Traditional Australian damper bread

Australia is a relatively young country, with few traditional dishes of its own. One of those few traditional dishes is damper, a simple wheat-based soda bread.

Early European settlers in Australia explored vast tracts of land, looking for areas suitable for either farming or development. Refrigeration was non-existent and all ingredients had to be carried in their horse’s saddlebags under the hot sun. Damper was born out of the necessity to create a filling meal from simple ingredients that were suitable for these journeys.

Damper is a simple bread that is made from a combination of flour, salt, water and baking soda (an incredibly useful ingredient). If available, butter was also used to add flavour.

These ingredients are readily available to this day, making damper something that is recreated by many Australians even now. This traditional recipe has been passed down and is now a popular food to enjoy while camping in Australia’s great outdoors.

While it may sound like a simple meal, the way that it is cooked over the campfire is what gives it that unmistakable smoky flavour that you don’t get from regular kitchen cooking.

It can be prepared in an oven, but the tastiest (and most recommended way) is to do it over a campfire. Take a look at the recipe below to find out how to make this delicious treat for yourself.