Australian
Damper Bread
This is a
traditional bread baked in the coals of an open fire or in a Dutch Oven
(huge lidded cast iron pot) but nowadays we bake it in a normal oven. Of
course there are as many variations as there are days in the years but the
basic recipe is as follow:-
Ingredients
- 4 cups
self-raising flour
- 3/4 - 1
teaspoon salt
- 2
teaspoons sugar
- 2
tablespoons butter at room temperature
- 1 cup
milk
- 1/2 cup
water
Method
- Sift the
flour and salt into a bowl and mix in the sugar.
- Rub in
the butter with your (clean) hands until a fine breadcrumb texture is
achieved.
- For a
well in the top of the flour, pour in the milk and water, and mix well
with a knife until the dough come clean from the sides of the bowl.
- Turn out
onto a floured board and knead until smooth and silky, like a baby's
bottom.
- Shape
into a mounded loaf, (some people cut a deep cross in the top) and
bake in a preheated oven, 200 c / 400 F, for 25 minutes. Then lower
the temperature to 180 c / 375 f and cook a further 10 - 15 minutes
until done. The loaf should be a light golden brown colour and sound
hollow when tapped.
- If you
are "game" try cooking it on a camp fire; nothing beats that
extra smoky flavour, especially using Australian Eucalyptus wood to
give it that special something. If you are cooking in an oven at home,
try putting a few Gum Leaves in the over to smoke as your are cooking
the bread.
Damper
is very similar to Irish Soda Bread, and probably developed from recipes
brought over by Irish immigrants/convicts.
Variations
of the basic recipe are seemingly endless, but you could try substituting
other liquids, such as beer for a darker colour/flavour, or varying the
ratio of milk to water, and so on. Try adding more sugar and butter and
some dried fruits for a dessert damper. Basically use your imagination.
If
you are cooking on an open fire you could try wrapping the dough in
aluminium foil before you place it in the coals, or even try wrapping the
dough around a stick and cooking suspended over the flames.
Good
Baking!
