Sally loves the idea of the Herman the German plant, so she’s been experimenting with recipes that showcase it.
I made a plain white loaf of bread that was risen only by one portion of the plant – it took all day but eventually it worked. This was the end result:
I also made a fruit bread loaf, though I did add a little dried yeast to that to give the dough a help along (the fruit makes the dough heavier and slower to rise).
Here are the recipes for both:
(For details about Herman the German – how to make a plant and how to feed and treat it see www.hermanthegermanfriendshipcake.com)
Herman the German Plain White Bread
This bread is quite sweet, though not so much as a regular sweet dough. It’s a bit like a brioche. Its texture is really good.
1 portion of Herman the German (that is the 10th day one quarter portion)
3 cups plain flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1½ cups water
Mix all together very well in a large bowl and then cover with a teatowel and leave to rise until about doubled (this will take several hours).
Grease a loaf tin 13cm x 21cm approximately.
Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface, sprinkle with flour and knead for a couple of minutes, then cut the dough into two equal pieces. Shape each into a ball and then place side by side in the tin.
Cover with a tea towel and allow to rise almost to the top of the tin, then bake for 40 minutes.
Variation – you could make this dough into buns instead of a loaf of bread. I think they’d be very nice baked with a little stewed apple or fresh berries inside. It would also be a good dough for making cream buns.
Herman the German Fruit Bread
For this recipe I added extra yeast. You could just use the Herman plant, but it will take a very long time to rise.
4 cups plain flour
3 teaspoons dried yeast
2 teaspoons sugar, optional
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup raisins
1 cup sultanas
½ cup chopped dried apricots
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons mixed spice
1 portion of Herman the German (that is the 10th day one quarter portion)
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 cups warm water, approximately
Mix the dry ingredients together and then add the Herman portion, along with the oil and water to make a soft dough. Cover the bowl woth a tea towel and leave until doubled in size (about 1 ½ hours).
Grease a loaf tin 13cm x 21cm (approximately) or two baking sheets (see below for reason).
Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface, sprinkle with flour and knead for a couple of minutes, then cut the dough into two equal pieces. Shape each into a ball and then place side by side in the tin.
Alternatively, place a ball on each of the two baking trays, cover with a tea towel and allow to rise until about one and a half times their original size.
For the loaf (i.e. the two balls in the loaf tin, cover with a tea towel and allow to rise almost to the top of the tin, then bake for 40 minutes.
