Amish Friendship Bread - start to finish
For a very nice printout of all this I created, click here.
Please comment with any bread recipes you have to go with this starter.
*Amish Friendship Bread Starter*
This is a living gift, almost a pet you have to feed and care for, and the best part is you have to give some away. Making the starter is easy but it does involve a commitment to the schedule. Use this recipe if you need to make more starter batter right away, if something went wrong, or if it’s been awhile since you last received a starter bag.
Don't use metal containers or utensils - a covered crock or large glass bottle is ideal, but a plastic bag with a zipping closure will work. Be sure the container is large enough, as the starter will rise and froth when stirred. If you use a jar, leave the lid loose so gases can escape. If you use a bag, you can squeeze rather than stir the starter; let the air out periodically.
Amish Friendship Bread In A Bag - Starter Recipe
Day 1 Ingredients Needed¼ cup Water, warm to 110*F/45*C
1 pkg Active Dry Yeast (.25 oz)
1 cup All purpose flour
1 cup White Sugar
1 cup Milk
Days 6 & 10 Ingredients2 cups All purpose flour, divided
2 cups White Sugar, divided
2 cups Milk, divided
1. Warm water in glass bowl/measuring cup. Dissolve yeast into water, stirring with a plastic spoon. Set aside for 10 minutes to proof.
2. In a Ziploc bag (or non-metal container/bowl), combine 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar. Mix thoroughly, then slowly stir in 1 cup milk and yeast mixture.
3. Let stand until bubbly (must be covered loosely in bowl). Leave at room temperature. Consider this day 1 of the 10 day cycle.
4. Mush the bag on days 2-5. On day 6 add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk. Then mush the bag on days 7-9. Finally mix and divide on day 10.
5. On day 10, stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup milk.
Remove: 1 cup to make your first bread loaves.
Share: 1 cup with each of two friends.
Save: 1 cup in the fridge to repeat cycle. Or store in the freezer until ready.
Frozen starter will thaw at room temperature for 3 hours.
*Amish Friendship Bread*
{click here to print this out for your friends}
From my kitchen to yours, this is my way of saying “Thank you for being my friend.” The Amish created this batch of bread that yields enough batter to share. As I tended to this batter through the past ten days, I thought of you, prayed for you, and couldn’t wait to share this delicious recipe with you. I hope you enjoy our Friendship Bread and pass some on to your good friends too!
Your Starter Bag Directions
Day 1 Do Nothing! (Start day written on bag.)
Day 2 Mush the bag.
Day 3 Mush the bag.
Day 4 Mush the bag.
Day 5 Mush the bag.
Day 6 Add 1 cup all purpose flour, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup milk.
Mush the bag to mix the ingredients.
Day 7 Mush the bag.
Day 8 Mush the bag.
Day 9 Mush the bag.
Day 10 Mix and divide the batter as directed below.
Tips:
~Do not use any metal bowls or utensils. Ziploc bags are easiest.
~Do not refrigerate. Leave at room temperature.
~Cover loosely if in a bowl for gases to escape.
Mix & Divide:
~Pour the entire bag into a glass or plastic mixing bowl.
~Add 1 ½ cups of milk, 1 ½ cups of sugar, and 1 ½ cups of flour. Mix together.
~Keep one cup for yourself to bake now. Recipe (below).
~Measure out 3 one-cup portions into 3 separate one-gallon Ziploc bags to share with 3 friends. Attach this recipe sheet to the bags and date these bags with today’s date (day 10 is now day 1).
~You may keep one of the three bags to begin the process again.
*Baking Friendship Bread*
Yields 2 loaves.
1 cup Starter
1 cup Vegetable Oil (or ½ c oil + ½ c applesauce)
3 Eggs
½ cup Milk
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 cups All Purpose Flour
1 box Vanilla Instant Pudding
1 ½ tsp Baking Powder
½ tsp Baking Soda
½ tsp Salt
1 cup Sugar
1-2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
Optional: Chopped nuts, raisins, chocolate chips, dried fruit, apples, etc...
Use these optional ingredients to taste. Total measurement should not exceed 3 cups, which produces a dense, fruit-cake-like texture; 1/2 to 1 cup makes a cake-like texture and 2 cups produces a coffee-cake density. If there is a lot of sugar in the optional ingredients, you may have to cover pan with foil during the last 10 minutes to avoid excessive browning.
~Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
~In a medium bowl, mix starter, oil, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract.
~In a larger bowl, mix flour, pudding, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
~In a small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
~Pour wet starter mixture into the large bowl of dry mixture. Stir batter together. Add optional ingredients now.
~Grease well, two *9x5 loaf pans, then dust with half of the cinnamon/sugar. Pour batter evenly into the two loaf pans. Dust the top with the remaining cinnamon/sugar.
~Bake in oven at 350 degrees for *45-50 minutes. Bread will sound hollow when tapped if done. Let cool 10 minutes before removing from pan.
*5 Mini Loaves bake only 30-35 min.
*Bundt pan or 9x13 is baked for 40-50 min.
Enjoy your Amish Friendship Bread!
