Cheese Damper

Traditional Australian unleavened bread called Damper is cooked in a damped fire allowing it to bake in the hot coals. The dough was originally made with plain flour, salt and water wrapped around a stick and cooked or put into an iron pot and buried in the hot coals. It is eaten with pieces of dried fried meat or a spread of golden syrup along with a Billy tea, perhaps adding a swig of rum. Billy tea is brewed in a small can or pot called a billycan. Recipes using butter and self raising flour came later presenting a lighter appetising product.

This Cheese Damper is excellent as an accompaniment to any quality soup.

Ingredients make 8 dampers

500 g self raising flour
1 tsp salt (15g)
2 tbls butter (40g)
½ tsp caster sugar
350 ml water
50 g shredded cheddar cheese

Method

Place flour, salt and sugar in a bowl and combine, add butter and rub into the flour. Mix in cheese and pour the water in the bowl, combine until even dough without over mixing. Divide dough into pieces, form a round ball and place on a greased or greased proof paper covered baking tray. Dust the damper with some flour and cut a cross in the top. Bake in the oven at 200ºC approx 20 min.

Can also use a mixture of cheese like parmesan, cheddar and mozzarella. The Damper bread provides an enjoyable crunch when it is sliced and toasted. For a variation soup Damper add fresh chopped herbs such as parsley, chives or coriander.