Australian Damper Bread

Recipe by: Tom on 16 August 2022
Posted in : Breads & Dough
Tags: Australian, Bread

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3 cups self-raising flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 ¼ cups milk

Directions

1. First, sift your flour and salt into a large bowl.
2. Next, warm the milk (without boiling) and add to the bowl. Mix with a butter knife until mixture sticks together.
3. If there are still dry crumbly bits in the bottom of the bowl add another 1-2 tablespoons of warm milk until mixture holds together.
4. If mixture feels too sticky, add a little extra flour.
5. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead very gently into a round ball.
6. Place dough onto a greased and floured baking tray and flatten gently so it’s about 13-14cm in diameter.
7. Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees celsius (fan-forced) and place damper on the bottom shelf. Bake for 25 minutes or until a rich golden colour.
8. Remove from oven or fire and turn damper upside down on a wire rack to cool.
9. Check the damper is cooked properly by tapping on the base. It should sound hollow. If not, return to the oven for another 5 minutes.

Savoury Damper Flavour Ideas

• Bacon & Cheese – Mix 1/2 cup of Bacon Bits, 1 cup of cheese, 1/2 cup of Spring Onion and 1-2 tsp of mixed herbs. Top with grated cheese and bake until melted and golden.
• Garlic, Parmesan and Mixed Herbs – Similar to above, add 1-2 tsp of chopped garlic, 1/2 cup of parmesan and 1-2 tsp of mixed herbs.
• Olives and Sun-dried Tomatoes – Add a 1/4 cup of chopped olives and sundried tomatoes.
• Butter and Vegemite – Cook the damper bread as normal, then cut into slices and slather with butter and Vegemite.

If you only have plain (all purpose) flour, don’t fret. Simply add 1 ½ tablespoons of baking powder with 3 cups of plain flour.

If you don’t have milk, or enough milk, you can substitute with water.

History of the Aussie Damper

A very traditional no yeast bread in Australia made from flour, salt, water and/or milk. It’s an Aussie tradition to bake this with dinner when you’re camping in the outback.

Historically a staple of swagmen, drovers, stockmen, travellers and hungry campers alike, Australian Damper is traditionally cooked in campfire ashes or in a cast iron camp oven. The ashes were brushed off before eating.

Damper was first mentioned in memoirs edited by Barron Field who was a Supreme Court Judge in NSW between 1817 and 1824.