FOURTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . . .

Amish Friendship Bread

The classic Amish Friendship Bread is by far the simplest and the best.  The starter is a sourdough starter, a yeast based starter with a lactobacillus culture.  Because there is so much sugar in most Amish Friendship Bread recipes, the result is sweet.  The starter can be passed around indefinitely.  In fact, the longer it's been around, the better.  

If you've received a starter from someone, there's a little bit of flour and love from their kitchen, as well as all the other kitchens before it.  As long as you continue to "feed" your starter, it can stay at room temperature indefinitely.  One of the wonderful things about the starter is that you can bake almost anything with it.

Amish Friendship bread is all about friendships and community.  It's about connection.  It's about fun.  It's about nurturing other people.  It's about not taking anything too seriously, but to find the simple joy and pleasure in every moment.

If you don't have a starter, here's the recipe for making one your own.

INGREDIENTS

1 (0.25 ounce) package active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 cup milk

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in water.  Let it stand for 10 minutes.  In a 2 quart non-metal container, combine 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar.  Mix thoroughly or the flour will lump when the milk is added.  Slowly stir in 1 cup milk and dissolved yeast mixture.  Cover loosely and let it stand at room temperature until bubbly.  Consider this day 1 of the 10 day cycle.  For the next 10 days handle the starter according to the instructions for the Amish Friendship Bread.

RECIPE

NOTE: Do not refrigerate starter. It is normal for the batter to rise and ferment. If air gets in the bag, let it out.

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 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup 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 the entire bag into a nonmetal bowl.
2. Add 1 1/2 cup flour, 1 1/2 cup sugar, 1 1/2 cup milk.
3. Measure out 4 separate batters of 1 cup each into 4 1-gallon Ziploc bags.
4. Keep one of the bags fr yourself, and give the other bags to 3 friendship along with the recipe.

REMEMBER: If you keep a starter for yourself, you will be baking in 10 days. The bread is very good and makes a great gift. Only the Amish know how to make a starter, so if you give all the bags away, you will have to wait for someone to give you a starter back.
Should this recipe not be passed onto a friend on the first day, make sure to tell them which day it is when you present it to them.

BAKING INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. To the remaining batter in a bowl add the following:

a. 3 eggs
b. 1 cup oil
c. 1/2 cup milk
d. 1 cup sugar
e. 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
f. 2 teaspoons cinnamon
g. 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
h. 1/2 teaspoon salt
i. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
j. 2 cups flour
k. 1-2 boxes instant pudding (any flavor)

i. Optional: 1 cup nuts and 1 cup raisins

3. Grease 2 large loaf pans

a. In a bowl mix an additional 1/2 cup sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
b. Dust the greased pans with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

4. Pour the batter evenly into the pans and sprinkle the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture on the top.
5. Bake for one hour or until the bread loosens evenly from the sides and a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
6. ENJOY!