How to Make Amish Friendship Starter
The Amish friendship bread is a special bread using the sourdough starter. This starter is designated to be shared just like a chain letter. The Amish starter is the alternate for baking yeast and so, it can be used in making yeast-based breads that can be either frozen for future use or given away to friends.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups sugar
- 3 cups flour
- 3 cups milk
- 3 cups of water
Instructions:
- In a mixing bowl, pour water and soften the yeast. Leave for about 10 minutes.
- In a large container made from plastic, ceramic, or glass, mix 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup flour.
- Blend well to avoid the flour from lumping when the milk is poured in.
- Combine the yeast mixture and 1 cup milk and then stir slowly. Cover but not too securely and let stand. This is the day 1 of the 10 day process of the Amish starter. Leave at room temperature.
- From day 2 to day 4, stir the Amish starter with a wooden spoon.
- Day 5: feed the mixture with 1 cup each of milk, sugar, and flour. Mix well.
- Day 6 to day 9, stir the starter once a day using a wooden spoon.
- Day 10: prepare 1 cup of flour, milk, and sugar, and add to the mixture.
- Take out 3 cups of the starter and divide into 3 equal portions and give to 3 friends.
- The leftover starter must be fed every 5th day with equal amounts of milk, sugar, and flour.
Note:
- Don’t forget to give the starter along with a print out of the feeding directions so that your friends will know what to do.
- Do not use any metal utensils.