Amish Friendship Bread, Part II

If you remember a couple of weeks ago I told you I made a starter of Amish Friendship Bread and approximately 10 days later I'd be back with some results.

Well, here it is.  Last night the little man and I (not much help from him) split the batch into a loaf and a dozen muffins.  The loaf got sent to daycare for the kiddos to enjoy and the muffins came to work with me.  Could you imagine if I kept it all at home?

Disastrous.

The whole process of this bread came flooding back to me, reminding me of when the batter sat on my parent's kitchen counter and I'd squish the bag and add ingredients on the appropriate day.  It's a great thing to do with your kids, if you have the patience to stare at what looks like a bag of slop on your counter for 10 days...

Here is how it works.  Do not be intimidated by the long list of directions, it really is quite easy.

To create a stater bag:
1 package active dry yeast
1/4 c. warm water
1 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 c. milk

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water.  Let stand 10 minutes.  In a glass, plastic, or ceramic container, combine flour and sugar.  Mix thoroughly.  Slowly add in milk and dissolved yeast mixture.  Cover loosely and let stand at room temperature until bubbly.  This is Day One of the ten-day cycle.

Note:  Do not refrigerate your starter.  It is normal for the batter to rise and ferment.  If air gets in the bag, let it out.  DO NOT use a metal spoon or bowl for mixing as it will interfere with the fermenting process.

Day 1: DO NOTHING
Day 2: Mash the bag
Day 3: Mash the bag
Day 4: Mash the bag
Day 5: Mash the bag
Day 6: ADD to the bag: 1 c. flour, 1 c. sugar, 1 c. milk, Mash the bag
Day 7: Mash the bag
Day 8: Mash the bag
Day 9: Mash the bag
Day 10: Follow the directions below

1.  Pour entire contents into a nonmetal bowl.
2.  Add: 1 1/2 c. flour, 1 1/2 c. sugar, 1 1/2 c. milk
3.  Measure out four separate batters of 1 c. each into four one-gallon Ziploc bags.
4.  Keep one of the bags for yourself and give the other bags to three friends along with the recipe.

Remember: If you keep a starter for yourself, you will be baking again in 10 days.

After measuring out the batter into four separate Ziploc bags, the remaining batter is what you will bake with.  Baking instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2.  Put the remaining batter in a bowl and add the following:

3 eggs
1 c. oil (or applesauce)
1/2 c. milk
1 c. sugar
1/2 t. vanilla
2 t. cinnamon
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
2 c. flour
1 box Jell-O instant pudding (any flavor - I used French Vanilla)
Optional: 1 c. nuts or raisins

3.  Grease two large loaf pans or muffin tins.
4.  In a bowl, mix an additional 1/2 c. sugar and 1 1/2 t. cinnamon.
5.  Dust the greased pans with sugar/cinnamon mixture.
6.  Pour batter evenly into the pans and sprinkle the remaining mixture on the top.

Bake for 1 hour (20-25 minutes for muffins), or until the bread loosens evenly from the sides of the pan, or a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

So...what do you think?  Can you commit to 10 days worth of care for this delicious bread?