Can I add other ingredients to the damper dough?
While damper tastes great on its own, I love to add some extra ingredients occasionally to give it a little extra ‘oomph’! Some of my favourites to add are a bit of grated cheese, herbs like parsley or greens such as spinach. You can even add in some sundried tomatoes for a little bit of added acidity.
Can I freeze damper?
Damper actually freezes very well. All you have to do is let it cool completely before wrapping it in some aluminium foil. It can freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy the damper, leave it at room temperature for a few hours or reheat it in the oven for 5-10 minutes.
What are the origins of damper?
As explained above, this bread was made by drovers and stockmen in the early colonial history of Australia. At its most basic, damper is cooked with just flour, salt, and water. These ingredients were easy to carry on the journey, making it a perfect rest-stop meal.
How was damper traditionally made in the outback?
There were a couple of ways that stockmen would cook damper. Damper was traditionally made in a cast-iron pot with a lid, called a ‘camp oven’. The entire pot was either covered in hot wood coals or the camp oven was placed in a hole in the ground and surrounded with hot wood coals. Occasionally it was cooked on a stick over a fire - sort of like roasting marshmallows!
FAQs
Breads like damper and soda bread can be healthier alternatives to plain white bread.
How to cook damper without a camp oven? ›
An easy way to achieve this is to use your kitchen oven and create a double-oven effect. To start, placing your damper dough in a lightly oiled Dutch oven, then close the lid. Put the Dutch oven in an oven, pre-heated to 220°C and bake for 30-35 minutes.
What was damper originally made of? ›
Damper is a thick home-made bread traditionally prepared by early European settlers in Australia. It is a bread made from wheat-based dough. Flour, salt and water, with some butter if available, is lightly kneaded and baked in the coals of a campfire, either directly or within a camp oven.
Can you keep damper dough in the fridge? ›
Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Whack the mix into a freezer bag and refrigerate until required. I like to make damper dough at home and take it camping rather than deal with the mess (and the labour-intensive traditional method) in a camp kitchen.
What is the most unhealthy type of bread? ›
The highly processed flour and additives in white, packaged bread can make it unhealthful. Consuming too much white bread can contribute to obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.
What is another name for damper bread? ›
Damper, also known as bush bread or seedcake, is a European term that refers to bread made by Australian Aborigines for many thousands of years. Damper is made by crushing a variety of native seeds, and sometimes nuts and roots, into a dough and then baking the dough in the coals of a fire.
Is damper the same as scones? ›
It is now very similar to a scone recipe without any sweetness or milk added. Traditionally damper was eaten with golden syrup and given the nickname “co*ckys joy”. 1. Place the flour and salt into a larger bowl, add the butter and rub into the bread to form a breadcrumb texture.
What was damper eaten with? ›
Traditionally damper was served with Billy tea. This tea was made by boiling water in a billy can, a metal can with a wire handle. Once the water was boiled, tea leaves were added and then the billy can was swung over your head to settle the tea leaves.
Can you leave dough to rise overnight at room temperature? ›
Yes! If a recipe calls for proofing bread dough overnight in the refrigerator, it can be proofed on the counter at a warmer temperature for a shorter period. Rather than placing the dough in the refrigerator overnight, leave it covered on the counter for 1 to 4 hours until it's ready to bake.
How to tell if dough is bad? ›
If the dough has a sour or off smell, it may have gone bad due to bacteria or yeast growth. If the dough has a strange or abnormal color, such as gray or green, it may have gone bad due to bacteria or mold growth. If the dough is sticky or slimy, it may have gone bad due to bacteria or yeast growth.
Here are some options to try:
- Corn, reduced-carb or whole-grain tortillas.
- Cheese wraps or cheese slices.
- Coconut wraps.
- Cauliflower bread.
- Cucumber slices.
- Sweet potato slices.
- Bell pepper slices.
- Portobello mushrooms.
Big-leafed greens like lettuce or romaine lettuce are great substitutions for bread or wraps. You can fill these greens with toppings like meat or veggies. The leaf can also be used as a wrap, to hold everything together. Lettuce wraps are extremely fresh and way lower in calories than bread-based wraps.
Is the crust healthier than the bread? ›
Yes, the crust of bread contains more antioxidants and fiber than the inside. However, there are other strategies to increase your child's intake of antioxidants and dietary fiber. For instance, it is best to switch to whole-wheat or whole-grain bread.
What is the healthiest bread or wrap? ›
Wraps contain more carbohydrates but also contain more fiber. One slice of whole-wheat bread and one whole-wheat wrap also contain a similar protein content and contain the same amount of fat. As long as you are choosing whole-grain options, whichever you prefer to eat is what you should choose.
