Cookbook:Damper

Cookbook | Ingredients | Recipes

| Cookbook:Cuisine of Australia 

Damper is Australian bushman's bread, made while camping or "waltzing matilda" (carrying a swag around looking for work). It is meant to be made outside by a campfire.

Ingredients

• 1 large cup self-raising flour
• generous pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup water
  

  Damper and camp oven used, Walcha, NSW

Procedure

1. Add salt to flour.
2. Add scant 1/4 cup water (more and it will be as tough as an old boot).
3. Mix and form into a round loaf.
4. Dig a foot-deep hole near a fire and add 2 shovels of hot coals and ash.
5. Add damper mixture to a greased camp oven (traditional cast iron round pot with lid).
6. Cook for maximum of 40 minutes. If undercooked it will be flat and rubbery.
7. Your first try may be inedible. Keep trying, you'll soon be an expert.

Variations

• This cookbook also has a Drover's damper recipe.
• You can do this in a barbecue grill with mixture in greased metal foil as well. During cooking, damper increases volume by 1/3 to 1/2, so allow room for expansion.
• If you aren't outdoors, just add mixture to greased oven tray and cook in a moderate oven for 30 - 40 minutes.

External Links

• Australian Bush Damper Gerry & Mo Noterey from Australian Outdoors (Variation recipes with pictures!)
• Camp Ovens Discount Camping
• Australian Camp Oven Festival