Herman or Friendship Starter

Herman starter, also known as friendship starter, is a sweet yeast-based bread starter that lives in your fridge and gets fed regularly. Unlike a wild sourdough, this one starts with packaged active dry yeast bloomed in warm sugar water, then built up with milk and flour for a tangy, bubbly starter that powers Herman cakes, breads, and coffee cakes.

The gift-giving cycle is the whole point. Every five days you measure out cups for baking and for passing along to friends, then feed the remaining starter with a fresh round of flour, milk, and sugar to keep it alive. The name comes from this passing tradition, where one bucket of starter can populate an entire neighborhood.

Use only wooden utensils for stirring. Metal slows yeast growth and can give the starter off-flavors. A 5-quart ice cream bucket is the traditional vessel because the starter expands as it ferments and you need the headroom.

Pro Tips

• Use a wooden spoon and a glass or plastic container only, metal interferes with the yeast
• Cover loosely, never tightly, the carbon dioxide needs somewhere to go or you’ll get an exploded lid
• Keep the starter refrigerated between uses and stir daily to prevent spoilage
• If the starter develops a layer of clear or grey liquid on top, just stir it back in, that’s normal

Variations

• Use the starter in Herman coffee cake, cinnamon raisin bread, or Amish friendship bread
• Substitute almond or soy milk for a dairy-free version, the texture changes slightly
• Add 1 teaspoon vanilla or cinnamon to the feeding mix for a subtly flavored starter