NitroX
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History of Damper
Damper is a Aussie bush icon, not as popular today because of camp refrigerators but its origins are part of Australia's bush history.
Bread was and is a staple of the Australian diet. But travelling long distances in the Aussie climate would result in rotting and mould on bread. The need to have a food that would travel without bruising or rotting. Water is the number one essential of the Australian bush, and the need to "dampen" one's hunger as well, resulted in the word "damper" (per references).
Swagman, Stockman or traveller often only carried Water, Flour, Salt, Tea and sugar. Plus shooting meat for the pot, lots of roos, later rabbits, and other game. Roo in the stew. Some home cooked Damper in a tin on the coals.
Damper is not a bread as it is made without yeast.
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John aka NitroX
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Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
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NitroX
.700 member
Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 40675
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
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Damper, Aussie bush bread baked without yeast.
Recipe
Basic Damper Recipe
Ingredients:
2cups of Self-Raising flour
½ Teaspoon of Salt
Teaspoons of Sugar
¾ Cup of Water or sour millk
Add all the dry ingredients together and mix then whisk in the water and kneed by hand. Up to a 100 Kneads. = Knead mixing by hand [Squeezing] If the mixture is sticky add a little more flour, the dough should hold together well without breaking up.
Cooking on the coals of a Campfire. The best fire to cook on has burnt down to just coals. No big flames. Using an Aussie cast iron camp oven is good. About a half hour cooking time.
Or cook in a preheated oven at 160d for 35 to 45 minutes or until Golden Brown.
Serve hot with butter.
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John aka NitroX
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Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"
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NitroX
.700 member
Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 40675
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
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Cooking Damper on a stick
Roll the Damper out like a long thin sausage then wrap it round a stick. Leave enough stick to hold on to and not burn your hands. Now you get to sit by the fire and toast it.
See the earlier Basic Damper recipe.
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John aka NitroX
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Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"
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NitroX
.700 member
Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 40675
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
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Damper in a Camp Oven
Plain damper
Ingredients (serves 6)
900g (6 cups) plain flour
1 tbs baking powder
500ml (2 cups) milk, warmed
Method
Combine flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Gradually add milk, stirring until you have a soft dough.
Place the camp oven over hot coals and heat until hot. Carefully place dough in oven, cover with a lid, surround with hot coals and bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through (cooking times may vary according to intensity of fire).
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John aka NitroX
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Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"
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NitroX
.700 member
Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 40675
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
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Savoury Damper Recipe
Savoury Damper is great for BBQS.
Ingredients:
2 cups of Self-Raising flour
½ Teaspoon of Salt
1/4 teaspoon Ground Pepper
2 Teaspoons of Sugar
1 teaspoon Olive oil
½ teaspoon mixed herbs
½ teaspoon Sesame seeds
¾ Cup of Beer [Not flat, or secret ingredient]
Add all the dry ingredients together including olive oil and mix then whisk in the beer and kneed by hand. Up to a 100 Kneads. = Knead mixing by hand [Squeezing]
If the mixture is sticky add a little more flour, the dough should hold together well without breaking up.
Cook in a camp oven for approx 30 minutes.
OR
Cook in a preheated oven at 160d for 35 to45 minutes or until Golden Brown.
Serve hot with butter.
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John aka NitroX
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Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"
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NitroX
.700 member
Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 40675
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
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As we head from summer towards winter - in the Southern Hemisphere - and hearty soups come to the fore this is a relatively easy bread to make to accompany a soup.
Leftovers, if there are any, toast really well for breakfast!
You will need (for 4 people):
2 cups of self raising flour
500gms of cooked pumpkin – mashed with
1 tablespoon of Honey
½ teaspoon of ground cumin (or more if you like)
½ teaspoon of salt
¾ cup of milk (or milk and cream) approx
Method:
Pre-heat Oven to 220c (200c for a fan oven)
The pumpkin can be steamed or boiled. If time, what I like to do is dice it small, toss in the honey and roast in the oven…to caramelize it but not burn it!
In a bowl mix thorough together all the ingredients except the flour – then add the flour and form into a dough – if too wet add a bit more flour – too dry a bit more water –it will be a sticky dough but should be manageable!
Shape into a cob shape (not too high), slash top with a knife, and place on greased and floured baking tray.
Brush with milk and bake for around 25 to 30 minutes.
Baste with the milk several times during baking.
Should sound hollow when bottom is tapped!
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John aka NitroX
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Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"
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NitroX
.700 member
Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 40675
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
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Australia Day Damper Recipe (Camp Oven Style)
The history of damper goes back to the early settlement of Australia when people would travel in remote areas for weeks or months at a time with only basic rations. The damper was normally cooked in the ashes of the camp fire but you can get good results using the “Camp Oven” technique of baking the damper in a cast iron pot in your home oven.
The combination of both white bakers flour and wholemeal flour gives this bread a more “rustic” feel.
Makes 1 Loaf
What you’ll need ...
375g white bakers flour
125g wholemeal flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
375ml milk, plus extra to glaze
30g unsalted butter
How to make it ...
1. Take cast iron pot (with a lid) such as a a Le Creuset or Le Chasseur. Put it in the oven and pre-heat to 220 Celsius
2. Sift together the flours, baking powder and salt in a large bowl
3. This stage calls for you to “rub” the butter into the flour with your fingers, but its easier to cheat and put the flour mixture in a food processor. Cube the butter and give it a couple of wizzes and the mixture should resemble fine bread crumbs. Return this to the bowl.
4. Make a well in the middle of the flour and stir in the milk and give it a good mix until well combined. The mixture should be quite sticky.
5. Turn the dough out onto a well floured word surface and give it a good knead for 2-3 minutes until nice and smooth.
6. Form into a tight ball and cover with a clean tea towel. Let it rest for 20 minutes.
7. When your oven it nice and hot and you are ready to bake gently brush some milk over the loaf as a glaze.
8. Use a sieve and gently dust the top of the loaf with some extra flour
9. Take a serrated knife and score the loaf (do something decorative) about 2 cm deep
10. Now ... BE VERY CAREFUL as the cast iron pot will be VERY HOT.
11. Carefully (use oven mits) remove the pot from the oven, take off the lid and gently slide the loaf into the pot (use a big spatula).
12. Put the lid back on and pop it in the oven for 20 minutes
13. Remove the lid, drop the temperature down to 180 and bake for a further 20 minutes
14. Remove the cast iron put from the oven and use a spatula and tongs to remove the loaf without burning yourself.
15. Put the loaf on a wire rack and let cool for 40 minutes before carving.
16. Serve with extra butter or golden syrup and enjoy!
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John aka NitroX
...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"
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NitroX
.700 member
Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 40675
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
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Banana damper recipe
Ingredients:
3 cups self-raising flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
70g butter, cubed
2 bananas, mashed
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup walnuts
Method:
Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a tray wth baking paper and set aside.
In a bowl, place the flour and brown sugar and mix.
Rub the butter through the flour until it resembles crumbs.
Pour the milk into the mashed banana and mix.
Add the banana and milk mix to the crumbs and using a flat bladed knife, cut the mix together until just combined.
Turn out onto baking tray and pat into a large round. It will be sticky and soft.
Press the walnuts into the top of the damper and bake for 40 minutes.
Notes
This recipe is so easy and gives a great moist result. Serve it with butter and golden syrup.
Banana damper keeps very well and stays moist like cake.
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John aka NitroX
...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"
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NitroX
.700 member
Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 40675
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
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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.
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John aka NitroX
...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"
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NitroX
.700 member
Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 40675
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
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Cheesy Wholemeal Dampers
Breadfest couldn't continue on without the addition of damper..but not just your standard damper...we want to infuse it with cheeeeeeeese!
Cheesy Wholemeal Dampers
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups wholemeal self raising flour
1 1/2 cups of self raising flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup fresh chives
1/4 cup sunflower kernels
1/2 cup milk
2/3-3/4 cup water
2 teaspoons plain flour
butter, optional
Sift self raising flours and salt into a bowl. Stir in cheese, herbs and kernels. Make a well in the centre; stir in milk and enough water to form a soft dough.
Turn dough out on to a lightly floured surface, knead gently until smooth. Divide into six portions, knead gently until smooth. Rill into balls; flatten slightly.
Using a sharp knife, cut a small cross on top of each damper. Dust with sifted flour; place on lightly greased oven tray.
Cook in a very hot oven 230 degrees celsius for 10 minutes, reduce to moderately hot 190 degrees celsius, cook for a further 10 minutes, or until lightly browned and damper sounds hollow when tapped.
Served warm with butter.
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John aka NitroX
...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"
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NitroX
.700 member
Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 40675
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
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Pumpkin Damper out of a can.
Pumpkin Damper
Ingredients
1 concentrated Pumpkin Soup
2 eggs
500g Self Raising Flour
1 Pour soup into bowl and mix in eggs.
2 Add self raising flour.
3 Combine to make a soft dough.
4 Place dough into pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on top.
5 Place in hot oven (with fan if you have it) for about 25 mins.
6 Eat warm with a nice piece of cheese.
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John aka NitroX
...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"
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NitroX
.700 member
Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 40675
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
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Some recipes from the net. Tried the basic ones in the past.
I think the banana and pumpkin one sounds nice and will try those. The canned pumpkin one sounds very easy for a bush hunting camp.
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John aka NitroX
...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"
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CHAPUISARMES
.416 member
Reged: 16/01/08
Posts: 2908
Loc: DUBBO, NSW, AUSTRALIA
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Hi John,
I just scrolled down through the various pictures and my mouth started to water. I have used the camp oven style cooking over the years and always tasted better than shop bread.
Cheers,
Jeff Gray
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tinker
.416 member
Reged: 12/03/05
Posts: 4835
Loc: Nevada
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Neat stuff
My wife's been baking bread every day. I'll have her take a look at this.
Cheers
Tinker
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--Self-Appointed Colonel, DRSS--
"It IS a dangerous game, and so named for a reason, and you can't play from the keyboard. " --Some Old Texan...
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gryphon
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Reged: 01/01/03
Posts: 5487
Loc: Sambar ground/Victoria/Austral...
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Geez John you have put a lot of effort into the damper thread,all these 'flash' mixes and pics had me mentally sitting by the fire eating a few chucks dipped in the veni stew juices in the camp oven.
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Get off the chair away from the desk and get out in the bush and enjoy life.
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