Like macadamia nuts, damper holds a special place in Australian culture. This dense bread is easily created at home and is best served hot, straight from the oven with a generous dollop of our chilli macadamia butter. This version features a savoury twist thanks to the rosemary and parmesan, while the macadamias infuse extra flavour and crunch that will have everyone reaching for a second slice.
Ingredients
Damper
- 3 cups self-raising flour (450g) plus extra for dusting
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 80 g butter chilled, cubed
- ¾ cup roasted salted macadamias, roughly chopped (105g)
- ¾ cup finely grated parmesan (50g) plus extra to serve
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves finely chopped
- 1¼ cup milk (310ml)
Chilli macadamia butter
- 1 cup roasted salted macadamias (145g)
- 125 g butter softened
- 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
Instructions
- For the chilli macadamia butter, place the macadamias in a food processor. Process, stopping to scrape down the sides occasionally until slightly runny. Add the butter and chilli flakes, pulse to combine. Spoon the mixture into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- For the damper, preheat oven to 200°C fan forced. Dust a baking tray with flour. Sift the flour and baking powder together into a bowl. Add the butter and use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Add the macadamias, cheese and rosemary. Stir to combine. Make a well in the centre and add the milk. Use a round-bladed knife in a cutting motion to mix until the damper just comes together, adding 1-2 tablespoons of extra milk if the mixture is a little dry. Use your hands to bring the mixture together in the bowl.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently until the base is almost smooth. Shape into an 18cm round, pressing any exposed macadamias into the damper. Place on the tray.
- Mark 8 wedges on the top of the damper with a sharp knife. Dust the damper with a little extra flour. Bake for 30 minutes or until the damper is cooked through when tested with a skewer and it sounds hollow when tapped on the base. Transfer to a wire rack for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature with the chilli macadamia butter.
Nutrition
Calories: 624kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 13gFat: 47gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 24gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 66mgSodium: 389mgPotassium: 233mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 858IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 227mgIron: 2mg