Amish Friendship Bread

LeDonna brought me this recipe and a baggie of starter and said "I'm sorry to burden you with this - if you don't want to do it you don't have to". I thought "hmmm, why is it a burden to make this?"

Silly, naive me. Sigh. 

Amish Friendship Bread. Let's start with the positive -  It's delicious. Absolutely delicious. The pan gets dusted with cinnamon sugar before adding the batter and that makes the bottom and sides, which are usually nothing and I eat it first saving the best part (top of the bread) for last, taste amazing. I'm loving this technique for any sweet bread from now on - it'll make zucchini bread even better. 

                                        

Here's the downside: the recipe makes 4 starters in addition to 2 loaves of bread. And trust me, you'll want to make the bread - it's great. But then you need to find 3 friends to give a starter to (if you're keeping one for yourself, if not then you give out 4 starters).

I'm not exaggerating when I say 'good luck finding friends to take the freakin' starters off your hands'. 

Did I mention that you have to babysit the starter for 10 days before baking? And that after you finally get to bake it you'll once again have 4 starters to give away? And the friends you gave them to now have to find their own 4 friends to give their starters to so they don't want any of your starters. And the people you thought were your friends will suddenly be hiding from you, avoiding your eyes, and not taking your calls? And that even random campground people you're sure you can pawn the starters off on start laughing when you say 'hey, would you like a starter' and immediately shut you down?

NO. ONE. WANTS. THE. STARTERS. They do however want the bread. 🤦‍♀️

It's a dilemma. 

AMISH FRIENDSHIP BREAD (a better title might be 'Amish Enemy Bread') has quite a few rules and long list of instructions:

- Do not use any type of metal spoon or bowl for mixing
- Do not refrigerate
- It is normal for batter to rise, bubble, and ferment

Day 1     Do Nothing (day 1 is the date on the bag)
Day 2     Mush the bag (for real, that's the official wording)
Day 3     Mush the bag
Day 4     Mush the bag
Day 5     Mush the bag
Day 6     Add to bag: 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk
Day 7     Mush the bag
Day 8     Mush the bag
Day 9     Mush the bag
Day 10   Follow the instructions below:

1. Pour the entire contents of bag into a NON-METAL bowl
2. Add 1 1/2 cup each of flour, sugar, and milk and mix well
3. Measure out 4 separate batters of 1 cup each into 4 (1)gallon bags and put date on the bag. Keep a starter for yourself and give the others away with a copy of these notes.
4. Preheat oven to 325'
5. To the remaining batter in the bowl, add:

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup oil
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 t. cinnamon
• 1/2 t. vanilla
• 1 t. baking powder
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1 t. salt
• 2 cups flour
• 1 large (5.1) box instant vanilla pudding

In separate bowl mix additional 1/2 cup sugar and 1 1/2 t. cinnamon and set aside.

Grease 2 large loaf pans.

Dust the pans each with 1/2 of the cinnamon/sugar mixture.

Pour batter evenly into the 2 loaf pans, sprinkle the remaining cinnamon/sugar mixture over top.

Bake 45 minutes or until done. (note: mine was done sooner, check it at about 35 mins.)

Cool until bread loosens from pan easily, about 10 mins. Transfer bread to a wire rack or plate to finish cooling,

*don't worry if your bag blows up like a balloon during all the 'mush' bags before baking it - it's ok! You can open the bag and release the air, then seal back up.

I'm not sure if you're still reading, and if you are - why are you after I sold this bread as a nightmare? Hmmmm? Well if you've stuck with it I have good news - I have a trick to share that doesn't require you to make never ending bread. But this is just a little tease, you'll have to come back Monday to find out what it is! :) (click here for the tip)