Amish Friendship Bread

I L*O*V*E, love Amish Friendship Bread. It has been years since I last tasted the sweet treat so imagine my delight when I was reading the Honolulu Advertiser the other day and found a whole article on just that, Amish Friendship Bread. I am one of those people who really dislike any form of chain letters or chain emails or forward this to ten people or you will have bad luck messages; so it is with a bit of irony that I would love a bread that not only requires TEN whole days of cultivation, and sharing of the resulting starter. If you have never tried this cinnamon treat, I am telling you it is so worth all the hard work and tender care. So instead of passing on a bit of starter to you I am posting the recipie so you can make your own batch and if you don't want to pass on a cup to another person after the ten days... then that just means all the more for you to enjoy!

Amish Friendship Bread

Freindship Bread Starter

1 pack active dry yeast
¼ c warm water
3 c flour (divided)
3 c white sugar (divided)
3 c milk

Disolve yeast in water. Let activate for 10 min.

In 2 quart glass, plastic, or ceramic bowl combine 1 c flour and 1 c sugar. Sift thrououhly so flour doesn’t lump when milk is added. Slowly stir in 1 c milk and dissolved yeast mixture. Cover loosely and let stand until bubbly. This is DAY ONE of the ten day cycle. Leave mixture loosely covered at room temperature.

On DAY TWO, DAY THREE, and DAY FOUR stir starter with a spoon. On DAY FIVE stir in 1 c flour, 1 c sugar, and 1 c milk. DAY SIX, DAY SEVEN, DAY EIGHT, DAY NINE stir only.

On DAY TEN; stir in 1 c flour, 1 c sugar, and 1 c milk. Remove 1 cup of starter to make your first bread, keep another cup of starter for your next batch, and give the other two cups away.

Caring for your Amish Friendship Bread Starter

Keep 1 cup starter in sealable plastic bag. DO NOT REFRIGERATE.Day 1 to Day 5: Knead the starter lightly each day while in the bag.Day 6: Add 1 cup milk, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour; smoosh and squish in bag until mixed.Day 7 to Day 9: Knead the bag each day.Day 10: Empty bag into a bowl. Add 1 cup milk, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour, stir. Take 3 portions (1 cup each) and put into resealable bags. Give two away and keep one for yourself. Use fourth portion to make your bread.

Amish Friendship Bread

1 c starter
1 c oil
½ c milk
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
1 c sugar
1 tbl cinnamon
½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 large (5 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 2 large loaf pans or 1 9X13 cake pan. Combine starter with oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla. Stir well.

In separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and pudding mix. Add to wet mixture, stirring well with wooden spoon. Pour batter into prepared pans. Sprinkle top of batter with cinnamon and sugar. Bake 60 min, until toothpick comes out clean.