A New Adventure - Amish Friendship Bread or Herman Starter

I am sure at one time in your life a friend or acquaintance has given you a baggie filled with a nondistinquishable substance in it with a piece of paper attached and told you this is used to make Amish Friendship Bread (sort of a bread chain letter).  You are supposed to do nothing for 4 days except squish the baggie, feed on day 5 and continue squishing the baggie until day 10.  Then you follow the recipe attached and you make Amish Friendship Bread.  And you have enough extra dough to give to your friends so they, too, can squish and make Amish Friendship Bread.  Sound familiar?  Little did you know that what you were really doing is making sourdough bread - SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE!  What that dough is really known as is Herman Starter.

Just in case you never did receive such a baggie, here is the recipe to create the "Amish Friendship Bread" starter or Herman starter.  In this recipe they use a plastic container, you can use a baggie if you prefer.  Also, you use a wooden spoon, do not use metal!!!

Amish Friendship Bread Starter (aka Herman Starter)

Ingredients
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
3 cups white sugar, divided
3 cups milk

Directions

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. (or squish baggie)
Day 5; stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk.
Days 6 thru 9; stir only. (again you can squish baggie)

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 Day 2).


Here is the basic recipe that comes along with the Amish Friendship Bread starter:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

1 cup oil
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

In a separate bowl combine the following dry ingredients and mix well:

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 - (5.1 oz) box instant vanilla pudding
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup nuts

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix and pour into two well greased and sugared bread pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour

NOTE:  I always sprinkle the tops of the loaves with cinnamon sugar - adds a lot to the bread! 

This bread is wonderful for breakfast!!

I thought it would be interesting to explore the Herman Starter a bit and look at what you can do with it besides the Amish Friendship bread.

So if you are going to follow along on this adventure.  Today is Day 1 - we will combine the packet of yeast with the 1/4 cup of warm water (let that sit for about 10 minutes).  Mix the dry ingredients (one cup each  sugar and the flour).  After 10 minutes, you will slowly add the milk and the yeast mixture to the dry ingredients.  Cover them or close the baggie - keep at room temperature.  Days 2 through 4 you will stir or squeeze the baggie.

Have fun!