Amish Friendship Bread Starter

SUBMITTED BY: GINNY LEE PHOTO BY: ONIOND

"Make something special to share with a friend! This delicious starter can make a variety of breads. Do not use metal containers or utensils."

PREP TIME	30 Min
READY IN	9 Days 40 Min

SERVINGS & SCALING

Original recipe yield: 4 cups of starter

USMETRIC

About scaling and conversions

INGREDIENTS

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

READ REVIEWS (132)

DIRECTIONS

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.
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.
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).

Editor's Note

Once you have made the starter, you will consider it Day One, and thus ignore step 1 in this recipe and proceed with step 2. You can also freeze this starter in 1 cup measures for later use. Frozen starter will take at least 3 hours at room temperature to thaw before using.

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REVIEWS

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Reviewed on Dec. 14, 2006 by rose

I'm just curious what happens if you forget to add the ingredients on the specified day or does the batter go bad if you don't bake the batter in 10 days.

190 users found this review helpful

Reviewed on Aug. 14, 2007 by juliamom42

I love this bread, but always run out of people to give the starter too. This last time I froze them. I took one out and just let it sit for the 10 days, not adding the extra 3 cups on the 5th or 10th day, I just stirred it each day. Then on the 10th day I followed the rest of the recipe and the bread turned out wonderful, no difference and I don't have to find 3 people to give a starter too. Thought this might help anyone trying to find a friend to share with or if your friends all say no.

117 users found this review helpful

Reviewed on Oct. 15, 2006 by SOCAL REINER

Sounds great but I need some answers before getting started .... if after 10 days you are going to start over with 1 cup of the starter (stir day 2-4, add ingredients day 5 etc) do you leave this 1 cup of starter at room temperature or follow the steps and leave it in the refrigerator? And how long will the starter store in the refrigerator before you need to stir it, use it or freeze it? As a newbie sourdough maker I thank you for any advice.

92 users found this review helpful

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