On Sun 23 Nov 2008 06:56:21p, Ken told us...

> Hmmmmm, the mystery deepens. The recipe I was given has both baking
> powder and soda.
>
> So I guess the question has morphed into: Does Amish Friendship Bread
> usually use the starter to rise? And if not, does it have other
> leavening agents?
>
> I'm guessing if I do a search, I'll find many versions of the recipe.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Ken


Ken,

There appear to be many variations on this bread. The following is a
recipe I’ve had for a long time, for both the starter and the bread.

Friendship Bread 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

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).

Amish Friendship Bread

1 cup live yeast starter (see above)
day 1:
Do nothing with the starter.
days 2-5:
Stir with a wooden spoon.
day 6:
Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup milk. Stir with a wooden spoon.
days 7-9:
Stir with a wooden spoon.
Day 10:
Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Stir. Take out 3 cups and
place 1 cup each into three separate plastic containers. Give one cup and a
copy of this recipe to three friends. To the balance (a little over one
cup) of the batter, add the following ingredients and mix well.

1 cup oil
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

In a separate bowl combine the following dry ingredients and mix well:
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 - (5.1 oz) box instant vanilla pudding
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup nuts

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix and pour into two well greased
and sugared bread pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)
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