Amish Friendship Bread

I was lucky enough to receive a starter for some Amish friendship bread.  It was very easy, and the instructions are simple.  If anyone wishes to have some, send me a SASE and I'll send you a starter, for free!  It came out perfect, and tastes divine.  The instructions are below the pictures of the wonderful bread.  Keep in mind that I used bread flour, and whole milk.  Some substitutions may or may not affect your recipe.  Nuts might be a nice add-on, as well as bran and oats.  (Sorry but my camera's battery was dead and all I had was a crappy iPhone, so the picture is left wanting more detail, but you get the idea.)

 

 AMISH FRIENDSHIP BREAD

Do not use metal spoons, forks, or bowls.  Only wood, plastic, ceramic, or similar.

Do not refrigerate.

If air gets in the bag, let it escape.

It is normal for the starter to rise, bubble, and ferment.

DAY 1	Do nothing. This is the day you receive the bag.
DAY 2	Mush the bag.
DAY 3	Mush the bag.
DAY 4	Mush the bag.
DAY 5	Mush the bag.
DAY 6	Add to the bag: 1 c. flour, 1 c. sugar, 1 c. milk, then mush the bag.
DAY 7	Mush the bag.
DAY 8	Mush the bag.
DAY 9	Mush the bag.

DAY 10

Bake the bread using the following directions below:

1. Pour entire contents of bag into a non-metallic mixing bowl.

2. Add 1 1/2 cup flour, 1 1/2 cup sugar, and 1 1/2 cup milk and mix well.

3. Measure out 4 separate cups of batter and place each into a heavy duty ziploc bag. Keep a starter for yourself and give the other three away along with a copy of the directions.  (Should this not be passed on to friends on the first day, be sure and indicate which day the bag is at when presented to them.)

4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

5. To the remaining batter in the bowl, add:

                3 eggs

                1 cup oil or 1/2 cup applesauce.

                1/2  cup milk

                1 cup sugar

                2 tsp sugar

                1/2 tsp vanilla

                1 1/2 tsp baking powder

                1/2 tsp baking soda

                1/2 tsp salt

                2 c flour

                1 large box instant vanilla pudding

6. Prepare two large loaf pans as follows:

Mix 1/2 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon in a small bowl.  Grease the pans and dust he greased pans with half the mixture.

7. Pour batter into the 2 pans and sprinkle the remaining sugar mixture over the top.  Remember, the pans should be filled only 3/4 full.

8. Bake 1 hour.

Cool until bread loosens from pan evenly (about 10 minutes)  Serve warm or cold.

If you keep a starter for yourself, you will be baking bread every 10 days.  The bread is very good and makes a great dish.  Only the Amish know how to create the starter so if you give them all away then you'll have to wait until you are lucky enough for someone to give you one back.

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