Good Ol Aussie Damper Bread Recipes

AUSTRALIAN DAMPER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) Grease a baking sheet.
• In a large bowl, stir together the flour and the salt. With pastry blender or your hands, cut in butter. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the milk and water. Stir until the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form into a round loaf 8 inches across. Place the loaf onto the prepared pan and using a sharp knife, cut a cross in the top.
• Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, then lower the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and continue to bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes. The loaf should be golden brown and the bottom should sound hollow when tapped.

GOOD OL' AUSSIE DAMPER BREAD

Steps:

• 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.
• Form a well in the top of the flour, pour in the milk and water and mix well with a knife until the dough comes 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 moulded loaf, (some people cut a deep cross in the top) and bake in a preheated oven, 200C/400F for 25 minutes. Then lower the temperature to 180C/375F and cook a further 10-15 minutes until done. The loaf should be a light golden brown colour and sound hollow when tapped.

DAMPER (AUSSIE CAMPFIRE BREAD)

Steps:

• Set oven to hot 200C (400F).
• Grease an 18cm (7 inch) sandwich cake tin or four single serve ramekin dishes.
• Sift flour and salt into a mixing bowl.
• Add any other optional ingredients (see below).
• Make a well in the centre of the flour and add most, but not all of the milk.
• Mix with a knife, adding more milk if necessary, until you have formed a fairly moist, but not sloppy, dough.
• Turn dough into a cake tin or spoon into ramekins.
• Smooth the top with the back of a spoon.
• If making a savoury damper, sprinkle the top with cheese and/or add a thin slice or slices of tomato.
• Bake for 20-30 minutes until golden brown on top and a skewer, inserted in the centre, comes out clean.
• Turn out and cool slightly on a wire rack before serving.
• Serve warm with butter.
• Some Variations: Cheese Damper- add 1/2 cup grated cheese and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
• Cheese and Bacon Damper- add 1/2 cup grated cheese and 2-3 rashers of cooked, chopped bacon.
• Cheese and Herb Damper- add 1/2 cup grated cheese and 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil OR 1 teaspoon of dried herbs.
• Fruit Damper- add 1/2 cup mixed dried fruit and 1 tablespoon sugar.
• Orange Damper- add the finely grated rind of an orange and 1 tablespoon sugar.

GOOD OL' AUSSIE DAMPER

Steps:

• Sift flour and salt into a bowl and add enough milk to make a doughy consistency.
• Place mix into a log tin.
• Bake in a 375°F oven for 10-20 minutes.
• It may still be a little doughy inside, so just cook it for a little longer.

AUSTRALIAN DAMPER

Steps:

• The best way to make this is to mix together the dry ingredients then add the liquid and butter and mix well and then knead it for about 5 minutes.
• Then wrap it in a double layer of greased foil and place it in the coals of the campfire, poking it in and retrieving it a bit later hoping it's done.
• I've also had it where you just throw the dough into the coals and pull off the blacked outside when it's done and eat the inner part.
• To cook it in the oven preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar and mix well. Rub or cut in the butter. Stir in the milk to form a dough.
• Shape into a flattened ball and place on a greased baking sheet or in a round cake tin and bake for about 30 minutes.
• Doing it this way though is not traditional and just won't taste the same.
• You eat it straight away while still hot in thick slices with butter, golden syrup, jam or vegemite.
• This is great camping food and always brings back many happy camping memories.

EASY AUSTRALIAN DAMPER

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 375F / 190C /gas mark 4.
• Sift flour, salt and sugar into a large bowl, rub in the butter.
• Stir in milk and enough water to mix to a sticky dough.
• Turn dough onto a floured surface, knead until just smooth.
• Place dough onto a greased baking tray and press into a 16cm round.
• Cut a cross in the dough, about 1cm deep; brush with a little extra milk then sprinkle with a little extra flour; bake for about 45 minutes; lift onto a wire rack to cool.

AUSTRALIAN BUSH BREAD - DAMPER

Steps:

• Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and make a well in the middle.
• Pour in the milk and mix.
• Grease the camp oven or round baking pan and dust with flour.
• Place dough in the camp oven or pan.
• Cut a cross in the top surface of dough.
• Close lid of camp oven and bake in the hot ashes of your camp fire for about thirty minutes, or bake in preheated normal kitchen oven for 30 minutes at 220° C (425° F).
• Eat with a cup of tea, boiled in a billy.

GOOD OL' AUSSIE MEAT PIE

Steps:

• cook onion and minced beef over high heat till brown.
• add 3/4 cup water, stock cubes,sauces and seasonings.
• bring to the boil and cover. simmer for 15 minutes.
• blend flour with remaining water to make a paste.
• add to meat and bring back to the boil, stirring constantly.
• boil for a further 5 minutes till nicely thickened.
• take off the heat and allow to cool completely.
• pre-heat oven to 230c.
• line a greased pie plate with the short pastry and spoon in filling.
• cover with the puff pastry and trim.
• glaze with milk.
• bake for 15 minutes then reduce the temperature to 190c and cook for a further 25 minutes.
• serve with green peas and mash potatoes.
• gla.

AUSSIE DAMPER - SWEET OR SAVOURY- YOU DECIDE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180-190°F.
• Using a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour and the salt.
• Add the butter and rub it in with your fingertips.
• Add the milk and stir it in with a rounded blad knife/butterknife. The dough should be fairly soft, but not too sticky.
• Tourn out onto a lightly floured board and shape into a soft smooth ball.
• Place the damper ball onto a baking sheet and flatten gently. Cut a cross into the top of the damper and brush with a little milk.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until golden.
• Variations- for the cheese damper add 100 grams of cheese before adding the milk. Add any extra herbs of choice. Sprinkle with a little extra cheese before baking.
• For the sweet damper- add the sweet ingredients with the milk.