Amish Friendship Bread
Amish friendship bread is one of our favorite homemade food gifts to make and share with those we love.
The bread is made from a "starter" that is often shared from friend to friend as a symbolic way of creating and extending a network of friendship. A traditional way of sharing this gift is to give your friend a freshly baked loaf of the bread, a jar of the Amish friendship bread starter and a recipe card with the recipe and encouragement to pass on a similar gift.
Typically a person who has made a supply of starter uses one cup of it to make bread, keeps one cup to start a new cycle, and gives the remaining two cups to friends. When you pass the starter on to a friend, make sure they understand that they will need to follow the instructions beginning at day one then will use the Amish Friendship Bread Recipe (with the oil, eggs, vanilla, etc.) on Day 10.
Amish Friendship Bread Recipe...the 10 Day Process
Day 1 is the day you receive the starter from a friend or make your starter from the recipe farther down this page.
Days 2, 3 and 4 just stir the starter.
Day 5 - add 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of milk.
Days 6, 7, 8 and 8 stir the starter.
Day 10 - Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Divide the starter into four containers, each containing 1 cup of the starter. You will save one cup of the starter to make your own loaves of bread.
This recipe makes two loaves of Amish Friendship Bread.
In a large bowl combine:
1 cup of friendship bread starter
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
1 cup raisins and 1 cup nuts (optional)
Beat the friendship bread batter by hand until it is well blended.
Grease two loaf pans with butter and sprinkle them with sugar.
Bake the loaves at 325 degrees F for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Test for doneness. Cool for 10 minutes then remove bread from pans.
Amish Friendship Bread Starter
Use this starter recipe to make the Amish bread recipe (above). Use only plastic or wooden utensils and plastic or glass containers when making this bread. Never use metal utensils or containers.
Ingredients:
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110°F)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 cup warm milk (110°F)
Directions:
- Place the yeast and warm water in a small bowl to dissolve.
- Combine 1 cup sifted flour and 1 cup sugar in a 2 quart glass or plastic container. Mix thoroughly or the flour will get lumpy when you add the milk.
- Slowly stir in warm milk and dissolved yeast mixture.
- Cover the starter 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.
What is Your Favorite
Homemade Gift of Food
or Homemade Food Recipe?
Do you have a favorite food item that you make as a homemade gift to make and share with family and friends? Or do you have a homemade food recipe that you think others should try? Please share it!
Related Links:
Homemade Food Gifts
Homemade Food Recipes
Homemade Gifts in a Jar
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