Friendship Bread

Tuesday night my friend Jen came over to show off her new wheels and tires that her husband surprised her with (they were pretty darn sexy by the way). She got out of the car and handed me a gallon ziplock bag with some goop in it, a box of pudding and a sheet of paper. She said "It is on day 9, you have to bake it tomorrow" I said ok thanks! Well yesterday was officially day 10 but I did not get around to baking it because I had class and we had some bad weather in the area. But I did make it this evening. (Jen, if you are reading this - thank you for the pudding, you saved me a trip to the store!!!)

I know some of you might want to make this but are saying, how do I get a starter. Well just make one. There are many recipe for the starters floating around. Here is one that I found on allrecipes.com that seems to have numerous good reviews. Amish Friendship Bread Starter. And below are the directions that you can copy and paste and print out.

This is the best picture I could get for now. It is 10:45 at night so it is a little dark outside and the bread just came out of the oven so I want it to cool for a few minutes before removing it from the pan. The house smells amazing though, I really wanted to lick the cinnamon/sugar off the top of the loaf. :)


Amish Friendship Bread

Important Notes:
• 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 batter to rise, bubble and ferment

Day 1: Do nothing (this is the day you received the batter, go by date 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 to the bag: 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk — then mush the bag
Day 7: Mush the bag
Day 8: Mush the bag
Day 9: Mush the bag
Day 10: Follow the instructions below:

1. Pour the entire contents of the bag into a NON-metal bow.
2. Add 1 1⁄2 cup flour, 1 1⁄2 cup sugar, 1 1⁄2 cup milk.
3. Measure out 4 separate batters of 1 cup each into four 1-gallon Ziploc bags. Keep a starter for yourself and give three 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 tell the friend which day the bag is on when you presented it to them. (It is helpful to mark the bag with date.)
4. Preheat oven to 325°.
5. To the remaining batter in the bowl add:
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup oil (or 1⁄2 cup oil and 1⁄2 cup applesauce)
• 1⁄2 cup milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1⁄2 tsp. vanilla
• 11⁄2 tsp. baking powder
• 1⁄2 tsp. baking soda
• 1⁄2 tsp. salt
• 2 cup flour
• 1 large box instant “vanilla” pudding or 2 small boxes
6. Grease 2 large loaf pans and mix additional 1⁄2 cup sugar and 11⁄2 tsp. cinnamon. Dust the greased pans
with half of this mixture.
7. Pour the batter evenly into the 2 pans and sprinkle with the remaining sugar mixture over the top.
8. Bake 1 hour. Cool until bread loosens from pan evenly (about 10 minutes).
9. Turn out onto serving dish. Serve warm or cold.

If you keep a starter for yourself, you will be baking every 10 days. The bread is very good and makes a great gift. Only the Amish know how to create the “starter” so if you give them away, you have to wait until someone gives you one back.
Enjoy!

*If you do not wish to keep the starters; measure out 3 equal 2 cup amounts. Each 2 cups will make 2 loaves. For each 2 cups add ingredients in #5.