On Cooking and my Delicious Lemon Scrolls

Cooking is one of the things I really love to do. It’s just as well too, because another thing that I really love to do is eat. I am not a ‘savory person’ I’ll pass on the crisps….just get me chocolate or something for my sweet tooth! Lately though I’ve been modofing my recipes and making them healthier for my family (see why here)….but not this one though…everyone deserves a treat!

When I am cooking, or baking, I enter the ‘zone’ or the ‘flow’ This is a place in my head where I am calm, relaxed, efficient and focused. The blur of all the things I have to do fades far into the background. I am focusing completely on the task at hand. I am not really thinking about what comes next either, I’ll just do the next step as a natural progression without even really thinking about it. Sometimes it reminds me of the good-old-days in the Lab.

Most of the activities I enjoy take me to this place. This is the place I go in my head when I run, play music or have a nice hot shower. It also happens when I am writing for my blog.

Of all my cooking experiments, there is one thing that has proved to be a crowd pleaser. The most popular treat that I make. The one that everyone asks the recipe for......

…..My lemon scrolls……

A teacher at the girls school tried one of my lemon scrolls and in all honestly, asked me if I had been a Baker before I had children!! Wow!! That is the best possible compliment anyone could ever give me!

These scrolls are so easy to make, but are so yummy! They are a treat that adults can enjoy, as well as the kids. In my SportyMummy way, I would often bake them in the morning to share with the other freezing parents who were standing on the sidelines of the winter soccer game.

Here is my recipe. It makes about 20 small scrolls

300ml water (room temp)

1 egg lightly beaten

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons caster sugar

550g self-raising flour

2 ½  teaspoons yeast

Dribbling icing

½ cup icing sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-3 teaspoons of milk (to get a good dribbling consistency)

• For simplicity, I add all the ingredients to the bread maker and set it on dough and come back 70min later. However, I have also mixed the ingredients, turned it out onto a floured surface and kneaded the dough for about 10 minutes…then placed the dough in a large glass bowl, covered with glad wrap and left it to rise in a warm pace for 40 min-1 hr or until doubled in size.

• Roll the dough out on a floured surface, with a  floured rolling pin to a large rectangle.
• Spread store bought lemon butter over the dough rectangle. Depending on the brand, you might have to put the jar in the microwave for about 30 seconds to get it to spread. (or you could flog home made lemon butter from your best friend, who also happens to be a professional cake maker!).
• Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
• Sprinkle a tablespoon of brown sugar evenly over the lemon butter.

• Roll up widthwise and cut into 2cm circles. You might need to experiment to find the right knife. Try a keep the knife clean and coated with flour

• Place on a tray, lined with baking paper, about 5cm apart, loosely cover with gladwrap and leave in a warm place to rise for 20min.

• Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

When cooled a little, combine the glaze ingredients and dribble over the scrolls in a zigg-gag pattern

Note: Lemon seems to be everyone’s favorite, but I have also made many other fillings. You can replace the lemon with:

• Apple sauce, cinnamon and brown sugar
• Nutella
• Apricot jam
• Strawberry jam
• Or be creative, give your sweet tooth a surprise!