Just a little fresh DAMPER and GOLDEN SYRUP

[islandpiper]

My day off so made a loaf of Damper in the D.O. out in the yard. Getting ready for a winter camping trip with some hungry guys, gotta be prepared.

Pretty good stuff, no wonder the Aussies are a happy bunch. And, you must have GOLDEN SYRUP for it.....sort of a very light cane syrup.

piper

 

[gbinga]

Is there a recipe for this, or are you just teasin' us? I searched the forum... saw one mention of damper bread back in 2009, with no recipe.

:evil:

GBinGA

 

[islandpiper]

Here ya go. You can bake this in the oven inside, or a DO outside. Lots of recipes around This one is easy and it works. You can add savory spices if you want. Or sweet spices and raisons, etc. Or, make it plain. You might need a bit more water, you want a sort of soft dough. I usually spray the top with PAM or some other vegetable oil spray. I'm betting you could brush it with melted butter if your wife let you.

3 cups of self-raising flour
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water

Sift flour and salt into a bowl, rub in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
Make a well in the centre, add the combined milk and water, mix lightly with a knife until dough leaves sides of bowl.
Gently knead on a lightly floured surface and then shape into a round, put on a greased oven tray. Pat into a round 15-16 cm (6-6 1/2 inch) diameter.
With sharp knife, cut two slits across dough like a cross, approximately 1cm (1/2in) deep.
Brush top of dough with milk.
Sift a little extra flour over dough.
Bake in a hot oven for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
Reduce heat to moderate and bake another 20 minutes.
Best eaten the day it is made.

 

[islandpiper]

I've done this before and the bread slices well and toasts very well the next day or so. I have another recipe for GRANDMA DOYLE'S IRISH SODA BREAD that works well, and makes great bread, but takes lots more "stuff" to make. This one, this particular Damper , uses a minimum of stuff and turns out well. I'm thinking that a fellow could make it with beer and be ok , too. The Irish Soda Bread, for instance, demands buttermilk. Well, we have dried or canned milk in camp, or good water, or beer......i don't seem to travel in the pirogue with buttermilk too often. I've made it with evaporated milk and water and some vinegar to "turn: the milk, but it isn't really right, if you know what I mean.

In camp you just want things to WORK RIGHT with a minimum of messing about and cleaning up.

Piper

 

[Wannabe]

Piper,
Miss Gay says that you can get powdered buttermilk in the grocery store. If you can't find any I will try to bring you some in March.
Bob

 

[Wannabe]

How bout frying up a bunch of crispy bacon, crushing it and mixing it up in the dough.
Bob

 

[hairymick]

That one looks the goods mate.

Here is my recipe.

Beer Damper, recipe as follows.

4 cups SR Flour
Tbl Spoon Butter
1 can/bottle of Beer

Mix it all up bundle the dough into a camp oven cook on coals, Dead easy mate.

 

[islandpiper]

Wannabe, yup, we've got that here, too. On my grocery scale of values it might be cheaper to buy a BUTTER COW and make your own.....and, it's one more thing to pack along and look out for. I still make the Grandma Doyle version at St. Patty's Day, that's in the rule book.

piper

 

[islandpiper]

Uncle Mick, measurements might not be just right here, because your beer comes in different size bottles than ours. piper

 

[gbinga]

That does look easy - and good.

Mick - what is a typical beer size down there? 12oz is the norm in the states, though we can get pints in many brands.

gbinga

 

[islandpiper]

OUr 12 oz is 355 Ml and i think Mick's average bottle is 375 Ml....small difference but you'd have to make it up with water, milk or a bit less SR Flour. No biggie.....but a bottle is not a bottle every place.

piper

 

[hairymick]

375ml or 13 fluid ounces.

bugger, one could always open a second beer? I guess we could work out what to do with the other 11 ounces.