Vegan Polish sweet cheese rolls

June 18-19, 2022

   

This recipe from lazy cat kitchen has been taunting me every time I've opened my recipe bookmarks these past couple of years. I would have loved to make sweet cheese rolls during our extended lockdowns, but our blender was out of action for making cashew cheese. Now that the blender's back, I rarely have the right moment for yeast baking. I finally made the time on a recent Saturday evening, so that we could pack the rolls for breakfast in the Dandenongs the next morning.

I followed the dough-making instructions without too many issues, but I'm not all that skilled or precise in my technique. My rolls were nice, but perhaps a little tough and definitely vulnerable to going stale quickly. I forgot to brush them with liquid for baking, so their golden colouring was uneven. My errors were completely outshone by the cashew cheese, which was ultra-creamy and tangy with lemon.

I ate one roll when they were fresh out of the oven, leaving six for the three of us embarking on a Sunday morning lyrebird walk. They were perfect fuel on a cold morning, and we saw and heard numerous lyrebirds! It could not have been a more successful excursion.

   

Vegan Polish sweet cheese rolls

(a recipe from lazy cat kitchen)

sweet 'cheese' filling

135g/1 cup raw cashews

zest and juice of 1 lemon

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/3 cup maple syrup and 1-2 tablespoons vegan milk

       or 1/3 cup sugar mixed with 1/3 cup vegan milk

1 heaped tablespoon coconut oil

dough

2 cups plain flour, plus extra for dusting

pinch of salt

7g/2 teaspoons dried yeast

2 tablespoons sugar or maple syrup

2/3 cup lukewarm plant milk

1 heaped tablespoon coconut oil

for brushing

2 teaspoons vegan milk

1 teaspoon maple syrup

Place the cashews in a bowl and pour over boiling water to cover them. Allow the cashews to soak for at least 20 minutes before draining.

When the cashews are ready, use a blender to mix together the lemon juice, vanilla, maple syrup/sugar in milk, and coconut oil. When they are well combined, add the drained cashews and blend until everything is as smooth as possible. The cashew cream should be pretty loose, to prevent it drying out too much during baking.

To make the dough, place the flour, salt, yeast and sugar (if using) in a bowl. Pour in the warm milk and maple syrup (if using). Use a wooden spoon to stir everything together into a dough. Turn the dough onto a clean, floured work surface and knead it for around 5 minutes - stretching, folding and turning 90 degrees over and over again. Spoon the coconut oil onto the dough and knead it in for around 10 minutes, until the dough is elastic and smooth. Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly oiled bowl and cover it with a tea towel. Place the dough somewhere warm for 60-90 minutes, until it has doubled in size.

Line two baking trays with paper and lightly oil them. Divide the dough into 6-7 equal portions using just a few clean cuts, and roll each portion into a ball, placing them on the trays. Set the dough balls aside to rest for 30-45 minutes.

Preheat an oven to 180°C. Flatten each dough ball with a hand. Press the flat bottom of a round glass into each dough circle to make a deep indent for the filling. Gently spoon the sweet cheese filling into each indentation. 

Mix the brushing liquids together in a little mug or bowl, and brush them onto the dough edges. Bake the rolls for about 20 minutes.