by Debra Herring

Created on: September 18, 2008

Amish Friendship Bread is a bread starter, similar to sourdough starter, that is passed from friend to friend. When you receive it from a friend, it will be accompanied by an instruction sheet telling you how to use the starter and how to pass it on to your friends. Be sure to pass those instructions on to your friends!

The bread made from the Amish Friendship starter is not like basic homemade bread, but is rather a sweet, cake-like bread.

Amish Friendship Bread Recipe

Day 1: The day that you receive the starter from your friend (If you wish to start from scratch - the recipe for the starter is below)

Days 2 - 4: Stir starter

Day 5: Add 1 cup each flour, sugar and milk.

Days 6 - 9: Stir starter

Day 10: Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Divide into 4 containers, with 1 cup each for three of your friends and 1 cup for your own loaves. Give friends the instructions for Day 1 through Day 10 and the following recipe for baking the bread.

After removing the 3 cups of batter, combine the remaining cup of Amish Friendship Bread starter with the following ingredients in a large bowl:

2/3 cup oil
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 to 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Using a fork beat by hand until well blended. You can add 1 cup raisins and 1 cup nuts (optional).

Grease two loaf pans with butter, sprinkle with sugar instead of flour.

Bake at 325 for 1 hour. Cool 10 minutes, remove from pans. Makes two loaves of Amish Friendship Bread.

Amish Friendship Bread Starter

This is the Amish Friendship Bread Starter Recipe that you'll need to make the Amish Friendship Bread. It is very important to use plastic or wooden utensils and plastic or glass containers when making this. Do not use metal at all!

Ingredients:

1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 cup warm milk

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water for about 10 minutes. Stir well. In a 2 quart glass or plastic container, combine 1 cup sifted flour and 1 cup sugar. Mix thoroughly or the flour will get lumpy when you add the milk. Slowly stir in warm milk and dissolved yeast mixture. Loosely cover the mixture with a lid or plastic wrap. The mixture will get bubbly. Consider this Day 1 of the cycle, or the day you receive the starter. For the next 10 days handle starter according to the instructions above for Amish Friendship Bread.

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