This Aussie damper is about as iconic as Australian food gets. A quick easy rustic bread that was eaten by settlers camping in the Australian bush.
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This basic damper recipe has been cooked for generations in Australia. It is as Aussie as Waltzing Matilda, or Lamingtons or the Opera house or riding kangaroos to school (kidding, we never do that, their backs aren't strong enough, wombats are much better ;)).
Damper is type of soda bread that was cooked by early settlers, swag men, drovers and even bush rangers. It was traditionally made with flour, water and butter if available and cooked on the ashes of a camp fire or wrapped around a stick and cooked over the coals. Baking soda or beer was occasionally added to help the bread rise.
This modern day Australian baking version tweaks the original recipe by using baking powder and milk in place of water for extra flavor.
Damper ingredients
Plain flour: also known as all purpose flour. You could use self raising flour instead, in which case you can leave out the extra baking powder.
Baking powder: is a commonly used rising agent in baking. This is NOT the same as bicarbonate soda or baking soda and you can not substitute this.
Butter: I use salted butter in this recipe, which removed the need to add extra salt. If you prefer to have more control of the amount of salt you can use unsalted butter and add salt to taste. The butter gets rubbed into the flour so it's important its a room temperature before you start cooking.
Milk: full fat milk is best for this recipe for maximum flavor. If you are camping you can use long life milk, or substitute the milk with water for a more traditional style damper. It won't have as much flavor but its an easier option if you're camping and don't have access to milk.
How to make damper, three ways:
Oven damper recipe:
Pre-heat the oven to 390°F (200°C)
Grease Dutch oven or tray with a little oil. Add the baking powder to the flour and mix well.
Add the cubed room temperature butter to the flour mix. Rub together between your hands until the butter is all rubbed in and the mix resembles fine bread crumbs. You can use a food processor for this if you wish, but don't over mix it.
Add the milk and mix into into the dough with a butter knife or spatula. Once the milk is mostly mixed in you will need to use you hands the bring the rest of the dough together.
Form the dough into a ball. Use a sharp knife to cut a shallow cross or star pattern into the top of the ball. Transfer to Dutch oven,
*To cook bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown and loaf makes a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom.
Camp oven damper recipe:
Ideally wait until the camp fire had died down and your have hot coals to cook with.
Follow the directions for oven cooking until you get the final step *. Do no pre-heat the camp oven. Grease the camp oven with a little oil. Transfer to camp oven.
Put the lid on the camp oven. Place on the coals and use a fire proof shovel to carefully mound some of the coals around the oven. You can put some on top as well if you like.
Bake in the oven for about 40 mins or until starting to go golden brown and makes a hollow sound when you tap the bottom
Camp fire damper recipe:
Ideally wait until the camp fire had died down and your have hot coals to cook with.
Follow the directions for oven cooking until you get to forming the dough ball.
Find four to six sturdy sticks, about 2 foot in length and half a finger thick. Divide the mix into four to six pieces. Roll each piece out into long thing snakes about half a foot long. Starting at the top wind it around the stick, ensuring each loop is close together on the stick.
Carefully hold over the coals of the camp fire until the outside is golden brown.
Carefully remove from stick and fill with your favorite toppings. I like mine with butter and golden syrup, yum!
Optional add ins:
- Add ½ cup of tasty or parmesan cheese and ¼ cup chopped herbs such as chives and parsley after rubbing in the butter. Sprinkle a little each chesses on top before baking.
- Add half a cup of sultanas after rubbing in the butter
- Add half a cup of chocolate chips after rubbing in the butter
How to serve
To serve pop onto a board while still warm cut up or break apart and enjoy! Fabulous with lashing of butter as a side to a savory meal or dunked in a warming soup.
For a mouth watering sweet option you can try it with butter and a good drizzle of golden syrup. This is a particularly good for campfire damper cooked on a stick. Slide the damper off the stick and fill with butter and golden syrup, being careful of it dripping out the end. I have many fond camping memories of eating damper this way as a child. Delicious!
How to store
This campfire bread is best served straight away warm from the oven, camp oven or stick. If you have any left overs you can wrap it up in a tea towel and store it for up to two days, but the cut ends will dry out and it won't be as nice.
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📖 Recipe
Damper
Equipment
- Baking tray OR a Dutch oven OR a camping oven OR 6 solid sticks
Ingredients
- 3 cups (450gms) plain flour
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- (80gms) salted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup (250mls) milk
- oil to grease
Optional add ins - add just before adding in milk
Savory
- ½ cup tasty or parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup chopped herbs such as parsley and or chives
Sweet
- ½ cup sultanas OR
- ½ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
Oven cooking instructions
- If using a Dutch oven make sure there is enough room in your oven with the lid on first. I have to put my oven rack on the bottom shelf and take out the other shelves to fit mine in.
- Pre-heat the oven to 390°F (200°C).
- Lightly grease a Dutch oven or baking tray with oil.
- Add the baking powder to the flour and mix well.
- Cube the butter and add to the flour. Rub the butter into the flour with your hands until fine bread crumbs form.
- Add the milk and mix with a spatula initial until dough starts to come together, then switch to using your hands.
- Shape the dough into a rough ball.
- Put the ball into the Dutch oven or onto the baking tray. Cut two or three shallow lines in a cross/star shape.
- If using the Dutch oven put the lid on. Bake in the oven for about 40 mins or until starting to go golden brown and makes a hollow sound when you tap the bottom.
- Remove from oven, serve with your favourite toppings and enjoy!
Camping oven cooking instructions
- Ideally wait until the camp fire has died down and you have hot coals to cook with.
- Grease the camp oven with a little oil
- Add the baking powder to the flour and mix well.
- Cube the butter and add to the flour. Rub the butter into the flour with your hands until fine bread crumbs form.
- Add the milk and mix with a spatula initial until dough starts to come together, then switch to using your hands.
- Shape into a round ball with your hands
- Put the ball into the camp oven. Cut two or three shallow lines in a cross/star shape.
- Put the lid on the camp oven. Place on the coals and use a fire proof shovel to carefully mound some of the coals around the oven. You can put some on top as well if you like.
- Bake in the oven for about 40 mins or until starting to go golden brown and makes a hollow sound when you tap the bottom.
- Remove from camp oven and sever with your favorite toppings!
Camp fire/on a stick cooking instructions
- Find four to 6 sturdy sticks, about 2 foot in length and half a finger thick.
- Add the baking powder to the flour and mix well.
- Cube the butter and add to the flour. Rub the butter into the flour with your hands until fine bread crumbs form.
- Add the milk and mix with a spatula initial until dough starts to come together, then switch to using your hands.
- Divide the mix into four to six pieces.
- Roll the pieces out into long thin snakes about ½ foot long.
- Starting at the top of the stick wrap firmly around, ensuring the dough is nice and close together.
- Carefully Hold over the coals of the camp fire until the outside is golden brown.
- Carefully remove from stick and fill with your favorite toppings. I like mine with butter and golden syrup, yum!
Notes
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