Herman Friendship Cake Starter Food

HERMAN SOURDOUGH STARTER

Steps:

• In a large glass or plastic container, dissolve the yeast in warm water. Stir in the flour and sugar, mix until smooth. (DO NOT USE A METAL SPOON)! Cover loosely and store in a warm place overnight.
• The next day, stir and refrigerate.
• Stir once each day for the next four days. On the fifth day, stir, then divide in half. Give half away with feeding instructions.
• Feed starter with 1/2 cup white sugar, 1 cup flour, and 1 cup milk. Stir until smooth. Cover and place in refrigerator. Stir once each day for next four days.
• On the tenth day feed again with 1/2 cup white sugar, 1 cup flour, and 1 cup milk. Return to refrigerator and stir once each day for the next four days.
• On the fifteenth day it is ready to be used for baking. Reserve one cup of the starter in the refrigerator and continue to follow the stir and feed cycle (Stir once a day for four days, stir and feed on the fifth day, ready for use on the tenth day.)

HERMAN STARTER -- FOR AMISH FRIENDSHIP BREAD

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 thru 4; stir starter with a spoon.
• Day 5; stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk.
• Days 6 thru 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).

HERMAN COFFEE CAKE STARTER AND BREAD

Steps:

• STARTER: Stir Ingredients together, mixing well, in a gallon container.
• Cover tightly and refrigerate.
• Feed Herman the same 3 Starter ingredients (above) every 5 days for a total of 4 times (20 days).
• Stir Herman daily.
• When you are ready to bake a Herman Cake, you should have about eight cups of starter.
• Bake Herman cake (recipe below) on the 25th day from the first feeding.
• ***Keep your own starter growing, use some to bake a Herman Cake, and give some to friends.
• ***SHARING YOUR STARTER: If someone gives you a cup of Herman Starter, you must feed it for 10 days before you bake with it.
• Day 1: Feed Starter with 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup flour, and 1 cup milk.
• Stir, cover and refrigerate.
• Day 2-4: Stir.
• Leave in refrigerator.
• Day 5: Feed Starter again with 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup flour, and 1 cup milk.
• Stir, cover and refrigerate.
• Day 6-9: Stir.
• Leave in refrigerator.
• ***Herman should now be about 4 cups: use 2 cups to bake, give 1 cup to friend, and keep 1 cup to grow more Starter.
• ***Day 10: MAKE HERMAN CAKE AS FOLLOWS: Mix all Herman Cake ingredients together, along with 2 cups of Herman Starter, and pour into a greased/floured bundt pan.
• Sprinkle top with Topping mixture.
• Bake 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.
• Or use a 15x19-2" pan and bake 325 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
• TOPPING MIXTURE: Mix together all Topping ingredients and sprinkle over cake BEFORE baking.
• GLAZE: Mix all Glaze ingredients together and cook for 5 minutes.
• Pour over top of hot baked Herman Cake.

"KEEP IT GOING" GERMAN FRIENDSHIP CAKE

Steps:

• Mix starter ingredients in a bowl and let stand at room temperature undisturbed for 24 to 36 hours.
• (If you already have your one cup of starter from a friend, disregard the above.) Place starter in a medium bowl and combine it with the"First Day" ingredients.
• Cover and refrigerate.
• Stir once a day for 5 days.
• On the 5th day, place in a larger bowl and add the"Fifth Day" ingredients.
• Cover and refrigerate.
• Stir once a day for 5 more days.
• Remove 3 separate cups of starter and give each cup to 3 friends with the recipe and instructions.
• (They will not need to mix their starter or let it sit for 24 to 36 hours because you are giving them their starter.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine all of the"Tenth Day" ingredients with the remaining mixture.
• Pour into a greased and floured 9 x 13" pan.
• Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle on top.
• Bake for 40- 50 minutes.

FRIENDSHIP CAKE AND STARTER

Steps:

• YEAST STARTER:.
• Combine peaches, pineapple, cherries, sugar and yeast. Stir with wooden spoon 3 to 4 times the first day. Then stir daily for 2 weeks. Store in glass jar on counter with lid just barely set on.
• FRUIT STARTER:.
• Mix yeast starter, sugar, peaches and place on the counter in a gallon jar with lid. Let stand, do not refrigerate. Set aside for 10 days, stirring daily.
• On tenth day, add: 1 (30 oz.) can chunk pineapple and juice.
• Let stand 10 more days, stirring daily.
• On the 20th day, add: 1 (29 oz.) fruit cocktail and juice 1 (10 oz.) maraschino cherries and juice. Let stand 10 more days, stirring daily.
• On the 30th day, drain juice off and give 1 1/2 cups juice to 6 friends along with the recipe.
• There will be enough drained fruit for 4 (9x13 inch) cakes.
• CAKE:.
• Mix cake mix, pudding mix, eggs and oil. Add nuts and fruit. Spread evenly in greased and floured 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.

(HERMAN STARTER) COFFEECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9x13 pan.
• Beat eggs; add sugar and oil, beating well.
• Add remaining dough ingredients (starter, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, milk, baking soda, salt, nuts &/or raisins) and beat 2 minutes with electric mixer at medium speed. (Note: This goes against my policy to not mix flour any more than necessary to get the dough to come together. I don't beat it this much myself.).
• Pour dough into greased 9x13 bakign pan.
• Combine the topping ingredients: 1T flour, 1t cinnamon, 1 cup brown sugar, and 1/4 cup butter. Sprinkle topping over batter in pan.
• Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Check middle of cake for doneness; otherwise it may turn out soggy.
• Note: 1 teaspoon each of nutmeg and ginger may be added as well. Another variation places the nuts in the topping and folds one cup of drained, crushed fruit (pineapple, peaches, etc) into the batter.

MOIST HERMAN COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• To Make Starter: Mix 2 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 cups warm water, 1/4 ounce yeast in a bowl, cover and let stand over night (cover should be loose). Refrigerate and stir daily. On fifth day feed Herman one cup flour, 1 cup milk and 1/2 cup sugar; stir and refrigerate. Stir daily until 10th day. On 10th day remove 1 cup starter and feed as on fifth day.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease four 8 inch pans or three 9 inch pans.
• Mix together 1 cup starter, white sugar, self rising flour, salt, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, oil, eggs, raisins, 1 cup chopped nuts, honey (optional). Stir until combined. Pour into prepared pans. Top with sugar-nut topping.
• Dot with 1/2 cup butter or margarine and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 15 minutes. Remove cakes from oven and pour glaze over still-warm cakes.
• To Make Sugar-Nut Topping: Mix together 1 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 cup chopped nuts.
• To Make Glaze: Combine 1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons melted margarine, 2 tablespoons milk. Use immediately to glaze cake.