Amish Friendship Bread

I was given a starter of this wonderful bread several months ago, and came down with the flu around day 9. So, I ended up throwing out all of the starters, since I was sick for weeks. I absolutely love this bread, and am very happy to have found the starter recipe.

With our economy in shambles, I know that Christmas will be a difficult time for many families this year, mine included. So, I am hoping to bring you some great recipe ideas that you can sue to make homemade Christmas gifts, starting with this classic.

Amish Friendship Bread Recipe
Amish Friendship Bread Starter:

1 tablespoon Active Dry Yeast

2 cups Warm Water — (110 degrees)

1 cup Flour

1 cup Sugar

1 cup Milk

Bread:1 cup Vegetable Oil

1 cup Sugar

2 cups Flour

3 Eggs

1 small Vanilla Pudding Mix — Instant (experiment with different flavors. Chocolate is wonderful!)

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 cup Milk

Cinnamon Sugar: 1 cup Sugar 2 tablespoons Cinnamon

For Amish Friendship Bread Starter: Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup of the warm water in a deep glass container. Stir in remaining warm water, flour and sugar. Beat until smooth. Cover. A large glass jar or bowl with a tight fitting lid works best for this. Because your first batch of starter contains fresh yeast, you can skip the next set of directions and go directly to the instructions for splitting your start.
Do not refrigerate! Do not stir with a metal spoon!

The starter requires 10 days for fermentation.
Day 1- Begin or receive starter

Day 2- Stir with wooden spoon

Day 3- Stir with wooden spoon

Day 4- Stir with wooden spoon

Day 5- Add 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk

Day 6- Stir with wooden spoon

Day 7- Stir with wooden spoon

Day 8- Do Nothing

Day 9- Do Nothing

Day 10- Add 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk
Put 1 cup of starter in each of three containers. Give 2 away to friends and keep one. This will begin their Day 1.

For Amish Friendship Bread
You will have about 1 cup of batter left besides the 1 cup you have saved for yourself. To the remaining batter add vegetable oil, sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, eggs, milk, vanilla pudding mix, cinnamon, and salt. Beat until well blended. Add one cup raisins, chocolate chips or nuts, if desired. Grease 2 loaf pans well, and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, coating bottom well. Turn batter into pans, and sprinkle remaining cinnamon sugar onto tops of loaves. Bake at 325 F degrees for one hour.