Amish (Herman)Sourdough Starter

This is my first recipe post and not sure where to begin, I decided my current interest would be the place to jump in. For a couple of weeks now, I have been playing with sourdough starters. While visiting my daughter, she received an "Amish Friendship Starter" and recipe that perked my interest.

Throughout the years, I have received a few of those and the recipes that accompany the starter is always a Friendship Bread. When following the instructions, if you keep a starter for yourself, you will be baking the same Friendship Bread, with some variations, over and over every ten days. You will also be giving away 2 or 3 batches of starter every 10 days. I don't know about your friends, but mine may get tired of being on the receiving end of this deal pretty quickly. I, on the other hand, do not tire of baking and decided I should find other recipes that use the starter because although I love the Friendship Bread, I don't have room in my diet for it every ten days unless I want to give up all variety of cookies, ice cream, pie... well, I think you get the idea.

I have been having a great time baking new recipes using the sourdough starter. The results have been excellent and the preparation is very simple. Two important requirements of mine for any recipe that will be used over and over again. I will be posting recipes using the starter like Sourdough Brownies, Sourdough Biscuits, Sourdough Cornbread and others.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and will share the starter and recipes with your friends. I will be posting recipes that use the starter. Each of my recipes will be tested in my kitchen by my own hands. I promise not to lead you astray by offering recipes that do not give good results. It is my goal to publish recipes that you will be proud to serve to your family and friends, share with co-workers and to use for bazaars, fundraisers and pot lucks.

Happy baking!

Amish Sourdough Starter Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast

• 3 tbsp. warm water

• 1 tbsp. granulated sugar

• 1 tbsp. vinegar

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1 c. flour

• 1 c. milk, room temp.

Method

1. Dissolve yeast in the warm water. Allow to sit for ten minutes.
2. Add remaining ingredients in a non- metal bowl and stir with a non-metal spoon until creamy.
3. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place for 2 days to ferment. It will become bubbly and have a sour odor.Do not place in refrigerator.
4. On, third day stir.
5. On fourth day stir
6. On fifth day, add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup warm milk and stir.
7. On sixth day stir.
8. On seventh day stir.
9. On eighth day stir.
10. On ninth day, stir.
11. On 10th day, add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup warm milk. Reserve 1 cup starter to maintain your supply of starter; use remaining starter, to make 3 -1 cup portions to give away to friends or to use in a variety of recipes. Starter is enough for 8 loaves of bread.
12. Count the 10th day as day one for next round of starter and repeat stiring daily and feeding on the 5th and 10th days.