Friendship bread?

****Warning**** NON CROCHET POST*****Warning******

Found this while cleaning off the bathroom counter (what was a recipe doing in the bathroom? who knows..I remember making this stuff years ago when kids were young. I must've been busy, set it down and forgot about it. I'm not the world's most organized person!!! )

Please be sure to read this ALL THE WAY through.. there's information at the end that will be very helpful.

Amish Cinnamon Bread

RULES:

1) Do NOT use metal bowls or utensils

2) Do not refrigerate starters, leave out on the counter.

3) Use PLAIN flour (not self-rising).

4) Let air out of bag periodically; it is NORMAL for the batter to ferment & thicken.


STARTER:

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

(the instructions aren't clear, but I think you put the yeast, water and 1 cup of each flour, sugar & milk in a large (gallon size) ziploc bag. With all the fermenting and squeezing going on, I think I'd use the name brand bags too.)


Instructions (10 days)

Day 1: do nothing

Day 2: leave on counter, squeeze several times a day.

Day 3: leave on counter, squeeze several times a day.

Day 4: leave on counter, squeeze several times a day.

Day 5: leave on counter, squeeze several times a day.

Day 6: add 1 Cup Sugar, 1 Cup Flour, 1 Cup Milk, squeeze into mix until combined.

Day 7: leave on counter, squeeze several times a day.

Day 8: leave on counter, squeeze several times a day.

Day 9: leave on counter, squeeze several times a day.

Day 10: In large bowl, combine batter with remaining Sugar, Milk, Flour (1 cup of each). Mix with woooden spoon (remember, no metal).

Place 1/2 cup of mix in each of 4 gallon ziplock bags and label each as day 1 of starter. Give 3 bags away (with a copy of the instructions) and keep one for yourself.

To what is left in the bowl add:

1 Cup Oil
1/2 Cup Milk
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 C Flour
1 C Sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 small box instant vanilla pudding
1&1/2 tsp baking powder

Mix well with wooden spoon and pour into 3 well greased loaf pans (about 2/3 full). In a seperate bowl, mix tsp cinnamon and 2 Tbsp sugar. Sprinkle on top of batter. Bake at 325 for approx 1 hour or until done. Slice and serve. Enjoy.

~~

since it had been so long since I had made this, I went digging through google to see what I could find to verify my memory. I found these instructions at http://bread.allrecipes.com/az/AmishFriendshipBrdStrtr.asp

seems I remember almost correctly. And very nice to know that the starter can be frozen.

INGREDIENTS:

• 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

---

DIRECTIONS:

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).

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.


Also take a look at this: http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/388/Friendship_Fruit_Starter14094.shtml