Vegemite cheesy scrolls

The Vegemite cheesy scroll is to an Aussie kid what the peanut butter and jelly sandwich is to an American kid. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find someone who has grown up in Australia who didn’t have it weekly, in their lunchbox or after school.

Vegemite cheesy scrolls Credit: Bonnie Savage

• serves

  6-9

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

As someone who was born and raised in the United States and hugely, unusually loves Vegemite (much to the disgust of my fellow Americans), I use these scrolls as ambassadors for the strong, yeasty spread. There’s something about adding cheese and dough that puts Vegemite on a whole other playing field. The scroll makes Vegemite approachable and delicious and savoury in a totally different way. Funny story: we once had a customer say the scrolls were too cheesy. We kindly showed them the door.

Ingredients

• 2 tsp dried yeast
• 2 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
• 375 ml (13 oz/1½ cups) warm water
• 525 g (1 lb 3 oz/3½ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour,
• plus extra for dusting
• 2 tsp salt
• 90 ml (3 fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil
• 125 g (4½ oz/½ cup) Vegemite, mixed with
• 2 tbsp water (the water is key, as it prevents the dough from tearing when spreading the Vegemite)
• 250 g (9 oz/2 cups) grated cheese of your choice (cheddar, mozzarella, or a mix of all the cheeses: see Note.)
• 60 g (2 oz/¼ cup) butter, melted

This recipe makes 6-9 standard-sized scrolls or loads of tiny, party-sized scrolls.

Proving time: 50 minutes

Instructions

In a bowl, combine the yeast and sugar with the water and leave for 5 minutes, or until frothy.

Combine the flour and salt in the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment.

Once the yeast is ready, add the oil to the flour mixture. Then, with the motor running slowly, add the yeast mixture. Knead for at least 5 minutes, or until very soft and elastic.

If the dough seems too sticky, add a little more flour. Cover and leave to prove in a warm place for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size, then knock back the dough.

Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).

Dust a work surface with flour and roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 45 x 30 cm (18 x 12 in). Spread the Vegemite over the dough, then sprinkle with cheese. Roll up the dough like a Swiss roll, then cut into scrolls approximately 8 cm (3¼ in) wide, or just cut into whatever size you want.

Place the scrolls on a baking tray lined with baking paper (suggested: a 45 x 30 cm/18 x 12-inch tray), cover with plastic wrap and leave to prove for 20 minutes. Drizzle with melted butter, then bake for 15–20 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the tray.

Pull apart or use a knife to cut.

Note

•“Heads up, this is a VEGAN cookbook. When we use words like milk, butter and meat, we’re referring to substitutes. Not all kinds of milk, butter and meats come from animals, and the ones we use only come from plants.” Use your favourite plant-based options.

• Cheese: Green Vie makes tasty vegan cheese (in different varieties) that is readily available in mainstream grocery stores. You can also search out a coconut-based cheese. However, any vegan cheese should do the trick for the recipes that call for it. By now you will have found your favourite, so just use whichever one you like the most. That said, choose the cheese that makes the most sense for the recipe you’re making. If you want a true cheesy flavour, opt for something stronger than mild mozzarella.

Recipe and image from Smith & Deli-cious: Food From Our Deli (that happens to be vegan) by Shannon Martinez & Mo Wyse (Hardie Grant Books, hbk, RRP $50), is available in stores nationally. 

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

As someone who was born and raised in the United States and hugely, unusually loves Vegemite (much to the disgust of my fellow Americans), I use these scrolls as ambassadors for the strong, yeasty spread. There’s something about adding cheese and dough that puts Vegemite on a whole other playing field. The scroll makes Vegemite approachable and delicious and savoury in a totally different way. Funny story: we once had a customer say the scrolls were too cheesy. We kindly showed them the door.