German Friendship Cake "Herman"

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German Friendship Cake "Herman"
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jamanda
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Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35056
Location: Devon

Posted: Wed Feb 29, 12 8:13 pm Post subject: German Friendship Cake "Herman"

Hello my name is Herman. I'm a sourdough cake. I need to sit on your worktop with no lid for ten days. I do like to be covered with a tea-towel. Don't put me in the fridge or I will die. If I stop bubbling I'm dead.

Day 1 - Take off lid, put me in a large mixing bowl and cover with a tea-towel.

Day 2 - Stir well

Day 3 - Stir well

Day 4 Herman is hungry. Add one cup each of plain flour, sugar and milk. Sir well.

Days 5 - 8 - More stirring

Day 9 - Hungry again! Add the same as day four. Divide into four. Give three away to friends with a copy of these instructions.

Day 10 - VERY hungry - Add the following

(Preheat the oven to 175°c first)

1 cup sugar
2 cups plain flour
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup cooking oil
2 cooking apples
1/2 cup walnuts (optional)
cup of raisins
(other options, cherries, chocolate, pineapple)

Mix together and pour into a large, greased baking tray

Sprinkle with 1/2 cup brown sugar mixed with 1/4 cup melted butter

Bake for 45 minutes, checking after 35.

jamanda
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Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35056
Location: Devon

Posted: Wed Feb 29, 12 8:14 pm Post subject:
needed to type up photocopied a hundred times over almost illegible recipe, so thought it may as well go here. Anyone in the vicinity want a starter in 9 days?

troyannick

Joined: 24 Dec 2011
Posts: 605

Posted: Wed Feb 29, 12 8:47 pm Post subject:
You wouldnt want to forget that was in the oven on the last day

Green Rosie

Joined: 13 May 2007
Posts: 10498
Location: Calvados, France

Posted: Wed Feb 29, 12 9:11 pm Post subject:
I had a Herman many years ago and he made a wonderful cake. Damn that Channel getting in the way 'cos I'd love to give him a home otherwise.

lettucewoman

Joined: 26 Sep 2006
Posts: 7834
Location: Tiptoe in the Forest!!

Posted: Wed Feb 29, 12 9:15 pm Post subject:
coo....yes please! I would love a go... shall i send you the postage via PP? Its wierd...I have a vague memory of something like this from my childhood.... maybe the Danish do it too...I spent a lot of time there as a child...

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35056
Location: Devon

Posted: Wed Feb 29, 12 9:18 pm Post subject:

lettucewoman wrote:

coo....yes please! I would love a go...

shall i send you the postage via PP?

Its wierd...I have a vague memory of something like this from my childhood....

maybe the Danish do it too...I spent a lot of time there as a child...

No, no just pm me your address and I'll try and find something post proof.

NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4590
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Wed Feb 29, 12 9:54 pm Post subject:
Do you think Herman could adapt to almond flour (ground almonds) instead of floury flour.....?

jamanda
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Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35056
Location: Devon

Posted: Wed Feb 29, 12 9:58 pm Post subject:
I don't know if almonds would work in the starter bit (see day 4). The starch in the flour will break down to sugars to feed it over the following days. And of course you'd need to make a fresh starter even if you used a gluten free (I assume that's the problem) flour as there would be wheat flour in it anyway otherwise.

sally_in_wales
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Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales

Posted: Wed Feb 29, 12 10:20 pm Post subject:
we had one last year and fed ours on rye very successfully, he expired when we went away for a fortnight, and we are off carbs a bit at the moment, but we really liked our herman. We did mix him up with half almond meal a coupe of times when baking, worked out fine

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Wed Feb 29, 12 10:46 pm Post subject:

Jamanda wrote:

needed to type up photocopied a hundred times over almost illegible recipe, so thought it may as well go here. Anyone in the vicinity want a starter in 9 days?

Yes please, I killed mine a couple of months ago. As and when I next see one of you. If necessary I will let you know when I am coming over for a meeting, or maybe you could drop some in for Sandy or Ruth to bring over.

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35056
Location: Devon

Posted: Wed Feb 29, 12 10:47 pm Post subject:
We don't really see Sandy now BW is at the big school. I can keep feeding you a batch until you come over though.

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Wed Feb 29, 12 11:19 pm Post subject:

Jamanda wrote:

We don't really see Sandy now BW is at the big school. I can keep feeding you a batch until you come over though.

I know bw is. I didn't know if Sean had finished with govs now, or not.

frewen

Joined: 08 Sep 2005
Posts: 11405

Posted: Thu Mar 01, 12 12:09 am Post subject:
I liked my Herman - he freezes once baked quite well too

Kenworth

Joined: 04 Apr 2011
Posts: 855
Location: Michigan

Posted: Thu Mar 01, 12 2:45 am Post subject:
I remember Herman from my grandma C's counter when I was about 13.

Mrs Mouse

Joined: 03 Apr 2011
Posts: 189
Location: North Nottinghamshire

Posted: Thu Mar 01, 12 8:00 am Post subject:
Ooh I have had a Herman on the go for a couple of months now. My Dave cake has been raspberry Apple and white choc, mmmm! You'ce just reminded me I forgot to feed him yesterday too, thanks!

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