Ingredients

"Make something special to share with a friend! This delicious starter can make a variety of breads. Do not use metal containers or utensils

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
3 cups white sugar, divided
3 cups milk

Instructions

1.In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Let stand 10 minutes. In a 2 quart container glass, plastic or ceramic container, combine 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar. Mix thoroughly or flour will lump when milk is added. Slowly stir in 1 cup milk and dissolved yeast mixture. Cover loosely and let stand until bubbly. Consider this day 1 of the 10 day cycle. Leave loosely covered at room temperature.
2.On days 2 thru 4; stir starter with a spoon. Day 5; stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Days 6 thru 9; stir only.
3.Day 10; stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Remove 1 cup to make your first bread, give 2 cups to friends along with this recipe, and your favorite Amish Bread recipe. Store the remaining 1 cup starter in a container in the refrigerator, or begin the 10 day process over again (beginning with step 2).
READY IN 9 days 40 mins

Editor's Note


Once you have made the starter, you will consider it Day One, and thus ignore step 1 in this recipe and proceed with step 2. You can also freeze this starter in 1 cup measures for later use. Frozen starter will take at least 3 hours at room temperature to thaw before using.


Amish Friendship Bread Ideas


Banana Amish Friendship Bread
Omit cinnamon and vanilla pudding in the basic recipe and add two bananas (mashed)

Chocolate Amish Friendship Bread
Omit cinnamon and vanilla pudding from the basic recipe and add 1 - (5.1 oz) box of instant chocolate pudding, 3 tsp. cocoa and 3/4 cup chocolate chips. Bake for 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 hours.

Apple Cinnamon Friendship Bread
add one cup of raisins and one small diced apple.

Chocolate Chip and Nut Variations
different pudding. My favorite is pistachio flavor.
different flavors of chocolate chips and nuts."

Butterscotch Amish Friendship Bread
Add 1 box of butterscotch pudding and 1 cup of butterscotch chips. We bake the cake in a 13" x 9" pan. "Don't forget to omit the vanilla pudding

Lemon Variations

Use lemon pudding and add 1/4 cup of poppy seeds. I bake these in a very small muffin pan for about 20 - 25 minutes.

For lemon bread, I substitute lemon pudding mix and lemon extract, omit the cinnamon and nuts, and add poppy seeds.


Lemon Amish Friendship Bread Use 2 sm. boxes of instant lemon pudding instead on the vanilla pudding, replace poppy seeds for the cinnamon, & use lemon peel instead of the vanilla. Bake for about 1 1/2 hrs

Lemon Coconut - Delete cinnamon, nuts and vanilla. Use lemon flavored pudding, add 1-tsp. lemon extract and 2 cups coconut.

Lemon Walnut Friendship Bread: Omit Cinnamon, Vanilla Pudding in basic recipe and add 1 teaspoon lemon extract, 1 package lemon pudding and one cup of chopped walnuts.

Banana and Zucchini Bread Variations

Use banana cream pie pudding and two mashed bananas. I have also added 1/4 cup of chocolate chip to this on occasion. I use the small bundt pans and bake for about 40 - 50 minutes

For banana bread, I substitute banana cream pudding mix and a mashed banana, and omit the cinnamon

Add 1 cup of grated zucchini. Make sure you squeeze out the excess liquid. bake for about 75 minutes but start checking after 50 minutes

Cranberry Variations

a cup of dried cranberries and a tsp of orange zest, along with a cup of chopped nuts, makes a nice holiday variation to the cake!

basic cinnamon amish bread recipe and added 1 cup of craisins (dried cranberries) as well as the pecans. It made a great Christmas Bread received many requests for the recipe and people were surprised when they had to take a cup of starter along with them

1 cup of drained crushed pineapple, 1 cup shredded coconut and pistachio pudding (instead of vanilla). Very yummy.

1/2 cup nuts and 1/2 cup white raisins; to die for

Variation 1: use 1 small box of orange jello, 1 c. drained mandarin oranges
Variation 2: use 1 small box of strawberry jello, 1 c. thawed strawberries. These are very good and I get raving reviews about them

Use Cheesecake pudding instead of vanilla pudding and add chopped maraschino cherries (about 6 with some juice). This tastes great and looks very festive.

MY NOTES

FRIENDS