Fluffy Yeast-Dough Cheese and Bacon Scrolls

The whole trick to a good yeast scroll comes down to two things most people get wrong on their first go: keeping the dough warm enough to rise, and cooking the bacon fully before it goes anywhere near the dough. Get those right and everything else falls into place.

Soft, fluffy dough rolled up with crispy bacon and melted cheese, golden on top and pull-apart tender inside. These work for breakfast, lunchboxes, party food or afternoon tea, and they never last long.

Why the dough technique matters

I used to be intimidated by yeast dough, convinced mine would never rise properly. My first batch sat in the tin looking completely flat. It turned out my kitchen was just too cold. I moved the bowl next to the oven and covered it with a tea towel, and within 45 minutes it had doubled in size.

• Warm milk, not hot. Warm to the touch but not hot gives the yeast what it needs without killing it. Above about 45 degrees and the yeast dies, no rise, no matter what else you do right.
• A genuinely warm spot to rise. Not the fridge, not a cold bench. Near the oven or inside a switched-off oven warmed briefly to around 30 degrees works well.
• Bacon cooked fully before it touches the dough. Undercooked bacon releases moisture during baking and makes the base soggy, no matter how well the dough itself rose.

Ingredients you will need

For the dough

• 3 cups plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup warm milk
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

For the filling

• 6 rashers bacon, diced and cooked until crispy
• 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, freshly grated
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• Extra 1/2 cup grated cheese for the top

Makes 12 scrolls, perfect for sharing at a party or packing into lunchboxes. Grate the cheese fresh, according to BBC Good Food, pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that stop it melting smoothly.

How to make cheese and bacon scrolls step by step

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, instant yeast, sugar and salt. Make a well in the centre and add the warm (not hot) milk and olive oil. Mix with a wooden spoon until a rough dough forms, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
2. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and leave in a genuinely warm spot to rise for 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.
3. While the dough rises, cook the diced bacon in a frying pan over medium-high heat until fully crispy, not just cooked through. Drain on paper towel and set aside to cool.
4. Preheat your oven to 190 degrees Celsius fan-forced. Grease a 23cm square baking tin or line it with baking paper.
5. Once risen, punch down the dough gently and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it into a rectangle roughly 35 x 25cm.
6. Spread the Dijon mustard evenly over the dough all the way to the edges. Scatter over the crispy bacon, grated cheddar and spring onions.
7. Starting from the long edge, roll the dough up tightly into a log. Use a sharp knife to cut into 12 even rounds, each about 3cm thick.
8. Arrange the scrolls cut-side up in the prepared tin, leaving a small gap between each one. Scatter the extra grated cheese over the tops.
9. Cover loosely with a tea towel and leave to rest for 15 minutes while the oven heats. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown on top and cooked through.

Cheese and Bacon Scrolls

Recipe by Ella McKenzieCourse: Party Food, Snack, BreakfastCuisine: AustralianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

Soft, fluffy cheese and bacon scrolls made with a simple yeast dough, crispy bacon, sharp cheddar and Dijon mustard. Perfect for lunchboxes, parties and weekend baking.

Ingredients

• Dough

• 3 cups plain flour, plus extra for dusting

• 2 teaspoons instant yeast

• 1 teaspoon caster sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup warm milk

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• Filling

• 6 rashers bacon, diced and cooked until crispy

• 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, freshly grated

• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

• 2 spring onions, finely sliced

• 1/2 cup extra grated cheddar for topping

Directions

• Mix flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Add warm milk and oil, mix to a rough dough, then knead for 8 minutes until smooth.
• Place in an oiled bowl, cover and leave in a warm spot for 45 minutes until doubled in size.
• Cook bacon until crispy. Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius fan-forced. Grease a 23cm square tin.
• Roll dough into a 35 x 25cm rectangle. Spread with Dijon mustard, scatter over bacon, cheese and spring onions.
• Roll up tightly from the long edge and cut into 12 rounds. Place cut-side up in the tin.
• Scatter extra cheese over the tops. Rest 15 minutes, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden.

Notes

• Crispy bacon is essential: Always cook the bacon until crispy before adding to the filling or the scrolls will have a soggy base.
• Warm spot for rising: If your kitchen is cold, place the dough bowl near the oven or in a slightly warmed oven to help the yeast along.
• Freshly grated cheese: Grate the cheese yourself for the best melt. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly.
• Freeze after baking: These cheese and bacon scrolls freeze well. Cool completely, wrap individually and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in the oven at 160 degrees for 10 minutes.

What happens if you get the technique wrong

• Milk too hot or kitchen too cold: the dough will not rise, or will barely rise. If it has not visibly grown after 45 minutes in a genuinely warm spot, something in this chain broke, check your milk temperature next time.
• Dough rolled too loosely: the scrolls unravel in the oven. Roll the log firmly and evenly, and pack the scrolls snugly in the tin so they support each other as they bake.
• Bacon undercooked before filling: a soggy base every time, regardless of how well the dough rose. This one is non-negotiable.

Filling variations to try

The dough here works brilliantly with other fillings too, once you have the base technique down:

• Sun-dried tomato and feta: replace the bacon with chopped sun-dried tomatoes and swap the cheddar for crumbled feta, for a vegetarian Mediterranean version.
• Ham and cheese: thin slices of leg ham instead of bacon, milder and kid-friendly. A little relish under the ham adds extra flavour.
• Vegemite and cheese: a thin layer of Vegemite instead of mustard, topped generously with cheddar. Simple, salty, iconic.

Make ahead and storage

Best eaten the day they are baked, warm or at room temperature. Store cooled scrolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, warming at 160 degrees for 8 minutes to refresh them. They freeze very well too, cool completely, wrap individually and freeze for up to 2 months, then reheat from frozen at 160 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.

Frequently asked questions

These are the kind of bake that earns you a reputation. Make a batch once and you will be asked to bring them to every gathering from then on.

Happy cooking from my Newcastle kitchen.

Ella x