Amish Friendship Bread Recipe

Directions:

1. Starter Instructions:
2. Note: DO NOT use metal bowls or spoons and DO NOT refrigerate.
3. Dissolve yeast in small amount of warm water. Mix all ingredients together in an ample sized bowl or jar (it WILL grow). This is Day 1 of the starter.
4. Instructions for completed bread:
5. General:
6. Do NOT use metal spoon or bowl for mixing.
7. Do NOT refrigerate.
8. If air gets in the bag, let it out.
9. It is normal for batter to thicken, bubble and ferment.
10. Day 1: This is the day you receive the batter; do nothing.
11. Day 2: Squeeze the bag.
12. Day 3: Squeeze the bag.
13. Day 4: Squeeze the bag.
14. Day 5: Squeeze the bag.
15. Day 6: Add 1 cup all purpose flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk
16. Day 7: Squeeze the bag.
17. Day 8: Squeeze the bag.
18. Day 9: Squeeze the bag.
19. Day 10: Combine in a large bowl: batter, 1 cup all purpose flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk. Mix with wooden spoon or spatula. Pour three, one cup starters in ziplock bags and give them to your friends along with the instructions.
20. Add to the batter remaining in the bowl, add all ingredients.
21. Pour into 2 large, well greased and sugared (mix cinnamon and sugar) loaf pans. You can sprinkle some extra cinnamon and sugar on top. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.
22. Optional: Add 1 cup chopped pecans and/or 1/2 cup raisins.
23. Variations:
24. *Omit cinnamon and vanilla pudding in the basic recipe and add two bananas (mashed)
25. *Omit cinnamon and vanilla pudding from the basic recipe and add 1 - (2.1 oz) box of instant chocolate pudding, 3 tsp. cocoa and 3/4 cup chocolate chips. Bake for 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 hours.
26. *Add one cup of raisins and one small diced apple.
27. *Omit the vanilla pudding. Add 1 box of butterscotch pudding and 1 cup of butterscotch chips.
28. *Replace the vanilla pudding with chocolate and add 1/2 cup each of chocolate chips and coconut.
29. *Substitute ALMOND flavoring (NOT Imitation) for the vanilla flavoring and substitute WHITE CHOCOLATE pudding for the vanilla pudding.
30. *Use lemon pudding and lemon extract in place of vanilla pudding and vanilla extract. Also add 1/4 cup of poppy seeds. and omit cinnamon and nuts.
31. *Omit cinnamon, nuts and vanilla. Use lemon flavored pudding, add 1 tsp. lemon extract and 2 cups coconut.
32. *Use banana cream pie pudding and two mashed bananas. I have also added 1/4 cup of chocolate chip to this on occasion.
33. *A cup of dried cranberries and a tsp of orange zest, along with a cup of chopped nuts, makes a nice holiday variation to the cake!
34. *Add Craisins(dried sweetened cranberries) and chocolate covered raisins to the mix.
35. *Add dried apples and caramel instant pudding (makes it like caramel apples).
36. *Use 3/4 cup white chocolate chips, 3/4 cup macadamia nuts and cheesecake pudding.
37. *Substitute 2 tablespoons molasses for equal amount of sugar and add spices to make gingerbread.
38. *Add 1 cup of drained crushed pineapple, 1 cup shredded coconut and pistachio pudding (instead of vanilla).
39. *Use 1 small box of orange jello, 1 c. drained mandarin oranges.
40. *Use 1 small box of strawberry jello, 1 c. thawed strawberries.
41. *Use Cheesecake pudding instead of vanilla pudding and add chopped maraschino cherries (about 6 with some juice). This tastes great and looks very festive.
42. *Use different flavors of pudding: bannana, lemon, chocolate, and butter pecan. You can also made it with fruit such as blueberries and raspberries.
43. *Add glazed fruit mix with walnuts and almonds. The result is a tasty fruitcake.
44. *Use banana cream pudding and shredded coconut.
45. *Use coconut cream pie pudding with crushed pineapple.
46. *Use cappicino pudding , 1/2 C. chocolate chips and 1/2 C. nuts of choice.
47. BASICALLY- You can put anything into the basic Amish Friendship Bread recipe.