Amish Friendship Bread - The Starter

Back before the internet and anything and everything was posted on it, Amish friendship bread starters was only known to the Amish and you only got your hands on one if you had a friend who was nice enough to give you one.  With the internet today, you can find starter recipes everywhere and can make the starter whenever you please.

Traditionally the starter is fermented and feed over a period of 10 days and you divided the starter up, giving it to 3 friends for them pass on as well and keeping a starter for yourself.  However, you only have so many friends to give it to, and if your like me, you love friendship bread.  I decided to make the starter and after the 10 days just keeping it in the container ( I used an ice cream bucket because I am fearful over ziploc explosions from air building up.) and feeding it every 10 days or so and removing a cup when I want to make bread.  If you want to slow down the process, after 10 days you stick it in the fridge or even store it in the freezer, allowing it to come to room temperature when you want to start it again.

Starter can essentially go on forever, but if yours starts to turn funny colors and smell rancid, its time to start over.

The photo above was taken on day 1.  The starter will bubble, and ferment and separate.  Don't worry, it's supposed to do this.

Amish Friendship Bread - The Starter

1 Package Active Dry Yeast (2 1/4 tsp)

1/4 Cup Warm Water (~110 Degrees F.)

1 Cup All Purpose Flour

1 Cup White Sugar

1 Cup Milk

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water.  Let stand 10 minutes.  In a 2 qt container (glass, plastic, or ceramic.  No Metal!) Combine 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar.  Mix throughly or flour will lump when milk is added.  Slowly stir in 1 cup milk and dissolved yeast mixture.  Add mixture to a ziploc bag or air tight container.  Let sit at room temperature.  This is day 1 of the cycle.

Day 1 - Make starter

Day 2 - Stir or Mash the bag

Day 3 - Stir or Mash the bag

Day 4 - Stir or Mash the bag

Day 5 - Stir or Mash the bag

Day 6 - Add 1 Cup Flour, 1 Cup White Sugar, 1 Cup Milk, Stir or Mash the bag

Day 7 - Stir or Mash the bag

Day 8 - Stir or Mash the bag

Day 9 - Stir or Mash the bag

Day 10 - Pour contents into a non -metal bowl (I left mine in the container I was using because I don't plan to hand any out)

add 1 1/2 Cups Flour, 1 1/2 Cups Sugar, and 1 1/2 Cups Milk and stir.  Measure out 4 separate batters of 1 cup each into 4 ziploc bags.  Keep 1 bag for yourself, you will be baking again in 10 days.  Give the other 3 to friends and/or family.

*Note* If using a ziploc bag, make sure to let air out periodically.

Recipe for Bread coming tomorrow!

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