This bread is one of the most requested breads I make. When I worked at the Navy hospital (now retired), this was their favorite bread and one of the most requested. Now that I’m a vendor at a farmer’s market in Foley, Alabama, it’s become one of the most popular breads sold. No matter where I take it, everyone raves about this bread. The only people who do not rave about it is those who do not like raisins or nuts. You can always make this bread with chocolate chips or what ever you prefer to add or omit. This bread is actually easy to make, but it’s a 10 day process.  Most people do not know that you can freeze the batter once it’s at the baking point of day 10. Make sure on day 10 you add the required ingredients BEFORE separating out into zip locks. Once the batter is frozen in your freezer, it does not freeze hard, it becomes like rubber and is bendable.  Once you are ready to make your bread, lay it on the counter to thaw or place in water, it does not take that long to thaw.  I hope you enjoy this bread as much as I do!

 

Amish Friendship Bread

Recipe for starter:

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup warm water

1/2 cup sugar

1 package yeast

Directions:

Mix all starter ingredients well and place in a gallon-size freezer zip lock.

Each day squeeze the bag until day 5.  Day five is when you add additional ingredients.  Make sure you have 1 gallon size zip lock for each starter you want to make.  Remember, on day 10 each bag divides out to 4 people, one for you and 3 other bags for friends.  Never use metal utensils or mixing bowl for mixing Amish starter.

Ingredients:

Day 1:

This is the day you receive the batter (do nothing)  Or make the batter.

Day 2:

Squeeze the bag (batter will be in a large freezer zip lock bag)

Day 3:

Squeeze the bag

Day 4:

Squeeze the bag

Day 5:

To the bag add 1 cup milk, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup all-purpose flour and then squeeze the bag. Do not worry about getting out all the flour lumps, they will dissolve and mix in the batter by itself.

 

Day 6:

Squeeze the bag

Day 7:

Squeeze the bag

Day 8:

Squeeze the bag

Day 9:

Squeeze the bag

Day 10:

Combine in a large bowl, the batter, 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Mix with a wooden spoon or spatula (do not use any metal spoons or bowls).  Once mixed together, pour 1 cup each of batter in 4 large zip locks.  Keep 1 for yourself and give 3 away to friends along with recipe instructions.

To the remaining batter you have kept for yourself, add:

1 cup oil

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs (I use extra large eggs in all my baking)

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 and ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon soda (baking soda)

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 large box “instant” vanilla pudding

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup milk

 

Mix all ingredients together well.

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease 2 (2-pound) loaf pans. Mix together ½ cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon well and coat loaf pans well with the sugar mixture.  Any leftover sugar cinnamon mixture, sprinkle on top of batter before baking.

*Once batter has been mixed well, you can add whatever you want to the batter before pouring into pans. Examples follow.

Pour batter into pans and sprinkle with sugar cinnamon mixture. Bake at 325 F for 1 hour.  If a toothpick inserted in center of bread does not come out clean after one hour, bake longer until toothpick inserted in center of bread comes out clean. Let bread cool in pans before removing.

*Optional: Add 1 and ½ cups of the following:  chopped pecans, raisins, chocolate chips, coconut flakes or whatever else you prefer. I always add pecans and raisins but use what you prefer.