Camp-Oven Beer, Cheddar and Chive Damper
A lighter, flakier damper made with frozen grated butter and beer, layered with sharp cheddar and chives and baked in the camp oven under a crisp cheese crust.
Method
Burn a wood fire in a fire ring for 45 to 60 minutes to build a thick bed of coals, and keep water nearby. Cut a sheet of baking paper larger than the base of your camp oven, leaving two long ends as handles; it makes the damper easy to lift out and protects the base from scorching.
In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
Add in this stepPlain (all-purpose) flour 200 gBaking powder 2½ tspSalt ½ tspSugar 1 tsp
Grate the frozen butter straight into the flour and toss lightly with a fork to coat. Mix in three quarters of the cheddar and the chives. The frozen shreds of butter release steam in the oven and create flaky layers.
Add in this stepFrozen butter 40 gSharp cheddar, grated 60 gChives (or scallions), finely sliced 2 tbsp
Pour in the beer and mix with a butter knife, using a cutting motion, into a rough, slightly sticky dough. A few dry patches are fine; don't overmix. The bubbles in the beer make the dough lighter.
Add in this stepLager, cool but not ice-cold 160 ml
Turn the dough onto a floured board, press it into a thick rectangle, fold it in three and press it out again; repeat once more. Shape it into a round 5 cm high, set it on the baking paper and score it into 6 wedges 2 cm deep. Brush the top with milk and scatter over the remaining cheddar.
Add in this stepFlour, for dusting 1 tbspMilk, for brushing 1 tbspSharp cheddar, grated 20 g
Lower the dough into a 20 cm camp oven by the paper handles and put the lid on. Set it on a shallow bed of coals with more coals on the lid than below (one third below, two thirds on top) and bake over charcoal (medium heat) for . Every 10 minutes, turn the oven a quarter turn one way and the lid a quarter turn the other to avoid hot spots.
charcoal (medium heat)It's ready when the cheese crust is deep golden and crisp and the base sounds hollow when tapped; if you have a thermometer, the centre should read 95 °C. Lift it out by the paper and let it rest for so the crumb sets.
Pull it apart along the scores and eat warm with butter. It's excellent with barbecued meat or soup.
Add in this stepButter, to serve to taste
Cook's tip
Freeze the butter the night before and carry it frozen in the cooler. Ice-cold beer rises less and warm beer goes flat; cool is ideal. With cheese on top, too many coals on the lid will burn it, so remove a few from the lid for the last 10 minutes.
Cooking it at camp
At home, bake it on baking paper in a cast-iron pot or on a tray in an oven preheated to 200 °C for 25 to 35 minutes. Soda water or buttermilk can replace the beer in the same amount.