Cheese and bacon scrolls

These scrolls are a world away from the commercially made ones… once you've tried them, you'll never buy another again! Great as a snack or alongside a warming winter soup, feel free to try your own flavour variations, such as using chopped fresh herbs instead of the mustard powder or prosciutto instead of the bacon.

Credit: Alan Benson

• makes

  12

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  30 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 3 trimmed rashers of bacon (about 160 g), chopped
• 300 g (2 cups) self-raising flour, plus extra, to dust
• ½ tsp dry mustard powder
• pinch of salt
• 50 g butter, cubed, softened slightly 
• 25 g (¼ cup) finely grated Parmesan
• 250 ml (1 cup) milk
• 100 g (1 cup) finely shredded vintage cheddar cheese plus 25 g (¼ cup) extra

Instructions

Preheat oven to 190°C. Line a large oven tray with non-stick baking paper.

Cook the bacon in a frying pan over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until crisp. Set aside.

Put flour, mustard powder and salt in a medium bowl. Use your fingertips to rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs and the butter is evenly incorporated. Stir in the Parmesan and then make a well in the centre.

Add the milk to the flour mixture and use a round-ended knife to mix with a cutting action until the dough comes together in clumps. Use lightly floured hands to bring the dough together – it will be soft, but not sticky. Place on a floured surface and knead lightly and briefly (only about 6 times) to bring it together in a smooth ball.

Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to a 25 x 30 cm rectangle. Sprinkle evenly with the bacon and then the cheddar. Starting at a long end, roll up the dough into a log. Use a sharp serrated knife to cut the roll into 12 even slices. Place the scrolls on the lined tray about 2 cm apart and sprinkle with the extra cheddar. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Baker’s tips

• These scrolls are best eaten the day they're made. They can, however, be frozen in a sealed freezer bag or airtight container. Thaw at room temperature and reheat on a lined tray in an oven preheated to 160°C for 10-15 minutes.

Anneka's mission is to connect home cooks with the magic of baking, and through this, with those they love. Read our interview with her or for hands-on baking classes and baking tips, visit her at BakeClub. Don't miss what's coming out of her oven via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

Photography by Alan Benson. Styling by Kristine Duran-Thiessen. Food preparation by Tina McLeish.

For more recipes, view our online column, Bakeproof: Scones.

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.