Amish Friendship Bread

I used to make this recipe all the time when my kids were little but then everyone I knew stopped making it. Goose got some starter 10 days ago and I was so excited. Last night was the last day so I got to make it. It is DECLICIOUS!

Although the history of Amish Friendship Bread is vague, it typifies the strong Amish community. The term "Friendship" relates to the custom of sharing some of the bread starter with your friends, like a food chain letter. The base of the bread recipe is actually a type of sourdough starter, which begins as a mixture of flour, sugar, and water. Airborne yeast ferments the mixture, which was a staple to early pioneers in bread-making; this was before you could buy active dry yeast at the grocery store. The starter, which is the leavening agent, can be used to make pancakes, breads and cakes.

To make a Starter Batch: In a plastic bowl (do not use metal anything) place 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk and blend together. Do not refrigerate. Put the mixture into a large gallon size bag. If any air gets into the bag, let it out. It is normal for the batter to thicken, bubble and ferment.

Day 1: This is the day you receive the batter - so do nothing. (if you are the one preparing it, this is the day you would hand it out to others having been made that morning.)

Day 2: Squeeze the bag to mix the batter.

Day 3: Squeeze the bag.

Day 4: Squeeze the bag.

Day 5: Squeeze the bag.

Day 6: Add 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of milk right into the bag, careful for any leaks or tears. Mix the contents by using a spatula or by squeezing the bag.

Day 7: Squeeze the bag.

Day 8: Squeeze the bag.

Day 9: Squeeze the bag.

Day 10: In a large plastic bowl, combine the batter, 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of milk.

With a wooden spoon, mix the ingredients together. Pour four (4) 1-cup starters into large ziplock bags. Keep one starter for yourself, and give the other three starters to your friends along with a copy of these instructions. To the remaining batter in the bowl:

add 1 cup of oil

1 cup of sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

2 cups of flour

1/2 cup of milk

1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

and 1 large box of instant vanilla pudding

In a separate bowl, mix 1/2 cup of sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon to create a cinnamon sugar mixture.

Grease two loaf pans. Sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar mixture into the bottom and on sides. Pour the batter into the pans. Sprinkle with the remaining sugar and cinnamon mixture between the two pans.

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

Eat and enjoy!

Blessings~
Laura