Outback Damper with Golden Syrup

Name: Outback Damper with Golden Syrup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Australian
Ingredients: 450 g self-raising flour; 1 tsp fine salt; 1 tsp caster sugar; 60 g Unsalted butter; 180 ml full-cream milk; 120 ml Water; 20 g extra melted butter; 80 g salted butter; 120 ml golden syrup

A warm, crusty Australian bush bread with a tender crumb, served thick with melting butter and a generous drizzle of golden syrup.

🇦🇺Australia· Queensland

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 35 min
Total: 50 min
Servings: 6
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 395 kcal

Ingredients

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Servings

450 g self-raising flour — plus extra for dusting
1 tsp fine salt — fine sea salt
1 tsp caster sugar — optional balance for the crust
60 g Unsalted butter — chilled and cut into small cubes
180 ml full-cream milk — chilled
120 ml Water — tap water
20 g extra melted butter — for brushing the loaf
80 g salted butter — softened, to serve
120 ml golden syrup — warmed slightly, to serve

Equipment

•Large mixing bowl
•Baking tray
•Baking paper
•Pastry brush
•Wire rack

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 395 kcal
fat: 13 g
carbs: 62 g
fibre: 2 g
protein: 8 g
calories: 395 kcal

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced) and line a heavy baking tray with baking paper.
2
Sift the self-raising flour, salt, and caster sugar into a large mixing bowl.
3
Rub the chilled diced butter into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
4
Make a well in the centre and pour in the milk and water.
5
Stir quickly with a flat-bladed knife until a soft, shaggy dough begins to form.
6
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured bench and knead very gently for thirty seconds until smooth.
7
Shape into a round loaf about twenty centimetres in diameter and place onto the prepared tray.
8
Cut a shallow cross across the top with a sharp knife and brush lightly with melted butter.
9
Bake for thirty to thirty-five minutes until golden brown and the base sounds hollow when tapped.
10
Transfer to a wire rack to rest for ten minutes before slicing thick and serving with butter and golden syrup.

Chef's tips

Do not overwork the dough during kneading or the crumb will become tough and dense. For the traditional campfire finish, bake in a lidded cast-iron camp oven over medium coals for thirty minutes.

Ingredient substitutions

full-cream milk → an equal amount of cold water for a traditional station-style damper
self-raising flour → 450 g plain flour sifted with 3 tsp baking powder

Storage

Store leftover damper wrapped in a clean tea towel in an airtight container for up to two days.

Reheating

Warm thick slices under a grill or in a toaster until toasted and crisp on the edges.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Kneading the dough like yeast bread, which makes the crumb heavy rather than soft.
•Using warm liquid or soft butter, which ruins the light soda texture.