“Australia and I’m a Celebrity… mean so much to Stacey and me,” says Joe Swash, who was crowned King of the Jungle in 2008 and went on to present spin-off show Extra Camp with his wife Stacey Solomon.
“When we were presenting the spin-off show, we’d go to the studio every Thursday morning and they’d have these cheese and Vegemite scrolls for breakfast. Stacey absolutely loved them and now we make them for the kids. They’re special and when we eat these, we always get a little smile on our faces, as we remember those times down under.”
Serves: 12
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 500g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
- 7g instant yeast
- 30ml olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Vegemite
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar or honey
- 300ml tepid water
For the filling:
- 2 teaspoons Vegemite
- 30g cream cheese
- 75g Cheddar, grated
For the topping:
- 1 egg, beaten, for brushing
- 50g Cheddar, grated
Method
Place the flour and yeast in a bowl and stir. Drizzle in the oil, then add the Vegemite, salt and sugar or honey. Gradually work in the water until you have a fairly sticky dough.
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Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead until it is smooth and elastic. There is a very simple test called the ‘window pane test’ to check if it has been kneaded for long enough. Very gently stretch the dough – if you can stretch it to the point where it is almost thin enough to see through, without it breaking, it is ready.
Put the dough back in the bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. Leave it somewhere warm for one-and-a-half to two hours until it has puffed up to about twice the size.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knock the air out of it so it deflates. Shape it into a large rectangle – about 35 x 25cm. Mix the Vegemite with the cream cheese – it will go quite runny – and spread it all over the bread. Sprinkle with the grated cheese.
Roll up the dough along the longest side, quite tightly, then cut it into 12 rounds. Arrange the rounds over a baking tray lined with baking paper. Space them a couple of centimetres apart as they will spread and touch one another – like a tear and share bread.
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Cover with a damp tea towel and leave again – this time for about 30 minutes – until the dough has increased in size but is still quite firm. Preheat your oven to its highest setting.
Brush the rounds with beaten egg and sprinkle with cheese. Bake in the oven for 20–25 minutes until they are cooked through and a deep golden brown. Serve warm from the oven. Store any leftovers in an airtight tin for a few days.
Joe’s Kitchen: Homemade Meals For A Happy Family by Joe Swash is published by Pavilion Books. Photography by Dan Jones.
Are you a fan of Vegemite? What do you think of these scrolls? Let us know in the comments section below.
– With PA
