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Ingredients

  • STARTER BATCH

Ingredients:

  • 5oz plain flour
  • 8oz castor sugar
  • 1 packet of active dry yeast
  • Half a pint of warm milk
  • 2 fl oz lukewarm water
  • MAIN CAKE INGREDIENTS
  • 1 cup of sugar (8oz or 225g)
  • 2 cups plain flour (10oz or 300g)
  • half tsp (teaspoon) salt
  • 2/3 (two thirds) cup of cooking oil (5.3oz or 160ml)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla essence
  • 2 cooking apples cut into chunks
  • 1 cup raisins (7oz or 200g)
  • 2 heaped tsp cinnamon
  • 2 heaped tsp baking powder

If you prefer to measure then these are the equivalent measures:

  • 1 x cup of flour = 5oz (150g)
  • 1 x cup of sugar = 8oz (225g)
  • 1 x cup of brown sugar = 6oz (175g)
  • 1 x cup of raisins = 7oz (200g)

Method

  • STEP 1
    This is an Amish tradition. His name is Hermann and he is made for friendship. You can make the starter batch then keep him alive until he is ready to share, making a delicious cake with your part of him.
  • STEP 2
    What to do:
  • STEP 3
    1. Dissolve the yeast in warm water for 10 minutes and stir.
  • STEP 4
    2. Add the flour and sugar then mix thoroughly.
  • STEP 5
    3. Slowly stir in the warm milk.
  • STEP 6
    4. Cover the bowl in a clean cloth.
  • STEP 7
    5. Leave in a cool dry place for 24 hours
  • STEP 8
    6. Now proceed from day one of the 10 day cycle.
  • STEP 9
    I am a sourdough cake. I'm supposed to sit on your worktop for 10 days without a lid on.
  • STEP 10
    You CANNOT put me in the fridge or I will die. If I stop bubbling, I am dead.
  • STEP 11
    Day1: Put me in a large mixing bowl and cover loosely with a tea towel.
  • STEP 12
    Day 2: Stir well
  • STEP 13
    Day 3: Stir well
  • STEP 14
    Day 4: Herman is hungry. Add 1 cup each of plain flour, sugar and milk. Stir well.
  • STEP 15
    Day 5: Stir well
  • STEP 16
    Day 6: Stir well
  • STEP 17
    Day 7: Stir well
  • STEP 18
    Day 8: Stir well
  • STEP 19
    Day 9: Add the same as day 4 and stir well. Divide into 4 equal portions and give away to
  • STEP 20
    friends with a copy of these instructions. Keep the fourth portion.
  • STEP 21
    Day 10: Now you are ready to make the cake. Stir well and add the main cake ingredients.
  • STEP 22
    Mix everything together and put into a large greased baking tin. Sprinkle with a quarter of a
  • STEP 23
    cup of brown sugar and a quarter of a cup of melted butter. Bake for 45 minutes at 170 to
  • STEP 24
    180C. You may need to cover in tin foil and bake for a further 20 minutes to make sure your Herman is done in the middle.
  • STEP 25
    Once you have made this recipie why not start again and experiment with other flavours such as chocolate and banana.
  • STEP 26
    LETS SEE HOW FAR HERMAN CAN TRAVEL AS HE IS SHARED BETWEEN FRIENDS
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A star rating of 4.9 out of 5.11 ratings
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