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Dutch Oven Damper Bread

DUTCH OVEN DAMPER BREAD

Damper bread is Australian bread and traditionally made in the hot ashes of a campfire, using a cast iron pan or just dumped and covered with plain hot ashes. 
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 8
Author Sandra | Sandra's Easy Cooking

Ingredients

  • 4 cups All-purpose Flour
  • 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter chilled and cubed
  • 1 1/2 cups Cold Buttermilk

Instructions

  1. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
  2. Add cubed and chilled unsalted butter, then using your fingers, crumble the butter into the flour until the flour is barely visible.
  3. Pour cold buttermilk in the middle of the flour and mix until combined. Use your hands to combine it together until you make a sticky ball.
  4. Take it on the lightly floured surface and lightly knead the dough. This is just to form it into round dough ball.
  5. Heat the oven to 425° F (or you may use a campfire).
  6. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled Dutch oven and cut across on the top surface and into 8 slices of the dough.
  7. Close lid on Dutch oven and bake in the hot ashes of your campfire for about 40-45 minutes, or bake in the preheated oven like I did for about 30 to 35 minutes. You can easily check if the bread is done just by tapping it on the top or bottom with your fingers... It will sound hollow when it's done.

Recipe Notes

You may use Self-Rising Flour. In that case skip baking powder, baking soda and reduce salt to ½ teaspoon. Instead of buttermilk, you may use beer, and/or other additions. I take off the lid 10 minutes before the bread is done to get a deeper golden color. You may use parchment paper lined in the dutch oven. This bread is similar to Irish soda bread.