Holiday Goodies: Amish Friendship Bread

Welcome to my Holiday Goodies series. During the next few weeks I’ll be posting great recipes and gift ideas for a delicious holiday season. Today’s recipe for Amish Friendship Bread was given to me by my friend Susan. I’m posting this recipe first because you will need to work with the starter batter for 10 days before it is ready to use or give. The bread made from the starter batter is a sweet quick bread that has a texture similar to cake.

NOTE: Do not use metal containers or utensils when working with the starter batter. Use only plastic, glass or glazed ceramic.

To Make the Starter Batter
1 package active dry yeast
¼ cup warm (110 degrees) water
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
3 cups sugar, divided
3 cups milk

Day 1
In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand 10 minutes. In a 2 quart plastic, glass or ceramic container, combine 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar; mix thoroughly. Slowly stir in 1 cup milk and dissolved yeast mixture. Cover loosely and let stand at room temperature.

Days 2 – 4
Stir starter once each day.

Day 5
Stir into the starter 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk.

Days 6 – 9
Stir starter once each day.

Day 10
Stir into the starter 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Divide the starter into 4 1 cup portions. Give two cups to friends along with the starter instructions and recipe. Your friends can use their cup to bake the bread, or to create their own starter to use and give. Use one cup to make your own bread. Use the remaining cup to create more starter. If you don’t want to create more starter, give the remaining cup to another friend, use it to make more of your own bread, or place in the refrigerator to make bread later. To create additional starter from the original start the process over at Day 2.

To Make the Bread
1 cup starter batter
1 cup oil
½ cup milk
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 box instant vanilla pudding
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts*

Heat oven to 325. Grease two loaf pans well and dust with sugar. In a large bowl, combine starter, oil, milk, eggs and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients; add to wet ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Pour into prepared pans. Bake at 325 for 1 hour.

*You can replace nuts with other ingredients or add additional ones. Some ideas are raisins, dried cranberries, chopped apple, coconut, etc.