Cheesy Chive Aussie Damper Bread

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F and line a tray with baking paper. If you’re doing mini loaves, grease the pans lightly with spray and cook.
2. In a large bowl, add 2 1/2 cups self-raising flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 heaped cup coarsely grated cheddar cheese, a good handful of chopped chives, 3 g salt, and 1 1/2 tsp coarse black pepper. Give it a quick stir to mix.
3. Make a well in the centre and pour in 1 1/4 cups of buttermilk mixed with 1 egg.
4. Mix gently with a knife until the dough just comes together. Don’t over-mix or your damper will turn tough.
5. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and bring it together just until smooth. Shape it into a round disk.
6. Place the disk on the paper-lined tray and flatten slightly.
7. Score the top into 12 wedges or place in your small bread pans.
8. If you want, sprinkle some Pepita/pumpkin, or sesame seeds on top.
9. Lightly dust with flour for a rustic look.
10. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.
11. Check by tapping the base; it should sound hollow.
12. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack. Cover loosely with a tea towel, so the steam keeps it soft.

Tips

1. Using a mix of freshly chopped chives is ideal, but dried works if that’s what you’ve got.
2. Make sure your cheese is coarsely grated for a good melt and texture.
3. Don’t skip scoring the top; it helps with even cooking and makes serving easy.
4. If baking mini loaves, adjust bake time to around 20–25 minutes and keep an eye on the colour.