Herman 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 CINNAMON ROLLS

Steps:

• In a large bowl combine Herman Sweet Sourdough Starter, flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder and eggs until well blended.
• Knead dough in bowl for 5 to 7 minutes, or until mixture is smooth.
• Let rise in warm place until doubled. Punch down. On a lightly floured surface, press dough into a 10 x 20 inch rectangle. Combine melted margarine, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Spread mixture over dough. Sprinkle with walnuts or raisins, if desired.
• Starting on long side, roll up dough, jellyroll fashion. Press ends together to make a seam. Cut in 1-inch slices and place in an ungreased, 11x14 inch cake pan. Allow rolls rise to double their size.
• Bake in a preheated 325 F oven (165 degree C) for 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned.

HERMAN BREAD

Steps:

• In a small mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the yeast mixture with the Herman Starter, oil, 2 cups flour and salt; mix well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and form into a loaf. Place into the prepared pan. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top of the loaf is golden brown and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped.

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.

HERMAN STARTER

Steps:

• combine all ingredients to a smooth batter in a 2-quart glass or ceramic container (no metal). Cover with cheesecloth or other loose covering, and keep in a warm place (around 80 degrees F) for 3 to 4 days to ferment. It should expand and bubble. When ready it should have a yeasty, slightly sour smell.
• At this point, this is Herman's "First Day" in the ten-day cycle of Herman Life. He's ready for his first feeding.
• Feeding Herman: Mix together 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk, and 1/2 cup sugar. Stir this into Herman, cover loosely, and place in the fridge. It will be lumpy. Stir daily (but if you forget a day, he'll be fine).
• In five days, you'll need to feed him again. (Day 5).
• In five more days (Day 10), you'll feed him again and/or use him to make something. Pay attention to the specific recipe to see whether you feed him just before making the item or afterwards.
• Herman can be used for biscuits, coffeecake, pancakes, cookies, banana bread, sweet rolls, and more. I believe the recipes I have have been handed down from one Herman owner to another for decades. Hope you enjoy!

(HERMAN STARTER) PAN BISCUITS

Steps:

• Let Herman reach room temperature, or remove from fridge about 1 hour before using. Stir in oil.
• Combine dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, soda, salt). Stir into Herman/oil mixture.
• Dump dough onto a floured board and knead until dough is pliable.
• Roll to 1 1/2 inch thickness; cut with biscuit cutter.
• Place biscuits on lightly greased baking sheet, cover lightly and let rise in warm place 1 hour.
• Bake at 350 degrees F until golden, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Note: instead of rolling, the dough may be pinched off in small pieces and shaped into rounds.

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.

(HERMAN STARTER) SWEET ROLLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 and grease a pie or round cake pan.
• Mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, 1/4 c brown sugar, oil, & Herman.
• Place on floured surface and knead lightly.
• Shape into rolls and place in greased pie or cake pan.
• Stir together the other 1/4 c brown sugar, cinnamon, butter, and nuts to make the topping. Sprinkle over rolls. Bake 15-20 minutes or until brown.