Amish Friendship Bread Starter

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“If you haven’t received a bag of Amish Friendship Bread starter but would like to make the bread, this is the recipe for starting your starter.”

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Ingredients

  • 1 (0.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup warm water (110° F/45° C)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup milk

Preparation

Step 1

1.In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Let stand 10 minutes.

2.In a 2-quart glass, plastic or ceramic container, combine 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar. Mix thoroughly with a whisk or fork.

3.Slowly stir in 1 cup milk and dissolved yeast mixture.

4.Cover loosely and let stand at room temperature until bubbly. Consider this day 1 of the 10 day cycle.

For the next 10 days handle starter according to the instructions for Amish Friendship Bread.


The Instructions

Following are the recipe and instructions for Amish Friendship Bread as it was given to me. You can also go to our Recipe Box for an easily printable version of the recipe by clicking here.

NOTE: Do not refrigerate starter. It is normal for the batter to rise and ferment. If air gets in the bag, let it out.

Day 1: Do nothing.
Day 2: Mash the bag.
Day 3: Mash the bag.
Day 4: Mash the bag.
Day 5: Mash the bag.
Day 6: Add to the bag: 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk. Mash the bag.
Day 7: Mash the bag.
Day 8: Mash the bag.
Day 9: Mash the bag.
Day 10: Follow the directions below:
1.Pour the entire bag into a nonmetal bowl.
2.Add 1 1/2 cup flour, 1 1/2 cup sugar, 1 1/2 cup milk.
3.Measure out equal portions of 1 cup each into 4 1-gallon Ziploc bags. *Most people will end up with 4-7 portions depending on how active your starter has been, especially if you made your starter from scratch.*
4.Keep one of the bags for yourself (or leave it in the mixing bowl if you plan to bake right away), and give the other bags to friends along with the recipe.

REMEMBER: If you keep a starter for yourself, you will be baking in 10 days. The bread is very good and makes a great gift. Only the Amish know how to make a starter, so if you give all the bags away, you will have to wait for someone to give you a starter back.

Should this recipe not be passed onto a friend on the first day, make sure to tell them which day it is when you present it to them.

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