How to Make Amish Friendship Bread

Living in Lancaster County, home of the Amish, I came across a wonderful recipe my grandmother left for me and decided to share this secret of the Amish Friendship Bread starter kit instructions. This bread is intended to be baked, eaten, and passed along. The process takes a little over a week, but is well worth it.

First you must make a starter batch, that will create multiples for your friends and family along with a batch for you to bake and another batch for you to keep to start the cycle over again. If you get to the point where you no longer want to bake this, give away all three cups remaining after you take the one out to bake.

First, in a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water, and let it stand for 10 minutes. In a large glass or plastic bowl (preferably 2 quarts minimum) combine 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar. Mix well or flour will lump when milk is added. Slowly stir in 1 cup milk and dissolved yeast mixture. Pour the mixture into a ziplock freezer bag and make sure all the air is out. Consider this day 1 of the 10 day cycle that's about to happen. Leave loosely covered at room temperature.

Days 2, 3, and 4 simply shake and squeeze the bag once a day to help keep it mixed.
On day 5 pour in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk, and squeeze and stir the bag.
Days 6, 7, 8, and 9 you will repeat the process of stirring once a day with a non-wooden spoon.
On Day 10 stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Remove 1 cup to make your first bread. Take two freezer size bags and add a cup of the mixture to each bag. Date the bag with a marker to let them know which day there are on when you give the bag to them. Along with the bag give them the bread recipe.

Preheat oven to 325*

To the 1 cup of batter you saved for yourself add the following ingredients:
1 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of milk
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
2 large eggs
1 large box of vanilla pudding
1 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

In a separate bowl, mix 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 3 tablespoons sugar, sprinkle into well greased pans before batter. Add batter and bake for 1 hour or until done.