PAULA'S AMISH FRIENDSHIP BREAD

I've had several requests for Paula's Amish Friendship Bread from this post. Paula was kind enough to share her recipe for the Starter, and for the Bread. This is a true labor of love and incredibly delicious! Thanks, Paula!!!!

AMISH FRIENDSHIP BREAD (STARTER)

1 pkg. active dry yeast

1/4 c. warm water

1 c. flour

1 c. sugar

1 c. warm milk (110 degrees)

Making the starter...
Day 1:
Soften active dry yeast with 1/4 cup warm water for 10 minutes.
Stir with a wooden spoon. In a non-metal bowl, combine 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar. Mix, slowly adding 1 cup warm milk and the softened yeast. Cover loosely with clean cloth and leave at room temperature until bubbly. When mixture has lots of bubbles, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Days 2, 3, and 4:
Stir with a wooden or plastic spoon (don't use a metal spoon) until mixture is smooth. Do this once each day.

Day 5:
At this time, 2 cups of starter can be removed from the batch to bake Amish Friendship Bread or use in your own recipe which calls for starter.

****Replenish starter by stirring in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup milk; stir; allow to sit at room temperature for 1 hour, then refrigerate.

**This would be day 6 on the Friendship Bread Recipe below. You only add this step one time on day 5 or 6.

(It has been my experience that jumping ahead a day or falling behind one or two days does not affect the process. )

AMISH FRIENDSHIP BREAD

Day 1: Do nothing (This is the date written on the bag)
Day 2: Mash the bag
Day 3: Mash the bag
Day 4: Mash the bag
Day 5: Mash the bag
Day 6: Add to the bag: 1C. Flour, 1C. Sugar, 1C Milk ... then Mash the bag
Day 7: Mash the bag
Day 8: Mash the bag
Day 9: Mash the bag
Day 10: BREAD BAKING DAY!

1st ) Pour the entire contents of the bag into a bowl. Add 1-1/2C. Flour, 1-1/2C Sugar & 1-1/2C Milk.

2nd ) Measure out 4 seperate batters of 1C each into 4 one-gallon zip-lock bags. Keep a starter for yourself and give to 3 friends along with a copy of the recipe. (If you keep a starter, you will be baking every 10 days)

BAKING INSTRUCTIONS: (after dividing batter into 4 bags)
preheat oven to 325 degrees

To the remaining 1C. of starter in the bowl add:
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 cup oil
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups flour
1 large box of instant vanilla pudding (or 2 small boxes; you can use one vanilla & one chocolate or mix and match... I always use vanilla. Nuts may also be added.)

Greese 2 large loaf pans. Mix an additional 1/2 cup sugar and 1-1/2 tsp. cinnamon, dust the greased pans with half of the cinnamon mixture. Pour batter evenly into the 2 pans. Sprinkle the remaining surgar mixture over the top.

Bake for 1 hour ( I start checking the bread after 50 minutes). Cool untill bread loosens evenly from the sides of the pan.