INGREDIENTS:
3 cups self-raising flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
90 g (3 oz.) butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
extra flour
DIRECTIONS:
Sift flour and salt into bowl; rub in butter until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, fairly even in size. Make a well in centre of dry ingredients; add combined milk and water all at once; mix lightly with sharp knife in a cutting motion. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly. Knead dough into round. Place on a greased oven tray. Pat dough out to a 15 cm (6 in.) circle. With a sharp knife, cut two slits across dough like a cross, approx. 1 cm (1/2 in.) deep.
Brush top of dough with milk; sift a little extra flour over dough. Bake in a hot oven 10 minutes or until golden brown. Reduce heat to moderate; cook a further 15 minutes.
MEMORIES/STORIES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS RECIPE:
Damper is an Australian recipe. Stockmen (cowboys) would pour the mixture onto the red hot coals of a campfire to cook it. I have tried it this way, but it can be a bit gritty!!