Baby Dampers With Herbed Mascarpone

You can prepare the mascarpone & mashed pumpkin up to 6 hours ahead, cover & store in fridge until picking up where you left off. From Australian Good Taste magazine.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• Damper

• 500  g  kent pumpkin, peeled, deseeded, coarsely chopped
• 300  g self-raising flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 40  g butter, chopped
• 2  tablespoons buttermilk
• 1  tablespoon caraway seed

• Herbed mascarpone

• 1 (250 g) carton mascarpone
• 1  bunch fresh chives, finely chopped
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh dill

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 220°C and line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
2. To make the herbed mascarpone, combine the mascarpone, chives, parsley and dill in a bowl. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill.
3. Cook the pumpkin in a steamer basket over a saucepan of simmering water for 15 minutes or until tender. Transfer to a sieve over a bowl and set aside for 30 minutes to cool then place in a bowl and use a fork to mash until smooth.
4. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
5. Add the pumpkin and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the buttermilk. Use a round-bladed knife in a cutting motion to mix until evenly incorporated and the mixture begins to hold together.
6. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead until smooth. Divide into 6 even portions, shaping each portion into a ball and placing them on the lined tray.
7. Use a small sharp knife to cut a cross in the top of each damper and lightly brush tops with the remaining buttermilk and sprinkle with caraway seeds.
8. Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until golden and dampers sound hollow when tapped on the base. Serve warm or at room temperature with herbed mascarpone.