Damper
Damper is the simple bread of Australian bushmen, developed by 19th-century cattle drovers and itinerant workers travelling through the continent's remote outback. With no yeast available and no oven, these people developed a bread that could be baked directly in the hot embers of a campfire, using only flour, water and salt. The name likely comes from the fact that the bread was meant to "damp down" hunger during long days of work far from any farm or town. Although modern versions often use milk and a raising agent for a softer result, the essence of damper remains the same — a rustic bread, easy to prepare with minimal ingredients, evoking the spirit of survival and improvisation of Australia's rural life of old.
Baked in the coals
Traditionally cooked directly in campfire embers
Simple dough
Just flour, water, salt and a raising agent
Thick crust
Dense golden crust with a soft interior
Golden syrup
Classically served with butter and golden syrup
Ingredients 4 servings
- 450 g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 50 g cold butter, cubed
- 250 ml milk
- 1 tbsp water, if needed
- Flour for dusting
- Butter for serving
- Golden syrup for serving
- 1 tsp sugar
How to make it
- 1Mix the self-raising flour with the salt and sugar in a large bowl.
- 2Add the cold cubed butter and rub in quickly with fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- 3Make a well in the centre and pour in most of the milk, mixing gently with a knife until a soft dough forms, adding a little water if it feels too dry.
- 4Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead gently just a few times, without overworking it.
- 5Shape it into a round, flattened loaf about 5 cm thick, and place it on a floured tray.
- 6Score a deep cross into the surface with a sharp knife, a tradition that helps it cook evenly through the middle.
- 7Bake at 200°C for 30-35 minutes, until it sounds hollow when tapped on the base, then serve warm, sliced, with butter and golden syrup.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
