tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388623297510187244.post8670758389298686283..comments2024-02-23T03:26:11.779+00:00Comments on Growing Things and Making Things: A culinary cultural exchange: Herman the German bara brithRachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16619866897155085499noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388623297510187244.post-66626719915483073602012-06-20T20:54:14.410+01:002012-06-20T20:54:14.410+01:00I did try turning Herman into a sourdough starter ...I did try turning Herman into a sourdough starter by mixing some with a little bread dough and feeding with plain flour and water, but it didn't work :(Rachelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16619866897155085499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388623297510187244.post-53604551042552471842012-06-20T18:39:15.956+01:002012-06-20T18:39:15.956+01:00Daughter needs no encouragement to bake- my proble...Daughter needs no encouragement to bake- my problem is going to be discreetly losing Herman...<br /><br />Maybe I could swap him for a sourdough starter?Hazelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05388175819512214533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388623297510187244.post-6442014391079813142012-06-20T07:06:34.245+01:002012-06-20T07:06:34.245+01:00I've noticed that online discussions of Herman...I've noticed that online discussions of Herman often recommend giving him to children. "Such a great way to get them interested in baking" they say. I think it's just a sly way to increase Herman's survival rate - parents will feel much more guilty about letting him die if he belongs to a child!<br /><br />I did try plain cupcakes and they were nice - just not as nice as the ones I usually make without a starter.Rachelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16619866897155085499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388623297510187244.post-19305008133706390072012-06-20T05:57:46.631+01:002012-06-20T05:57:46.631+01:00I reckon you could cook Herman without any fruit. ...I reckon you could cook Herman without any fruit. I have one in my kitchen at the moment that my daughter was given, and I know what you mean about adding all the cake ingredients- you seem to add a whole cake's worth of ingredients to the starter, which wasn't what I was expecting.<br /><br />I have been using the baking powder, though less than the recipe directs, and ignoring most of the dire warnings that came with him.<br /><br />We've made two so far; one with some apple that we acquired (don't normally buy apples at this time of year) and no dried fruit, and a second with currants and mixed spice instead of the cinnamon. The currant version is drier, but still very nice and I don't think I'd miss them if they weren't there.<br /><br />I've also found the cake freezes very well, though you may run out of freezer space before you can eat it all!Hazelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05388175819512214533noreply@blogger.com