No-Yeast Bread with Beer and Bacon - Aussie Damper
A small Australian damper bread made without yeast, using beer for lift, flavoured with crispy bacon and fresh rosemary.
Ingredients
This is for one small loaf, about 370–400 g baked weight
- 3 thin slices of bacon
- 1¾ cups self-raising flour (250 g) or plain flour plus 2-3 teaspoons of baking powder
- 180-200 ml beer ( lager)
- 2 tsp fresh rosemary leaves or 1 tsp of dried rosemary
- 1½ tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Dry-fry the bacon (or pancetta) in a pan over medium heat until golden and crisp. Transfer to kitchen paper to drain.
- Pulse the bacon with fresh rosemary leaves in a food processor until coarsely chopped. (If using dried rosemary, add it later with the flour.)
- Sift the self-raising flour into a large bowl. If using plain flour, add baking powder, sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Add the chopped bacon and rosemary to the sifted flour.
- Pour in the beer gradually, mixing with a fork until the dough comes together. Add it slowly; if the dough feels too dry, you can mix in a little more beer until it holds. Shape the dough.
- Place the dough on a floured surface, knead gently for 2 minutes, and shape into a ball.
- Transfer to a greased baking dish or tray. Bake at 200°C for 15-20 minutes, or about 30 minutes for a double batch.
- Best served warm with salted butter, avocado salsa, or alongside grilled meats.
Notes
The total calorie content of the loaf is approximately 1,160 calories. This is an estimate and will vary depending on the specific products and brands used. The baked loaf weighs about 370 g and can be cut into 8 slices, which works out to around 145 calories per slice.
