Amish Friendship Bread is a sourdough type bread in that it uses a starter. As time progresses over a 10-day period you end up with more starter mixture. The excess can then be used to make bread and/or some can be given away to friends and neighbors (along with instructions and the recipe and, perhaps, a sample of the bread?). They, in turn, can continue the process and pass it along to their friends, making it a TRUE “Friendship Bread”—it used to be quite a common tradition.
Included here are recipes for both the starter and the actual bread recipe. In the case of the starter it can be made one of 2 ways—with or without yeast.
Before getting to that, here is additional information:
WARNING: Due to their tendency to inhibit the fermentation process, DO NOT refrigerate the starter batter and NEVER use metal in any way, shape or form (spoons, bowls, beaters, etc.) in conjunction with the batter EXCEPT when baking (at which point fermentation is no longer a concern).
Keep the batter stored, at room temperature, in a glass, ceramic or plastic bowl/container and covered loosely (do not tightly seal or it may impair the fermentation process) with plastic wrap, a towel (paper or cloth), wax paper or something similar (avoid foil).
Since the batter is stored at room temperature, it may develop bacteria. Therefore it would not be wise to sample (IE taste) the batter because it is possible you could get sick. However, all of the living organisms within the batter, both the good (yeast) as well as the, potentially, bad (bacteria) are killed during the baking process, so the bread is perfectly safe to eat.
Also note, you can freeze starter mixture in 1 cup measures for later use. It will take at least 3 hours (at room temperature) to thaw before using.
Starter Ingredients:
- †3 cups all-purpose flour
- †3 cups warm (at least room temperature but not greater than 110°F) milk
- †3 cups granulated sugar
Optionally
- 1 (¼ ounce) package of active dry yeast
- ¼ cup warm (~110°F) water
† These ingredients will be used up over a period of 10 days.
Starter Directions:
- Day 1 (either make the starter as directed below OR if starter was given to you, you may skip the remaining instructions for Day 1)
- Although not absolutely necessary (never having used it myself), yeast can be used both to speed up the fermentation process and/or increase the amount of fermentation, perhaps resulting in a somewhat lighter (less dense) bread. If you choose to use the yeast, then in a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water (to activate it) for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring well to ensure that the yeast is entirely dissolved.
- In a non-metal bowl, combine 1 cup each of the flour, sugar and milk (along with the yeast mixture, if opting to use it)
- See above for storage information
- Day 2 Stir mixture well using wooden or plastic spoon
- Day 3 Stir mixture as before
- Day 4 Stir mixture as before
- Day 5 Add 1 cup each of flour, sugar and milk (at least at room temperature) to the starter mixture and stir well
- Day 6 Stir mixture as before
- Day 7 Stir mixture as before
- Day 8 Stir mixture as before
- Day 9 Stir mixture as before
- Day 10 Add 1 cup each of flour, sugar and milk (at least at room temperature) to the starter mixture and stir well. Divide the starter mixture into 3 containers (with approximately 1 cup per container). At this time you can do one of several things. You can keep one container as a starter and bake 2 loaves of bread using the recipe below. Or you can keep one batch as a starter, bake one loaf of bread and give away the remaining batch of starter.
Bread Ingredients:
- 1 cup Amish Friendship Bread starter mixture
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil (use your preferred oil)
- ½ cup milk
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt (optional)
Optionally, any one or more of the following:
- 1 envelope of vanilla (or banana) instant pudding mix (adds some flavor as well as texture)
- ½ cup (of your favorite) chopped nuts and/or raisins, dried cranberries (craisins), dried cherries, dates, applesauce, chopped apples, mashed bananas, crushed (and drained) pineapple, coconut, chocolate chips, unsalted sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds (pepitas), sesame seeds
With a little imagination, there are numerous other possibilities (poppy seeds, almond extract or orange zest, perhaps?) to add flavor/texture as well as food value to the finished bread.
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Generously grease and flour bottoms and sides of 2 ~9” x 5” loaf pans.
- In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients, mixing well. Pour into the 2 prepared loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour (or until done, determined when an inserted toothpick comes out clean). Alternately, you may bake for 45 minutes in a 350°F oven. Optionally, sprinkle tops of loaves (while still warm) with confectioners’ (powdered) sugar or with cinnamon and (granulated) sugar.