Have you met Herman?
By now you've probably heard of Herman, perhaps you even dread hearing his name at your front door. For those who haven't Herman is a German Sourdough cake who takes days of preparation but results in 3 mixtures to pass on to friends and 1 bowl of cake batter to bake and eat yourself.
Here's the instructions that Herman takes everywhere:
Herman featured on Radio 4 Woman's Hour (listen again here) and they pretty much summed him up. He's a bit of a guilt ridden nuisance. Ten days of stirring and adding ingredients for a fairly tasty apple and ginger cake. Followed by the hassle of trying to innocently pass him on to three other friends.
Well our reward day is here- its time for a final stir, add ingredients, leave to rise then bake and eat. Let's see how it goes.
Here's the instructions that Herman takes everywhere:
Hello, my name is Herman.
I am a sourdough cake. I'm supposed to sit on your worktop for 10 days without a lid on.
You CANNOT put me in the fridge or I will die. If I stop bubbling, I am dead.
Day
- You get Herman and put him in a large mixing bowl and cover loosely with a tea towel.
- Stir well
- Stir well
- Herman is hungry. Add 1 cup each of plain flour, sugar and milk. Stir well.
- Stir well
- Stir well
- Stir well
- Stir well
- Hungry again. Add the same as day 4 and stir well. Divide into 4 equal portions and give away to friends with a copy of these instructions. Keep the 4th one.
- Herman is very hungry. Stir well and add the following:
- 1 cup sugar
- half tsp (teaspoon) salt
- 2 cups plain flour
- 2/3 (two thirds) cup of cooking oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla essence
- 2 cooking apples cut into chunks
- 1 cup raisins
- 2 heaped tsp cinnamon
- 2 heaped tsp baking powder
Mix everything together and put into a large greased baking tin. Sprinkle with a quarter of a cup of brown sugar and a quarter of a cup of melted butter. Bake for 45 minutes at 170-180C. When cold cut into finger pieces. Cake freezes well and is also delicious warm with cream or ice-cream.
Well our reward day is here- its time for a final stir, add ingredients, leave to rise then bake and eat. Let's see how it goes.