Amish Friendship Bread

[Michelle]

I haven't made this for several years. I didn't really have anyone to give it away to. I was just reading my Amish Heritage Cookbook (by Beverly Lewis) and decided to make the starter today. If I can't find anyone to take my extra starter, I will just make the 4 loaves of bread as suggested in her book. I can give some to neighbors & family for Christmas, or I can just keep them in my freezer.

Have you made it before? It's so yummy that it's well worth the wait. :chef:

[Sara]

I haven't made it in years. Does hers have fruit in it or no?

[Michelle]

It has 1 c. raisins in it.

I liked the one I made before, and I really don't remember it having any fruit in it. I think it's posted on FV. Will have to check :)

[Michelle]

I never ended up making this. The bowl was being used for other things, and I didn't get around to it. Dave hates it when I make it because he doesn't think it's safe.

I'm going to go make the starter now :)

[Michelle]

I posted this back in 2003 on FV:

Amish Cinnamon Bread or Amish Friendship Bread
(Note: do not use metal containers or utensils)

Recipe for starter:
2 ¼ t active dry yeast
¼ c warm water
1 c all-purpose flour
1 c white sugar
1 c warm milk

Soften yeast in water for about 10 minutes. Stir well.
In a separate container, mix flour and sugar thoroughly.
Slowly stir in milk and yeast mixture.
Cover loosely and let stand at room temp until bubbly.
You are now on day 1 of the cyle.

10-day cycle:
day 1: stir
day 2: stir
day 3: stir
day 4: stir
day 5: add 1 c flour, 1 c sugar, 1 c milk and stir
day 6: stir
day 7: stir
day 8: stir
day 9: stir
day 10: add 1 c flour, 1 c sugar, 1 c milk and stir – starter is ready to use

(1 cup of starter can be used to start the 10-day cycle over again or frozen – thaw for 3 hours before using)

Recipe for bread:
1 c starter
1 c sugar
1 c oil
2 c flour
½ c milk
1 5.1oz box instant vanilla pudding mix
3 eggs
1 ½ t baking powder
1 t vanilla
½ t baking soda
½ t salt
2 t cinnamon

Mix wet ingredients in one bowl and dry ingredients in another.
Add the dry to the wet and mix thoroughly..
Mix 1 t cinnamon and 3 t sugar, then sprinkle into 2 well-greased loaf pans.
Pour in batter and bake at 325 for 1 hour.
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The recipe from Beverly Lewis' book doesn't have yeast, but the one I posted above is tried and true (to me), so I'll be doing that one if I have enough yeast on hand.

[homemaker carol]

I've never made Amish Friendship bread. I've heard it's good though.

[Michelle]

I've never made Amish Friendship bread. I've heard it's good though.

Really? Oh you have to...it's delicious!

[homemaker carol]

Michelle, maybe I'll try it next week.

[Michelle]

I finally got my starter going today. I wasn't able to get it done before for whatever reason. So I guess I'll be baking bread on the 17th. :)

[Michelle]

I am on day 5, and I can't wait to bake the bread in 5 more days. I found some Christmas treat bags that I am going to use to give some to a few of our neighbors and maybe the girls' bus driver for the holidays :)

[homemaker carol]

What a great gift.

[Sara]

Red Star Yeast gave me permission to share these recipes. I am using it in an upcoming column, but thought I'd share it here, too. At first I was concerned with the fruit rotting vs. "fermenting" but I guess the yeast and sugar don't let it rot. They were really nice and sent me an old brochure from the 1970's and it has quite a few recipes to make with the starter sauce. :) I want to call them because I wonder in the upside down cake, if the fruit syrup is fresh syrup.

This is a two step process to ferment the fruit properly.

Fruit starter

3/4 cup canned peaches in heavy syrup, drained and cut into pieces
3/4 cup canned pineapple chunks in heavy syrup, drained
6 maraschino cherries, cut in half
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 package Red Star Instant Blend Dry Yeast or Quick-Rise Yeast

Combine ingredients and place in a glass jar with a loose cover. Set in a fairly warm place. Stir several times the first day, then stir once a day. At the end of two weeks the starter has fermented enough to make sauce.
TIP: Share one cup of the starter with a friend. Doubling the recipe is not recommended.

Fruit sauce
1 cup fermented fruit
1/2 canned peaches in heavy syrup, drained and cut into pieces
1/2 cup canned pineapple chunks in heavy syrup, drained
6 maraschino cherries, cut in half
1 cup sugar
Combine all ingredients in a glass jar with a loose cover, stir well. Set in a fairly warm place. Continue to stir once a day. Sauce can be served after one week. Fruit and sugar must be repeated every two weeks. No need to refrigerate. Sauce will keep many months if directions are carefully followed.


Upside down cake

1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup chopped nuts
1 cup drained fermented fruit
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup fruit syrup
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in 8-inch square pan. Add brown sugar, drained fruit and nuts; mix well. Set aside. In medium mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients; mix well. Pour batter over topping in prepared pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes; loosen edges with knife and invert onto serving plate. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.

[Michelle]

Next time I am at the store I will get the fruits to make the fruit starter. What is "fruit syrup" btw?

I made the bread this morning, and it is delicious. I am down to only 1 bread pan, so baking all these loaves is going to take a while.

I used 1/2 c. applesauce and 1/2 c. canola oil instead of 1 c. vegetable oil. I will try it using Egg Beaters vs. eggs when I am able to get some at the store.

Oh, and I was a bit nervous because while I was very, very careful not to use any metal when making the starter, I did mix the bread batter in my KA--which has a metal beater and a metal bowl. I was too far into it when I realized I was doing that, but the bread seems just fine. I imagine that's only a problem when making the starter for 10 days.

I think chocolate chips or raisins would be a nice addition to the bread too to give it a little more "oomph". :)

[Sara]

I wondered that too. I think it's syrup form canned fruit. Since you drain it to make the starter, I wonder if you could freeze it and use it later when the starter is completed.