Yummy lemon myrtle damper

What a great way to embrace all things Australian this year! This lovely lemon myrtle damper is perfect with stews and slow-cooked meals, but since it’s probably too hot for that in the middle of summer, you can serve it up alongside a cold roast chook and a fresh garden salad. The damper is basically foolproof and takes hardly any time to whip up. Enjoy it warm out of the oven with butter spread across every bite. Yum!

Serves 12.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups self-raising flour
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 50g butter, chilled, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried lemon myrtle
• 3/4 cup milk
• Extra milk, for brushing
• Extra plain flour, for dusting
• Softened butter, to serve

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 180C fan-forced.
2. Lightly grease a baking tray and set aside. Sift flour and salt into a large bowl. Add butter then, using fingertips, rub butter into flour until mixture creates fine crumbs. Stir in lemon myrtle. Season with pepper. Make a well in centre of flour mixture. Add milk. Stir to form a soft, sticky dough.
3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly for 1 minute or until just smooth. Shape dough into 12 small balls.
4. Cut shallow slits across the top of each ball to create a pretty finish. Brush with a little extra milk. Dust with a little extra flour.
5. Bake for 15 minutes or until rolls sound hollow when tapped on top. Serve warm or at room temperature with butter.