15. 15

    Decorate the top

    Cut the uncovered strip of dough from the centre into 2, then 4, then 8 strips. Wrap these strips over the loaf as decoration.

16. 16

    Prick the dough

    Prick the loaf all the way through 6 times with a fork.

17. 17

    Prepare the tray

    Line a baking tray with baking parchment or a silicone baking mat.

18. 18

    Proof the loaf

    Transfer the loaf to the tray, cover it with a clean tea towel and leave it to rise for 30 minutes.

19. 19

    Glaze the loaf

    Beat the remaining egg with the molasses, then brush the mixture over the loaf.

20. 20

    Bake the bread

    Bake for 30 minutes, rotating the tray every 10 minutes.

21. 21

    Check the colour

    The loaf is ready when it is evenly browned.

22. 22

    Brush with butter

    Remove the loaf from the oven and brush it with a little melted butter.

23. 23

    Cool before slicing

    Leave the loaf to cool completely before slicing.

What is pan de jamón?

Pan de jamón is a Venezuelan stuffed bread, commonly associated with festive meals. Its soft dough is rolled around ham, olives and raisins, bringing savoury, salty and sweet flavours together.

This version keeps the dough preparation simple by mixing it rather than kneading it by hand. A row of whole olives at the centre and strips of dough wrapped over the top give the loaf a distinctive look when sliced.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 4070 calories, 178g protein, 462g carbs, 170g fat.

The dough and raisins provide much of the carbohydrate, while the butter, bacon and ham contribute much of the fat; the ham and eggs are the main protein sources. Pair a slice with fresh salad or vegetables for a more balanced plate.

The dough and its rise

Yeast mixture: give the yeast about 15 minutes in the sweetened warm water before mixing the dough. The recipe then relies on two rises: one until the dough doubles, and a second 30-minute rise after shaping.

Soft dough: mix until the dough forms a smooth ball, adding a little more flour only if necessary. The recipe also calls for oiling the bowl and brushing the dough before covering it.

Building the filling

Ham: overlap the slices and let half of the first layer extend beyond the dough edge; this helps make a well-filled centre. Fold or ruffle the remaining ham, and leave about 7.5 cm of dough bare at the end for decoration.

Olives and fruit: the whole olives form a line in the middle, while sliced olives and both kinds of raisins are scattered over the ham. Keep the roll loose as you wrap the dough around the filling.

Shaping the decorative top

Centre row: wrap dough around the whole olives and press it into place before adding the other filling. This creates a defined olive line through the middle of the loaf.

Dough strips: divide the uncovered edge into 2, then 4, then 8 strips and wrap them over the loaf. Prick the shaped bread six times with a fork as directed.

Baking and doneness

Oven: bake at 175°C for 30 minutes, rotating the tray every 10 minutes. The recipe’s visual cue is an evenly browned loaf.

Finish: brush the hot loaf with a little melted butter, then wait until it has cooled completely before slicing. Cutting it while warm can make the filled slices harder to handle.

How to serve it

Slice the cooled loaf so each piece shows the ham, olive and raisin filling. It works well on a festive table or as a substantial snack.

For a meal, serve a slice with a crisp green salad or fresh vegetables to bring a lighter, fresh contrast to the rich bread.

Recipe notes & tips

• Let the yeast mixture stand for the full 15 minutes before mixing the dough.
• Use only enough extra flour to bring the dough together into a smooth ball.
• Overlap the ham slices and leave the specified uncovered strip at the end for the decorative top.
• Keep the roll loose so the filling is not tightly compressed.
• Rotate the baking tray every 10 minutes for more even browning.
• Cool the loaf fully before cutting to help the slices hold their shape.

Variations

• Use papelón syrup: swap it for the molasses in the egg glaze, as the recipe suggests.
• Use one kind of raisin: combine the total raisins as either regular or golden raisins.
• Vary the olives: use the same amount of another pimento-stuffed green olive.
• Change the bacon: omit it for a simpler ham, olive and raisin filling.
• Make smaller loaves: divide the dough and filling, then shape each loaf separately.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the first rise: give the dough at least 30–45 minutes, or wait until it has doubled.
• Rolling too tightly: leave the loaf fairly loose so the filling is not compressed.
• Covering the whole edge: leave about 7.5 cm of dough bare for the decorative strips.
• Forgetting the tray rotation: turn it every 10 minutes during the 30-minute bake.
• Slicing while warm: let the loaf cool completely before cutting.

How to store

Once completely cool, wrap the loaf or place it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat slices in a low oven until warmed through.

Frequently asked questions