Celebrate Christmas day dinner with friends and family with a supreme Baked Ham with Raspberry Glaze and a sophisticated Gingerbread Roll.

There seems to be a divided camp among cooks who prepare Christmas dinner--will we have turkey or ham for dinner? Next to prime rib, ham comes in as the second choice for a Christmas dinner main course. If you're looking to embellish your holiday ham this year, why not try this version of baked ham coated with a tangy raspberry glaze that gives flavor and shine to the centerpiece of your Christmas feast?

Finally, to round out your inner menu, flex your culinary muscles and pull out all the stops with this elegant and delicious Gingerbread Roll, which combines the flavors of a gingerbread cake with a fluffy white-chocolate mousse filling.

Baked Ham with Raspberry Glaze Recipe

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

• 1 7-9 pound fully cooked smoked ham, bone in
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 3/4 cups Raspberry Sauce (recipe follows)
• Fresh or frozen raspberries, for garnish (optional)
• 1 bunch of fresh herb sprigs, such as mint and parsley, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a large heavy-duty roasting pan with aluminum foil. Place about 1/2 inch of water in the bottom of the roasting pan. Place the ham on the foil, fat side up. With a sharp knife, trim excess fat from ham, leaving a layer about 1/8 inch thick. Score the fat in a small diamond pattern with the knife. Place the ham in the oven, uncovered, and bake for 30 minutes.
2. While the ham is baking, prepare the raspberry glaze. Mix together the brown sugar and the Raspberry Sauce to make a thick glaze. After 30 minutes, remove the ham from the oven and lightly coat the ham with half of the glaze. Return the ham to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the ham from the oven and coat again with the remaining glaze. Continue baking for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 135 degrees when inserted into the thickest portion of the meat.
3. Remove the ham from the oven. Let stand about 10 minutes before carving. Carve the ham into thin slices. Transfer the slices to a serving platter. If desired, garnish the platter with fresh or frozen raspberries and sprigs of fresh herbs.

Raspberry Sauce Recipe

Makes About 1 3/4 Cups

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup raspberry preserves
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, stir together the preserves, cider vinegar and lemon zest.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil; reduce the heat. Simmer, uncovered, for about 5 minutes.

Gingerbread Roll Recipe

Serves 6 to 8

To prepare the sugared rosemary sprigs, brush washed sprigs with a glaze of one egg white thinned with one tablespoon water. Coat the glazed sprigs with a sprinkling of granulated sugar. For the sugared cranberries, insert a toothpick into a cranberry, dip into the egg-white glaze and roll in sugar.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, for buttering pan
• 6 large eggs, separated
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus additional flour for pan
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon unsulfured molasses
• 2 tablespoons Sugar Syrup (recipe follows)
• White Chocolate Mousse (recipe follows)
• Confectioners' sugar, for garnish
• Sugared rosemary sprigs and cranberries, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line an 11-by-17-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Butter and lightly flour the parchment paper and set aside.
2. Place the egg yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until the yolks are pale yellow, about 5 minutes. Transfer the beaten egg yolks to a medium bowl and set aside. Wash and dry the mixer bowl and whisk attachment.
3. Place the egg whites in the clean bowl of the electric mixer fittted with the whisk attachment. Beat the egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 2 to 3 minutes. Increase speed to medium high; add granulated sugar gradually, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. Transfer the egg-white mixture to a large bowl.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dark-brown sugar, 1 cup all-purpose flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Set aside.
5. Using a rubber spatula, fold the egg-yolk mixture into the egg-white mixture. Sift the combined dry ingredients over the top and gently fold in. Fold in the molasses. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
6. Bake until the cake springs back when touched and golden brown, about 12 to 14 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and immediately turn the cake out onto a wire rack lined with parchment paper. Peel the parchment paper covering the top of the cake and cool completely.
7. Place a clean, smooth kitchen towel on a clean work surface. Transfer cake on the parchment paper to the towel. Using a pastry brush, coat the cake with the sugar syrup. Using an offset spatula, spread white chocolate mousse over the cake.
8. With a short end of the cake facing you, pick up the edge of the towel. Begin rolling the cake into a log shape, encasing the cake in the towel. Secure the roll with clothespins to keep the roll in a log shape. Transfer the roll to a baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours or overnight.
9. Remove from the refrigerator and unwrap the roll from the towel. Transfer the roll to a serving platter. Dust the top of the cake with confectioners' sugar and garnish with the sugared rosemary sprigs and cranberries.

Sugar Syrup Recipe

Makes 1/2 Cup

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water

Directions:

1. Place the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Cook until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is slightly thickened.

White Chocolate Mousse Recipe

Makes About 4 1/2 Cups

• 1 1/2 teaspoons powdered unflavored gelatin
• 12 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 1/2 cups heavy cream

Directions:

1. Dissolve the gelatin in 1/2 cup cool water and let stand for 5 minutes. Place the chocolate in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture is very finely chopped.
2. Place 3/4 cup heavy cream in a small saucepan and bring the cream just to a boil over medium heat. Add the gelatin and stir for 1 minute to dissolve completely. Pour the mixture into the food processor with the motor running and process until the chocolate mixture is smooth.
3. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Chill until the mixture is thick enough to hold a ribbon when you drag a spatula through it, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
4. Beat the remaining 1 3/4 cups heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form. Fold the beaten cream into the chocolate mixture. Refrigerate if not using immediately.