I only found out about damper a month ago after I have been living in Australia for over four years. Shocking! I love it! I made one yesterday for our dinner party. Everyone liked it. It was so easy to make and so delicious. So I have to create a post to share it with you guys. It’s really a great solution for a quick bread.  After it’s baked, it is crispy outside and soft on the inside.

Damper is a traditional Australian soda bread that is baked on campfire by swagmen. Basically, it’s made from flour, water or milk, and butter. Personally, I think it tastes a little bit like savoury scones without so much butter and egg. In this recipe, I add feta cheese, dill and pine nuts. Unfortunately, I ran out of sun-dried tomatoes. Otherwise, I will not hesitate to put some in the bread.

When I say it’s simple to make, I am not kidding. There is absolutely no need to knead the dough (oh, how much I love that! 🙂 ). Rub the butter in with your fingers. Stir all the ingredients together. Let it sit on a baking tray for a while. Bake, bake, bake!

Then, you have the yummy warm bread on your dinner table. If you like a sweet version, just make a basic one with sugar or syrup. I know life can get very busy. I certainly hope a quick homemade warm bread can comfort you and cheer you up a tiny little bit. 🙂

INGREDIENTS

• Strong flour – 250g
• Salt – 1 teaspoon
• baking powder – 20g
• Unsalted butter – 30g
• Black pepper – a pinch
• Skim milk – 180ml
• Feta cheese – 60g
• Dills – 20g
• Pine nuts – 20g

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Prepare a baking tray, line with baking paper.
3. Put sifted flour, salt, baking powder, black pepper in a large bowl. Mix well. Use your fingers to rub in the butter cubes.
4. Add milk. Use a spatula to mix the ingredients just come together.
5. Chop the dill roughly. Use your fingers to break the feta into small pieces. Add feta, dill and pine nuts in the dough. Mix together.
6. Turn the dough on the baking tray, shape it in a round loaf.
7. Dust with some flour and leave it uncovered for 15 mins.
8. Use a sharp knife to cut a cross on top before baking.
9. Bake for 20-25 minutes in the oven until it’s golden brown. Sound hollow when tapped.
10. Cool on a wire rack and serve warm.