Level up your damper game with these 10 delicious and creative recipes
Chewy, tasty and oh-so-easy to make, now is the perfect time to add damper to your camping menus and charcuterie boards.
It doesn’t get much more Australian than a delicious, butter-soaked hunk of chewy soda bread that’s been cooked outdoors (or indoors, if you’re that way inclined!).
A traditional Aussie damper recipe is a simple style bread, that requires no yeast and no proving time. Made with just a few, easily transportable ingredients, damper was popular with swagmen, drovers, stockmen and other travellers who’d make it to fill their bellies in the Aussie outback.
Oh, and it’s super easy to make with the kids! Perfect for camping, or adding an extra traditional touch to your grazing platters, you’ll want to try making damper yourself.
How to make damper when camping
This recipe from the team at Australian Women’s Weekly Food is a tried and tested family-pleaser! Get your coals ready and keep the butter on hand… things are about to get delicious!
Ingredients:
- 3 1/2 cup self-raising flour
- 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
- 2 tablespoon sugar, to taste
- 40 gram butter
- 1/2 cup milk, approximately
- 1 1/4 cup water, approximately
Method:
- Place a trivet in the base of a camp oven, if you have one; alternatively, the damper can be cooked directly on the base – you may need to elevate the oven further. Place the camp oven, elevated about 5cm, over hot coals to heat.
- Place flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Rub in the butter; stir in milk and enough of the water to form a sticky dough. Knead dough on a floured surface until just smooth. Press into a 16cm round.
- Cut a cross into top of dough, about 1cm deep. Sprinkle with a little extra flour. Place damper on trivet in camp oven.
- Place lid on camp oven. Place hot coals on oven lid; most of the heat should be on the lid so the base doesn’t burn.
- Bake damper for 20 minutes, rotating oven occasionally. Elevate further or reduce the coals underneath if the damper is browning too quickly on the base. Replace the coals on the lid with hot coals. Bake for a further 15 minutes or until damper is golden and sounds hollow when tapped. Stand for 10 minutes before slicing.
Once you’ve mastered this Aussie classic, you can try some fun variations from the gallery below.
10 creative ways to level-up your damper
Beer damper
What could possibly be more Australian than this beer damper?
You’ll be surprised at the subtle yet delicious flavour your best ale will create in this traditional bread.
Rosemary damper
Give your regular damper a herbal lift with this cheesy rosemary version. Serve it as a snack, or alongside your favourite hearty soup.
Honey and fig damper
This fig and honey damper recipe is a perfect example of how a simple damper recipe can be adapted to create something a little bit special. Working figs and honey into the dough make this simple loaf a delicious accompaniment to a fireside cheese platter.
Cheesy seed damper
Your slow cooker is not just good for lamb shanks! This delicious cheesey take on damper can be made at home just as easily as at a campsite!
Spinach and fetta damper
In this savoury recipe tender damper dough is rolled up with spinach and tasty feta cheese for a delicious scroll bursting with flavour. At the base of it all is a simple damper recipe – just taken to the next level!
Gluten-free pumpkin damper
This gluten-free damper variation has added delicious pumpkin, and substituted plain flour gluten-free flour so now everyone can have a bite.
Herb and cheese damper
Put on a cuppa and enjoy a slice of this tasty herb and cheese damper – perfect for morning or afternoon tea.
Kumara damper
Kumara damper is a marriage of old Australia and new, of bush practicality and modern, urban culinary exploration. The pumpkin scone of Modern Australian cuisine!
Rum and raisin damper
Give this traditional Aussie bread a boozy, fruity makeover with this rum and raisin damper recipe. Cooked in a campfire oven or in the comfort of your kitchen, it’s the real deal. Serve piping hot with lashings of butter.
Quinoa and seed cheese damper
This quinoa and seed cheese damper is, admittedly, a bigger deviation from our original damper recipe than the others. This one is made without wheat flour, instead it uses quinoa and buckwheat flour for a grain-free version of classic damper. Mixed with vintage cheddar for an irresistible edge, we love this seedy loaf!
