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.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time40 minutesmins
Total Time50 minutesmins
Course: Dessert, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Australian
Keyword: Australian baking, camp fire bread, camp fire damper, camp oven damper, Classic Australian
Equipment
Baking tray OR a Dutch oven OR a camping oven OR 6 solid sticks
Ingredients
3cups (450gms)plain flour
2tablespoonsbaking powder
(80gms)salted butter at room temperature
1cup (250mls)milk
oilto grease
Optional add ins - add just before adding in milk
Savory
½cuptasty or parmesan cheese
¼cupchopped herbs such as parsley and or chives
Sweet
½cupsultanas OR
½cupchocolate 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
The damper is old fashioned rustic bread. By its nature it's very rustic and can be a bit crumbly. I have included cooking instructions for the oven, camp oven or over a camp fire on a stick as I made it when I was a child.