It was suggested to me that I might like to try to make Amish Friendship Bread. I hadn’t heard of it so I did a little reading. It seems that the particular recipe, or variations of it, are not really what Amish people really eat. Rather, it is the process of making a starter dough over ten days that can then be used to make the bread, or cake, and the leftover starter can be shared with friends so that they can also make some.
The process is long-winded, since to make the starter dough takes 10 days, though it doesn’t take more than a minute or two at the start and then a few seconds each day. On the 10th day it is then ready to make the loaf/cake. I followed the process documented on The Friendship Bread Kitchen
The actual loaf or cake can be of any flavour, and I am going with a fairly basic cinnamon with raisins and pecans. Another unusual element which is called for is something called ‘instant pudding’. This is common in North America but not readily available in the UK. So I used Angel Delight instead, and a strawberry version of that. One important thing is that I read everywhere that no metal should be used in making this recipe. So ceramic, silicone, glass is what I used.
The recipe below shows how to make the starter dough and then to make the Amish Friendship Bread. It actually makes two loaves and I must say mine turned out great. I really did enjoy it immensely. So I shall be making this again for sure.
Amish Friendship Bread – Video
Ingredients:
For the starter dough:
- 7g (one packet) active dry yeast
- 60ml warm water (about 43C/110F)
- 128g/1 cup all-purpose flour
- 200g/1 cup white sugar
- 240ml/1 cup milk
- day6 128g plain flour
- day6 240ml milk
- day6 200g sugar
- 240ml/1 cup of starter dough
- 3 medium eggs (large in USA)
- 240ml/1 cup oil
- 120ml/½ cup milk
- 200g/1 cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 256g/2 cups flour
- 1-2 small boxes instant pudding (any flavor)( I used 2 packets Angel Delight – Strawberry flavour)
- 100g/1 cup nuts, chopped (optional) ( I used pecans)
- 120g/1 cup raisins (optional)
- Place the yeast into the warm water and add a little of the sugar and stir in.
- Leave to activate for ten minutes.
- In a large bowl place the sugar, flour and milk.
- Add the activated yeast and whisk until all is combined.
- Place the mixutre into a large ziploc bag, or other container that can be sealed.
- This activity is the completion of day 1.
- On days 2, 3, 4 and 5 open the bag and allow the gas to escape.
- Close the bag again and mash the mixture about for a few seconds.
- On day 6 add the day6 milk, sugar and flour to the bag and mash to combine.
- On day 7, 8 and 9 release the gas and mash the dough again.
- On day 10 it is time to make the bread.
- Preheat oven to 165C/145C Fan/325 F
- Mix a little flour with the raisins
- In a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients in the order listed above.
- Grease two lIarge loaf pans.
- Dust the greased pans with a mixture of ½ cup sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon.
- Pour the batter evenly into loaf or cake pans and sprinkle the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture on the top.
- Bake for one hour or until the bread loosens evenly from the sides and a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before serving.
- Share the remaining starter dough, or freeze in 240ml amounts for future use.