There’s something comforting about hot bread and butter, isn’t there? Home made bread is the best, but sometimes, you just can’t be bothered going through the whole kneading and proving and waiting process. This is where damper comes into it’s own. “What is damper?” I hear my international friends ask. It’s a classic bread which Aussie bushmen used to bake beside their campfires. It’s very easy to make and is perfect veggie soup or hearty stews.

 

 

With Father’s Day just around the corner, the Toohey’s Brothers Cooking Handbook arrived in the mail this week. It’s filled with a tonne of fun facts and great recipes. Manly recipes. Recipes for men. Hearty recipes that go well with beer. You get my drift. It’s a book which is perfect for the man in your life (and if you’re stuck for a fathers day gift idea, you really must keep this in mind).

 

 

One recipe instantly captured my attention - Cheesy Beer Damper. I thought I’d give this recipe a try… with a little twist, of course.

 

 

Here’s how I made my Cheesy Chorizo & Beer Damper

2 cups SR flour

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp salt

50g butter (room temperature)

1/2 cup grated tasty cheese

1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup finely chopped chorizo

3/4 cup (approximately 1/2 bottle) Tooheys Darling Pale Ale

 

 

Pre heat the oven to 200 degrees celcius (180 fan forced) and prepare a cookie tray with a sheet of baking paper.

Place the flour, cayenne pepper, salt into a bowl. Rub in the butter until it’s combined into the flour mixture. Stir through the grated cheese and chorizo.

 

 

 

Make a well in the centre and pour in the beer. Combine it all with your hands to form a dough. Knead until it’s combined well and shape it into a 20cm circle. (NB Sprinkle with a little bit of extra flour to help the shaping process).

 

 

Use a knife to score 8 wedges and bake for 25 – 30 minutes.

Serve it hot with lots of butter. YUM!