Amish Friendship Dough Starter Aka Herman Food

AMISH FRIENDSHIP BREAD STARTER

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Let stand 10 minutes. In a 2 quart container glass, plastic or ceramic container, combine 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar. Mix thoroughly or flour will lump when milk is added. Slowly stir in 1 cup milk and dissolved yeast mixture. Cover loosely and let stand until bubbly. Consider this day 1 of the 10 day cycle. Leave loosely covered at room temperature.
• On days 2 through 4; stir starter with a spoon. Day 5; stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Days 6 through 9; stir only.
• Day 10; stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Remove 1 cup to make your first bread, give 2 cups to friends along with this recipe, and your favorite Amish Bread recipe. Store the remaining 1 cup starter in a container in the refrigerator, or begin the 10 day process over again (beginning with step 2).

AMISH FRIENDSHIP STARTER

Steps:

• Day 1: In a large glass or plastic bowl, combine 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour, and 1 cup milk.
• Stir with a wooden spoon.
• Cover loosely with a clean cloth dish towel.
• Keep at room temperature.
• Day 2: Using a wooden spoon, stir once a day.
• Day 3: Using a wooden spoon, stir once a day.
• Day 4: Using a wooden spoon, stir once a day.
• Day 5: Add 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour, and 1 cup milk.
• Stir.
• Day 6: Using a wooden spoon, stir once a day.
• Day 7: Using a wooden spoon, stir once a day.
• Day 8: Using a wooden spoon, stir once a day.
• Day 9: Using a wooden spoon, stir once a day.
• Day 10: Add 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour and 1 cup milk.
• Stir.
• Remove 3 cups of mixture and give one cup to three friends.
• Save remaining starter for yourself, feeding every fifth day with 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour and 1 cup milk.
• ~Note~Don't forget to print out the directions for your friends, so they know how to feed the starter!

AMISH FRIENDSHIP DOUGH STARTER (AKA HERMAN)

Steps:

• Mix the following in a NON METAL BOWL WITH NON METAL UTENSILS!!!!!!! Mix the yeast and the first 1/2 c water together and let stand until "yeasty". Then sift the dry stuff together, and combine it with the yeast/water and the other 2 c of luke warm water. Mix well with a non-metal spoon and let stand uncovered at room temp for 3-5 days, covering only at night, and stirring 2-3 times a day. Remove 1 cup and start the ten day ritual, as below. With the remaining mix, add 1/2 c water, 1/2 c flour, and 1 t sugar. Let stand at room temp one day (until very bubbly). Store covered in fridge for up to 10 days for in recipes or as further starter. 10-day ritual (all done at room temp in non-metal bowl) Day 1--you receive "Herman" and do nothing Day 2--stir w/non metal (pref. wooden) spoon Day 3--stir Day 4--stir Day 5--add 1 c each of flour, sugar, and milk. Stir Day 6--stir Day 7--stir Day 8--stir Day 9--stir Day 10--"Herman is born!" Add 1 c each of flour, sugar, and milk. Stir well. Pour 1 C each into 3 containers. Give to friends/enemies with above instructions. Reserve one cup for reprocessing for yourself. The friend who gave me this starter recipe controls her batch by only adding 1/3 c of each ingredient on days 5 and 10. You can do this to prevent yourself from becoming overrun! The bread recipe below is a good solution to the starter, but you end up 50 lbs overweight and have a freezer full of loaves unless you learn to control the "Herman" or pass it on to friends. Amish Friendship Bread To Remaining Batch of "Herman" (after you remove the 3 cups and restart or pass them on) add the following. Remaining Herman 2/3 c oil 3 eggs 1 c nut/fruit of choice (applesauce, bananas, etc) 2 c flour 1 1/2 t baking powder 1 c sugar 3/4 salt 1/2 t soda 1 t cinnamon Mix well and bake at 350 45-50 min. Makes 2 loaves. File ftp://ftp.idiscover.co.uk/pub/food/mealmaster/recipes/mmkah001.zip

AMISH SOURDOUGH BREAD/STARTER

Steps:

• For starter, dissolve yeast in warm water. Mix with 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar or honey and 1 cup milk (lowfat or 2% milk is OK). This is day 1 of 10 day prep. Use a plastic or glass container.
• Leave starter on the counter covered, and stir daily.
• On the 5th day, add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar or honey (or combination) and 1 cup milk. This is called 'feeding' the starter.
• Continue to stir daily. On the 10th day, add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar or honey and 1 cup milk. Starter can now be divided and given away or frozen. I usually wait a day to bake after feeding starter.
• If you are not baking the next day, you can refrigerate starter, but bring to room temperature on baking day, or the night before, if frozen.
• If you receive a cup of starter as a gift, feed immediately and wait a day before baking, to give starter a chance to ferment, at room temperature.
• To bake: Place 1 cup of starter in bowl of mixer. Put mixer on slow speed using a dough hook, and add all ingredients. All ingredients should be room temperature.
• Add 2-1/4 tsps. yeast, 1 cup water, 1 cup milk, 2 tbls honey, 1/4 cup oil, 1 cup whole wheat flour, 2 eggs, 2 tsps. salt, approximately 6-7 cups white flour. You can add more whole wheat and less white, as preferred.
• Knead dough for 10 minute in mixer. Dough should be slightly sticky, but smooth and shiny and should mostly all be on the dough hook when done.
• Remove dough from mixer bowl to a floured board and knead by hand two minutes, shaping into a large ball. Oil inside of mixer bowl.
• Place dough back into bowl, swirl around in oil, and turn over so all sides are oiled. Press down, cover with a clean towel and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled.
• Punch down and divide into two loaves. At this point, 1 ball can be made into 12-14 rolls. Divide into even balls, (if you have a scale, about 2-1/2 oz. each) place on greased cookie sheet, pressing down to a flat disc. Brush tops with beaten egg white mixed with 1 tbl water and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds, if desired.
• Cover and allow to rise for 1 hour, or until double in size.
• Preheat oven to 375° and bake rolls for 15-20 minutes, until browned.
• For loaf of bread flatten 1/2 of dough into a rectangle, to remove bubbles and roll up to a log. Roll two sides under and place log seam side down in greased loaf pan. Brush top with egg white and sprinkle with seeds. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes. Remove from pan and thump bottom of loaf. It should sound hollow when done.
• You can bake 1/2 of dough and shape other half into a loaf, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze. When you are ready to bake, remove from wrap and place in greased loaf pan. Cover and allow to defrost and rise in a warm spot. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with seeds. Bake as usual.