AMISH FRIENDSHIP BREAD..yummmmm

It's that time of year again.  It seems like almost every Christmas someone gives me a starter recipe of AMISH FRIENDSHIP BREAD..yummmmmm    (It's hard to say it without saying yummmmmmm)                                                                                                                   

If you've never tried it, you need to.  I had always heard that only the Amish know how to start it, but I came across this starter recipe (in case there's no Amish in your neighborhood) 


DIRECTIONS FOR AMISH FRIENDSHIP BREAD STARTER
In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Let stand 10 minutes. In a 2 quart container glass, plastic or ceramic container, combine 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar. Mix thoroughly or flour will lump when milk is added. Slowly stir in 1 cup milk and dissolved yeast mixture. Cover loosely and let stand until bubbly. Consider this day 1 of the 10 day cycle. Leave loosely covered at room temperature.

These are the instructions I use and send along with each "starter" I give away.  I put the instructions in a page protector to prevent messes ( I learned this the hard way)

AMISH FRIENDSHIP BREAD INSTRUCTIONS
**Do not use any type of metal spoon or bowl for mixing ** Do not refrigerate ** If air gets in the bag, let it out ** It is normal for the batter to rise, bubble and ferment
Day 1- Do nothing, this is the day you receive the batter (or the day you made the batter)-- go by the date on 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--1Cup Flour, 1Cup Milk and 1Cup Sugar--then Mush the bag
Day 7 - Mush the bag
Day 8 - Mush the bag
Day 9 - Mush the bag
Day 10- Follow instructions below:
1. Pour entire contents from the bag into a NON METAL bowl
2. Add 1½ Cups Flour, 1½ Cups Sugar and 1½ Cups Milk
3. Measure out 4 separate starters of 1 Cup Each into (4) 1gallon zip-lock bags.

Keep a starter for yourself and give the other 3 to friends along with a copy of this recipe. Should this not be passed on to a friend on the first day, be certain to follow the instructions for each bag and tell the friend which day the batter is at when you give it to them. It’s helpful to mark the bag with the date when you separate the starters. (Day 10 of one batch will be Day 1 of the next.)

4. Preheat the oven to 325°F
5. Add to the remaining batter in the bowl:

3 eggs                                                              
2 tsp. Cinnamon

1 Cup Oil (or ½ Cup Oil and ½ Cup Applesauce)
 ½ tsp. Vanilla

½Cup Milk                                                           
1½ tsp. Baking Powder

1 Cup Sugar                                                           
½ tsp. Baking Soda

2 Cups Flour                                                   
½ tsp. Salt

1 Large Box Instant Vanilla Pudding                
1 Cup Chopped Walnuts (optional)
6. Mix Well

7. Grease 2 large loaf pans.

8. Mix an additional ½ Cup Sugar and 1tsp.Cinnamon and dust the pans with ½ of the mixture.

9. Pour the batter evenly onto the pans and sprinkle the remaining Sugar/Cinnamon mixture over the tops.

10. Bake 1 hour (check after 50 minutes).

11. Cool until bread loosens from the pan evenly (about 10 minutes)

12. Turn out onto a serving dish--serve warm or cold: for guests or yourself. (yummy)

I made this Grocery List so I would have everything on hand

4½ Cups Flour                  3½ tsp. Cinnamon      

½ Cup Applesauce            4 Cups Sugar          

½ tsp. Vanilla                     1 Large Vanilla Inst. Pudding

3 Cups Milk                       1½ tsp. Baking Powder
1 Cup Chopped Walnuts    3 Eggs             
½ tsp. Baking Soda           (4) 1 Gallon Zip-Lock Bags

½ tsp Salt                           1 Cup Oil (or ½ Cup--if you use the applesauce)
                      
If you keep a starter for yourself, you will be baking every 10 days.
The bread can be frozen for later. It makes Great gifts!  As in Christmas ;)

Reminders:

Once you have made the starter, you will consider it Day One, and thus ignore step 1 in this recipe and proceed with step 2.
 You can also freeze this starter in 1 cup measures for later use. Frozen starter will take at least 3 hours at room temperature to thaw before using.



LOVE,
GRAMMY<><