Frugal Kitchen: Herman Bread
By: Amy Jeanroy
Published: February 18, 2016

This recipe is like a tasty chain letter among friends. It grows and grows, while giving you a reward every 10 days. The reward? Two big loaves of the sweetest bread you have ever tasted, and 4 shareable bags of starter for your friends. 
Don’t worry,  you can always bag and freeze it for yourself too. I do this when my friends have had multiple gifts from me. 
Herman Bread, also known as Amish Friendship Bread, is simply a fermented batter that you keep on the counter for 10 days before dividing and making your actual recipe. It’s as simple as can be, and truly does make a tasty loaf (two actually.) 
My mother used to bring home Herman Bread starter every once in awhile and my sister and I could manage the rest. 
Here is the basic recipe to make the starter. It’s not too tangy, because it uses so much sugar. Don’t worry though, you can still taste that it has more depth than a regular sweet bread recipe. It’s naturally moist and rich too. Check this out! 
 
Herman Bread
In a gallon ziplock bag, mix the following: 
1 Cup Flour
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Milk
1 packet of yeast
 
That’s it! Now, comes the waiting. This starter is fermented over 10 days before you bake with it. It’s sort of a sweet-sourdough starter. 
On day 1-do nothing. Just leave it on your counter.
Day 2 - Knead it several times, let the air out
Day 3 - Knead it several times, let the air out
Day 4 - Knead it several times, let the air out
Day 5 - Knead it several times, let the air out
Day 6 - Add 1 cup milk, 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar. Knead until mixed well.
Day 7 - Knead it several times, let the air out
Day 8 - Knead it several times, let the air out
Day 9 - Knead it several times, let the air out
Day 10 - Empty the bag into a bowl. Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk to fermented batter. Mix well. 
Pour ¾ cup of batter into 4 separate 1 gallon bags. 
Keep 1 bag for your next starter and gift the other 3 to friends. 
 
There will be batter left in the bowl and this becomes your two loaves of Herman Bread for baking! 
Add the following ingredients: 
1 Cup oil
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp salt
2 Cups flour
½ tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 Cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ Cup milk
1 large box instant pudding (your choice. I use vanilla or banana or pumpkin spice or chocolate. Anything is good.)
 
Grease 2 loaf pans and divide batter between them evenly. 
Bake 325 for 1 hour.