If you’re going to bake bread using yeast, make it worth your while. These are worth it! Easy to make. Just like the ones from Baker’s Delight. But better – because these Cheese and Bacon Rolls are topped AND stuffed with cheese and bacon!
I invited my mother over for brunch today. Wanting her to taste test a few things I was experimenting with. Well, truth be told, I was having a big cooking day and wanted a kitchen-hand. Within a few minutes of arriving and discovering the real reason I asked her over, she disappeared outside on the pretence of playing with my dog (works every time). When I peeked outside, there she was, laying back on my sun lounge. No dog toys in sight.
When these Double Cheese and Bacon Rolls were ready, I called her inside. This is how the conversation went:
“Where did you get these from?,” she asked.
“What?!”, I gasped, offended. “I MADE them”, I said indignantly.
“Really?”, she said, dubiously. “They look just like the ones you get from Bakers Delight.” (Chain Bakery in Australia)
“That’s the whole point!”, I exclaimed. “But these are better. Because there’s no preservatives in them. And there’s DOUBLE cheese and bacon in them.”
The idea to stuff rolls with extra cheese and bacon came about after making a batch just topped with cheese and bacon when I had a few friends-with-kids around a few weeks ago. Anything with bacon bits in them always seems to appeal to kids! While they seemed to enjoy them, when I had a bite, I thought it was a bit boring and in fact, probably needed to be split in half and buttered.
The thing is, there is only so much bacon and cheese you can put on top of the rolls. Because otherwise the topping is too thick. Yes, there is such thing as too much cheese and bacon. Especially when the rolls have cooled and the cheese hardens. A thick layer of cold cheese is not very nice. 🙂
So I decided to add more flavour into these by stuffing them with cheese and bacon.
I don’t bake with yeast very often. Though easy, it does require time and patience.
But some things are worth it. These are definitely worth it! Plus, it’s not like anything you can get at the stores – at least, certainly not here in Australia!
Double hit of bacon and cheese. DO IT!
– Nagi
- 1 sachet Active Dry Yeast (7g, 1/4oz, 2 1/4 tsp (US, AUS), 2 tsp UK) (see Note 1 for Instant Yeast)
- 2 tsp caster sugar (or granulated or super fine white sugar)
- 1 cup warm water (Not boiling. Just tap water is fine)
- 3 cups bread flour (Note 2)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil (or sub with any other oil)
- 1 egg , lightly beaten
- 300 g / 10 oz bacon , diced
- 3.5 oz / 100g provolone cheese , cut into 8 slices (or any other melting cheese) (Note 3)
- 1 cup grated cheese (tasty, cheddar or any other cheese that melts)
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Combine the yeast, sugar and water in a bowl and mix until yeast dissolves. Set aside in a warm place for 10 minutes until frothy. (Note 4)
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Combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the yeast mixture and olive oil. Then either use the dough hook on your mixer and mix for about 3 minutes on medium low, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface (about 100 kneads), until the dough is smooth and elastic. It should come away from the side of the bowl and shouldn't stick. If it is too sticky, add some extra flour.
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Place the dough in a bowl and cover loosely. (Note 5) Set aside in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Note 4)
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Meanwhile, sauté half the bacon in a non stick pan over high heat until lightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside to cool.
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Spray baking tray with oil.
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Punch down the dough, then cut into 8 pieces.
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Get one piece of dough and flatten it. Take a piece of provolone cheese and fold it in half to form a square. Top with 1 tbsp of cooked bacon. Fold the edges in to "wrap" it, shaping it into a round shape. Seal then flip over and place on baking try. Flatten with your hand to around 2cm / 4/5" thick. Repeat with remaining dough.
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Brush with egg mixture. Top each with 1 1/2 tbsp grated cheese and the uncooked bacon.
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Cover with clean tea towel and set aside for 30 minutes or so in a warm place until it has risen by around 50% (Note 6).
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Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
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Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until they are golden brown.
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Best served warm, so the filling is gooey!
1. I use this this Active Dry Yeast by Tandaco which you can get from Coles and Woolworths. This Active Dry Yeast from Red Star seems common in the US.
You can use Instant Yeast instead of Active Dry Yeast. Use 1 3/4 tsp (US, AUS), 1 1/2 tsp (UK), 5 1/4 g, 1/5 oz.
To make this using Instant Yeast, skip step 1 and just add the Instant Yeast to the flour. Also, halve the dough rising times in steps 3 and 10.
2. Bread made using ordinary flour instead of bread flour tastes sort of "yeasty". It isn't pleasant. Bread flour can be purchased at supermarkets and costs only a bit more than plain flour.
Note also that there is little difference between US and AUS cup measures. i.e. 1 US cup = 0.95 AUS cup which is close enough for this recipe to work. I made this using both US and AUS measurements and didn't notice a difference at all.
3. I like to use provolone cheese because it has melting qualities similar to mozzarella but has more flavour. Make sure you get Provolone Piccante (which feels like Monterey Jack, swiss cheese) not Provolone Dolce (which is hard like parmesan).
4. In winter, I turn the oven on for 2 minutes, then turn it off. I use this as the "warm place" for the yeast-water mixture to froth and for the bread to rise. I have also been known to use my dryer 🙂 Just turn it on very briefly, then place the dough in it!
5. If it's a deep bowl, just cover with a clean tea towel. If it's shallow, cover loosely with cling wrap lightly sprayed with oil.
6. For the second rise, it won't double in size because of the filling weighing down the bottom half of the dough.
7. I was pleasantly surprised by the nutrition analysis. I was sure it would be MUCH higher in calories!
Wonderful, easy and gooey!
These are great and my kids love them. Thanks for the recipe
WHOOT! Fantastic to hear Lou! N xx
Where can I get provolone cheese in Australia?
Hi Heather! It’s sold at Woolies 🙂
caster sugar???? What is it and where do I get it?
caster sugar is very super fine sugar you’ll find it in walmart..but if you dont find it use fine sugar does the same thing..
Bacon (rashers?) in Australian seem VERY different than the US bacon which is mostly fat. Is there a comparable bacon in the US? We have access to Canadian bacon, which is really more like ham. Do you think this would be a better substitute?
Hi Cheryl! Any bacon will be just find in this 🙂
I JUST MADE IT… :'( UNFORTUNATELLY MINE DIDNT WORK. IT DIDNT COOK WELL. I’LL TRY AGAIN.
Oh no Daniella, I’m sorry to hear that 🙁 What did yours come out like?
Hi Nagi! Your recipe looks delicious! I can’t wait to try it! I have a question do you use regular bacon? Or is it canadian bacon?
Hi Claudia! I use ordinary bacon – but any bacon will work just fine!
They are in the oven right now. I can’t wait to see and taste how they turn out!!
I’m sitting on the edge of my seat in anticipation to hear what you think!! 😉
Looking forward to trying these.
I hope you do Mamie!! 🙂
My kids love cheese and bacon rolls and asked for them every time we walked into coles. Once we tried these though i stopped being asked to buy them when we’re out and now get asked to make them every time i walk into the kitchen! I use my bread maker to make them, just putting all the ingredients in in the order I would if I was making a loaf of bread and set it to the pizza dough setting. The end result is so soft, and fluffly and they never last longer then 10minutes once they’re out of the oven! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, we love it!
Oooh, that’s awesome Amanda! I love know this works in the bread maker too!! Your kids are SO lucky to have you as their mum!!N x
Welp, there goes my willpower. I spent a year in Australia, and these buns from Baker’s Delight were my lifeblood. Looks like I’m off to cook! Thanks for the recipe!
Ha ha!! You sound like me!! Those cheese and bacon buns are my “food on the run”. So easy to drive and scoff them down for breakfast/lunch/dinner!!! (But these are better….more cheese, more bacon!!)
Ohhh lawdy girl!! These look good even at 6 AM!! Pinned them for later nomming and sharing them on my FB page today so everyone else can drool as much as I am!!
To me, EVERYTHING looks good at 6am! Like…oh, I don’t know….Chorizo carbonara?? 😉
Can i make the dough in my bread machine instead,
i want to try this, this weekend
I’m so sorry, I don’t know! I don’t own a bread machine, and have never used one before 🙂
Nagi… why is it that you make me want to drop the f-bomb every time I look at one of your dishes!? My mouth drops open, I start salivating, and my stomach begins to growl… loudly! If you didn’t live half a world away, I’d be knocking on your door every Sunday for brunch 😉
Ha! I thought you’d like this one! 🙂 You inspired me to start baking with yeast more!
I like it
Thank you! Hope you try them – they are sooo delicious! 🙂
O.M.G. I love it! Loaded with cheese and bacon inside and outside. Just like it’s supposed to be. 🙂
Thanks Shinee! 🙂
I only discovered your amazing website a few days ago, I made these cheese and bacon rolls yesterday and they are AMAZING! I put mozzarella and bacon in the middle and cheddar and bacon on top, they were incredible, thank you!! Can’t wait to try the rest of your recipes!
Hi Catriona! Thank you for your lovely message! I am so thrilled you enjoyed these, I am obsessed with them! You’ve made my morning by sharing that you enjoyed these, they are a personal favourite 🙂