I don’t know what got me thinking about Cheese and Vegemite Scrolls (aka Cheesymite Scrolls), but once I started, I couldn’t stop!
Wait, hold up – VEGEMITE?
Yep! growing up in Australia it was part of a balanced diet!
What is Vegemite?
Vegemite is a spread made from leftover brewer’s yeast extract developed by Dr Cyril Callister (who worked for Fred Walker and Co.) in 1923 in response to the disruption of Marmite supplies after World War I. A number of marketing initiatives attempted to boost sales and in 1935, the (now known as) Kraft Walker Cheese Company offered free Vegemite with its sales of Kraft Walker cheese products. In 1939 Vegemite was officially endorsed by the British Medical Association as a source of B vitamins. Vegemite was included in Australian Army rations during World War II and was even rationed during the War! Vegemite continued to grow in popularity and will celebrate its 100th birthday next year!
There’s even the BEST jingle about it (that I still remember from when I was little)
We’re happy little Vegemites
As bright as bright can be
We all enjoy our Vegemite
For breakfast, lunch and tea
Our mummies say we’re growing stronger
Every single week
Because we love our Vegemite
We all adore our Vegemite
It puts a rose in every cheek
But wait….
(see?!)
You can read more about the Vegemite story here. Now, back to those Cheese and Vegemite Scrolls….
Cheese and Vegemite = a match made in heaven!
It’s true! Some of my earliest school lunch memories are of sandwiches made with Kraft Singles cheese slices and Vegemite (on plan white bread, of course!). It’s hard to explain but it just *goes* together – the Fred Walker Cheese Company were onto something back in 1935! I mean, Vegemite works SO well in gougères!
Baker’s Delight in Australia (known as Cob’s Bread here in Canada) makes the original Cheesymite Scroll but since it’s going to be a while before I can get back and I couldn’t stop thinking about them, I set to figuring out how to make my own.
I’ve used a version of the brioche dough from In the French kitchen with kids that I played around with a little bit. This final version is one I am thrilled with – fluffy and light with swirls of cheese and Vegemite…
And honestly, they are pretty easy to make (even without a stand mixer) – you can start prepping them in the morning and have them ready for lunch!
Cheese and Vegemite Scrolls
Cheese and Vegemie = best combo ever!
Ingredients
- 3 cups (450 g) bread flour (you can use all-purpose flour here too)
- 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons (10g) instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup (250 ml) milk
- 2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- All-purpose flour, for sprinkling
- 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil, for the proofing bowl
- 3-4 tablespoons Vegemite (mixed with 1-2 teaspoons boiling water or softened to spreadable consistency in the microwave)
- 2 cups grated cheddar cheese (approx 160g)
Instructions
- Place the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Heat the milk to 110˚F, measuring the temperature with a digital thermometer. If you are using a microwave, use a microwave-safe jug and start with 30 seconds on high. If it’s not hot enough, you can continue to heat in increments of 15 seconds, to be sure not to overheat.
- Pour the warm milk into the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until the dry ingredients are just combined. The mixture will be shaggy and dry at this stage.
- Whisk the beaten egg yolks and melted butter together lightly and then stir them carefully into the dough until the mixture comes together and all the dry ingredients are fully combined. This will be a fairly sticky mixture at first. I use a rubber spatula to press the dry ingredients into the dough when it seems like the wooden spoon can’t be of any more help.
- Bring the dough together with your hands, still in the bowl, and start to knead until the dough comes together completely and starts to feel smooth.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface, sprinkle it with a little more flour and start to knead. You’ll be kneading for 5 full minutes (*** see notes) continually, so it’s a good idea to share this task with another person!
- To knead, stretch the dough away from you with the heel of one hand and pull it toward you with the other hand and then roll the dough into a ball. Knead a few times with the heel of your hand and then stretch the dough again. Continue like this for 5 minutes. The dough will be smooth and elastic by the time you’re done.
- Pour around 1/2 tablespoon of vegetable oil into a large metal or glass bowl and use a paper towel to evenly coat the insides of the bowl with the oil. Place the dough in the bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and leave it to rest in a warm place for 1 hour. It will double in size (approximately) in this time.
- After the dough has rested for an hour, line a baking tray with parchment paper, gently punch down the dough and place iton a lightly-floured surface.
- Make a rectangular shape as best you can, Roll the dough gently to a 30 x 36cm (12 x 14-inch) rectangle.
- Use an offset spatula to spread the Vegemite gently across the surface of the dough. Depending on your Vegemite tolerance, you might want more or less of this!
- Sprinkle about 1 1/2 cups of the cheese over the Vegemite.
- Roll the dough starting from the long side into a log. Wet the open edges of the dough with a little water to help it stick.
- Use a serrated knife to carefully and gently cut the log into 12 equal pieces.
- Place the slices cut side down on the prepared baking tray and cover loosely with a clean tea towel. Leave to rest in a warm place for 30 minutes.
- Approximately 15 minutes before the resting time is up, pre-heat the oven to 350˚F.
- After 30 minutes’ rest time, uncover the scrolls and sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the top of each scroll.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until the scrolls have risen and are golden brown and the cheese is melted.
- Best enjoyed warm, although a few seconds in the microwave the day after makes them pretty perfect too!
- If you are not eating these on the day you bake them, store in an airtight container/ Ziploc bag for up to 2 days. They will need a few seconds in the microwave before you enjoy them. You can freeze them in airtight containers too and thaw overnight if you must!
Notes
If you prefer, you can use a stand mixer for the kneading.
- Place the ingredients dry ingredients in the bowl and fit the mixer with a dough hook.
- Pour in the warm milk and knead on medium speed for 2 minutes until the dough just starts to come together.
- Add the beaten egg yolks and melted butter and knead a further 3-5 minutes on medium.
- When the dough is smooth, soft and elastic, turn off the mixer, remove the dough from the bowl, carefully coat the inside of the bowl with about 1/2 tablespoon oil then place the dough back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave it to rest in a warm place for 1 hour. It will double in size (approximately) in this time.
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How much Vegemite is the right amount here?
You’ll see in the recipe that I recommend about 3 tablespoons of Vegemite (mixed with a little boiling water to make it mire spreadable on the soft dough). If you’re a hard-core Vegemite lover? Go nuts! I didn’t here because I live with a non-Vegemite lover … and I was successful in making a version that Mr Neil approved of. He told me the Vegemite was “subtle” in these!
What about you – do YOU like Vegemite?
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These are so good, they may have changed Mr. Neil’s view of Vegemite. 😉
Perfect combo of salty-sweet, and especially vibrant warmed up…brings out the slight pungency of that yeasty bit. Sort of like a nice red wine with a touch of Brett. Which may, in fact, be a decent pairing. Haha.
oh gosh- these look yummy! we have vegemite in the fridge…
A brilliant post …. and don’t forget that toast and Vegemite cures a hangover….
We’ve all been led to believe that, so we do.
Perhaps it’s an acquired taste, but you’ll find vegemite in the pantries/larders of many homes in Australia, perhaps most.
Hi!! I so want to make these in Canada – what brand of cheddar did you use?
I used Black Diamond or Cracker Barrel 🙂
Making these to see what are like home made. Ate 2 yesterday made at Cole’s supermarket here in Aust. I wish this recipe did however have the Australia temp measurements considering it’s an Aussie thing. No biggie tho.
If they turn out I’m going to try the same recipe but as a sweet version with brown sugar, cinnamon and crushed walnuts with a white icing drizzle
So sorry I didn’t include celsius temps but you are right, it’s an easy google 🙂 these won’t be *quite* the same as those you get at Coles but hopefully close enough! Sounds amazing as a sweet version!