Leslie Massey
Australian damper bread is a traditional, quick, and easy-to-make bread that is perfect for camping or baking at home. It is a thick, wheat-based bread made from a simple dough of self-raising flour, salt, and water, with butter and milk if available. The dough is baked in the coals of a campfire, either directly or within a camp oven, and is often cooked on a stick. Damper bread is a staple of early Australian settlers' diets and is believed to have been first prepared by Australian travellers or stockmen who travelled in remote areas for long periods with only basic rations of flour, sugar, and tea.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Bread | Quick Bread, Soda Bread |
| Cooking Method | Traditionally cooked in an open fire, can be cooked in an oven |
| Ingredients | Self-raising flour, plain flour, baking powder, salt, butter, milk, water |
| Toppings | Butter, jam, honey, golden syrup |
| Texture | Crumbly |
| Storage | Store at room temperature in an airtight container for 3-4 days, can be frozen for up to a month |
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Ingredients and preparation
Australian damper bread is a traditional bread that is easy to make and only requires a few ingredients. It is a type of quick bread that is traditionally cooked in a fire but can also be made at home in the oven.
To make damper bread, you will need the following ingredients:
- Self-raising flour
- Salt
- Butter
- Milk
- Water
If you want to cook the bread on a stick over a campfire, you can also add:
- Bacon
- Onion
If you are gluten-free, you can use gluten-free self-raising flour, but make sure it contains xanthan or guar gum to stabilize and provide structure to the bread.
- Preheat your oven to 180˚C (360˚F) and line a tray with baking paper.
- Place the self-raising flour and salt in a large bowl.
- Cut the butter into cubes, add them to the bowl, and rub them into the flour with your hands or fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add the milk and water, and stir until a dough forms. If the dough is sticky, add more flour. If it is too dry, add more milk.
- If you are adding bacon and onion, stir them into the dough now.
- Form the dough into a round loaf.
- Mark a cross on the top of the loaf with the back of a knife.
- Bake in the oven at 200˚C for 25-30 minutes, or until the bread is golden and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
You can also cook damper bread on a stick over a campfire. To do this, wrap the dough around the end of a dry stick and cook until browned all around the outside. Then, pull the bread off the stick and enjoy!
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Cooking methods
Australian damper bread is traditionally cooked in the fire, but it can also be made at home in the oven. It is a type of quick bread that is really easy to make.
To cook damper bread on a campfire, you can cook it in the hot ashes, in a greased camp oven, or wrapped around a stick. When cooking damper bread in the hot ashes, cover the dough with hot ash and let it sit for about 45 to 55 minutes. You can tell when it's done when you thump it and it sounds hollow. If you're cooking damper bread on a stick, make sure the stick is dry, and you can even burn the end slightly to 'seal' the edges. Then, wrap the dough around the end of the stick and cook until browned all around the outside. Pull it off the stick and slather in butter for a savoury option, or pour on golden syrup for a dessert option.
To cook damper bread in the oven, preheat your oven to 180˚C (360˚F) or 200˚C depending on the recipe, and line a tray with baking paper. Place the self-raising flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter cubes and rub them into the flour with your hands or fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. If you don't have self-raising flour, you can use plain or all-purpose flour with 2 teaspoons of baking powder. You can also add cooked bacon and onion to the dough at this stage. Next, pour in the milk and water and stir until a dough is formed. If the dough is sticky, add more flour. If it's crumbly, add more milk. Tip the dough out onto a floured surface and knead lightly to smooth it out. You can then form the dough into a large damper or four portions for mini dampers. You can also add toppings like bacon and onion at this stage by flattening the dough and sprinkling the toppings on top before rolling the dough up again. Finally, bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until the bread is golden and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
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Serving suggestions
Australian damper bread is a versatile dish that can be served in many ways, both sweet and savoury. Here are some suggestions:
Savoury Options
- Butter: Damper bread is commonly served with butter, similar to how you would serve a scone. It is best to use cold butter, which gives the bread a crumbly texture. You can also add salt to taste.
- Meat: As damper bread was traditionally consumed by travellers in remote areas, it is often paired with meat. This could include dried or cooked meat, such as ham.
- Soup: Damper bread goes well with soup, especially a light and creamy soup like Belgian chicken soup.
- Casserole: You can also serve damper bread with a veggie casserole, allowing the bread to soak up all the juices.
- Cheese: Adding some cheese can enhance the savoury flavour of the damper bread.
Sweet Options
- Golden Syrup: One classic way to enjoy damper bread is with golden syrup. This creates a sticky and sweet treat.
- Jam: Damper bread can be served with jam, and for an extra indulgent touch, add some cream as well.
- Honey: Honey can be drizzled over the damper bread for a sweet and sticky option.
- Raisins and Chocolate: For a sweeter bread, you can add raisins or dates and chocolate chips into the dough before baking.
Remember, damper bread can be served in various ways, so feel free to get creative and experiment with different toppings or additions to suit your taste preferences.
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Storage
Australian damper bread is best stored at room temperature in an airtight container. It can be wrapped in a clean tea towel and kept for a day or two, but for longer storage, it is best to wrap it in food wrap and store it in the freezer for up to a month.
Damper bread is a traditional Australian quick bread that is easy to make with just a few simple ingredients. It is a versatile bread that can be served with sweet or savoury toppings and is perfect for camping or baking at home. The bread is often described as crumbly, soft, and fluffy, and it goes well with a variety of toppings, including butter, Vegemite, honey, jams, marmalades, and golden syrup.
The bread's versatility extends to its preparation methods, which include baking in a traditional campfire, wrapping the dough around a stick, or cooking it in a camp oven. It can also be baked in a conventional oven at home, making it accessible to anyone, regardless of their access to outdoor cooking equipment.
The ease of preparation and versatility of damper bread make it a popular choice for those seeking a quick, tasty, and simple bread option. Its long storage life in the freezer further adds to its convenience, making it an excellent choice for those who want to always have a tasty bread option on hand.
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History
Damper bread, also known as bush bread, is considered quintessentially Australian and emblematic of early European settlement and rural life in the country. However, the name "damper" and the bread itself predates European settlement. The word "damper" is derived from a British expression meaning "something that takes the edge off the appetite". Millstones for grinding seeds into flour have been discovered dating back 50,000 years, and Aboriginal artists celebrate native seeds collected and made into damper bread as a staple of desert life.
The bread was first mentioned in Memoirs, edited by Barron Field, a judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales from 1817 to 1824. According to historian James Bonwick, the bread may have been invented in Sydney by a baker named William Bond, who "'damped' the fire, covering it with ashes" to preserve the red coals.
Damper was originally developed by breeders who needed a way to transport food to remote areas. It was also eaten by stockmen who travelled in remote areas for long periods with only basic rations of flour, sugar and tea, supplemented by whatever meat was available. It was also a basic provision of squatters. The dough could be baked directly in the campfire coals, or cooked in a camp oven.
The bread is unleavened and made without rising agents, but if the dough was left overnight, it may have leavened naturally. Some recipes added portions of the previous night's dough, similar to a sourdough starter.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need self-raising flour, butter, salt, milk, and water.
First, rub the butter into the flour and salt until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Then, add the milk and water, and stir until a dough is formed.
Traditionally, damper bread is cooked in the coals of a campfire. To do this, wrap the dough around a stick and cook until browned all over. You can also bake it in a cast iron pot over a campfire or in a camp oven. If you're making it at home, bake it in the oven at 180˚C (360˚F) or 200˚C for 25 minutes.
The damper bread is done when the outside is browned and crusty, and the inside is soft. It should sound hollow when you tap the bottom.
