All About Damper

Luckily, these days you don't have to be out in the bush to enjoy damper. And there are now so many variations of the recipe from something very basic, but still light and fluffy to all kinds of gourmet delights. Come and experience home made damper with me, then maybe try one of the other recipes.

Large Mixing Bowl
Smooth bladed knife
Smooth work surface
Oven tray
Oven or camp oven

3 cups Self raising flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
60g (2oz) butter, cut in small pieces
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water

Sift flour and salt into a bowl then rub in butter with fingertips until mixture resembles bread crumbs. Make a well in the centre, add milk and water mixed together, and stir lightly with a smooth-bladed knife until mixture leaves the side of the bowl.

With floured hands knead a few times on a lightly floured surface, then shape into a ball. Pat into a circle then place on oven tray or into floured camp oven. Cut a cross into the top to about 1cm deep. Brush top with a little milk, then dust with sifted flour. Bake in a pre-heated hot oven (200 deg C/400 deg F) for 30 minutes or until it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. If cooking in camp oven, shovel coals on top. Serve warm, sliced and buttered.

This one comes from the ABC show - The Cook And The Chef and is served with caramelised onions - yum.

Ingredients

500g self raising flour
2 teaspooons salt
350ml water

Lard/dripping
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (evoo)
1 onion
1 tablespoon lemon thyme
1 tablespoon rosemary
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Method

Place the flour into a mixing bowl. Add the salt and make a well in the middle of the flour and add the water, pulling the mixture together with your fingers and using only as much water as you need to make it all stick together. You don't need to knead, just tip it out onto a floured benchtop and shape it into a round. Place on a tray lined with baking paper. Make a couple of slits across the top. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sea salt. Let it rest for a few minutes.

Cook in a preheated webber using indirect heat. After 10 minutes take the loaf off the tray and put it back onto the grill and cook another 20 minutes till crusty and brown on all sides.

To Serve
Either eat the damper while it's hot with butter or dripping or toast slices in a grill pan and top with lard and onion mix.

Lard
You could use dripping from the scrapings from the bottom of your roast trays or you can buy lard from your butcher. If you buy your lard it is best to serve with onions.

Onions
Fry the onions in some oil, adding some sugar if you want to speed up the caramelisation process. Mix in thyme and rosemary then add the red wine vinegar.

Ingredients:

2 cups wholemeal (self raising)flour,
3/4 cup grated cheese,
1/2tsp paprika,
1/2tsp black pepper,
1tsp dried sage leaves,
40g butter or margarine,
1 cup milk(evaporated),
3tsp milk,
2tsp parmesan cheese(grated),
2tsp poppy seeds.

Method:

In a food processor, add the flour, paprika, pepper, sage, add the butter and process, till crumbly.

Add the evaporated milk and milk, grated cheese and mix to a soft dough, on a lightly floured surface, knead the dough and shape into a flat ball (20cm)(8")

Using a sharp knife, cut almost through the dough (making 8 wedges), brush the top with milk and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and poppy seeds.

Bake at 180c(350f) for 25-30 mins, serve warm with lashings of butter.

Cheese & Sage Damper - Frog And Toad's Australia
Gourmet Damper With Blue Cheese & Riberries - Credit - Benjamin Christie
Photo in intro module - Nachoman-au