Friendship Bread. Nope, not Amish... but it's still delicious!

Truth: Amish Friendship Bread ain't Amish. WHAAAAAT? That's absurd! Of course it's Amish... Isn't it?

 On second thought, I can't recall the last time I saw a bearded fellow in a straw hat selling plastic baggies of goo at a roadside stand?

Fact: We can thank the 1980's Girl Scouts for it's sweet cinnamon slices of shared plastic happiness. Those cookie pushers may have gotten the idea from the Amish, however?  Just like other breads, a traditional Dutch Amish loaf is nothing more than a sourdough bread, used from a yeast starter- like all sourdoughs. Food historians report that it's nothing more than an old German yeast bread. Some say it was a PA Dutch recipe used only for for sick and needy families. All historians agree, however, that today's version of bread isn't necessarily Amish- as there was no passing it around and there was nothing sweet or cinnaminny about it. It was just... um... bread. And what's fun about that? Nothing! That's where Ziplock and the patch wearing do gooders come into play. Let's be honest, "Girl Scout Friendship Bread" doesn't sound as symbolically nostalgic as "Amish Friendship Bread," now does it? Those scouts knew what they were doing. After all, they've had the market cornered on sweets for decades. I should know. I was a girl scout in the 1980's!

10 day Sourdough Starter:

Let's get squishing! 

• 1 Yeast water (1pkg of active dry yeast and 1/4 cup of warm water)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 3 cups white sugar, divided
• 3 cups milk
• 
  

This isn't rocket surgery. Let the yeast water stand for 10 minutes. Then, combine everything in a LARGE plastic bag and squish it once every day for 5 days. Then "feed it" with 1 cup flour, milk and sugar and squish for another 5 days. On the 10th day, feed it again and reserve 1 cup of the mixture for your first loaves, and give 2 cups to your buds along with the starter recipe and this:

Friendship Bread:  Yields 2 Loaves

• 1 cup Sourdough Starter
• 3 eggs- beaten
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• *1 Cup nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios or pecans)

Preheat the over to 350º

The old recipe urges you to use NON METAL mixing bowls with a NON METAL utensils to mix all of these ingredients. 

• Why can't I use metal stuff?

Science, dear Watson!

• Allow me to preface this: Today's stainless steel isn't made like the stuff from the 80's, but...  Yeast is made of of billions of living organisms and all living things are filled with bacteria. Introducing a metal like nickel, a prime component of old stainless steel and a known bacterial toxin, is a quick and easy way to kill off a substantial amount of good bacteria. Thus making room for the malicious bacteria to thrive and spoil your starter dough. Yet ANOTHER example of how this recipe ain't Amish- those Amish folks don't care for science much. Then again, they don't care for the "luxuries" of metal KitchenAid mixers' either? I used my Kitchen Aid. I had no issues. 

Prepare your bread pans with spray oil and pour in the mixture, half way.

Bake for 50-60 minutes...

Unless you want a great big loaf (look right) and pour it all into one pan. Just be prepared for a longer baking time. 

If you want the yummy, crumbly topping:

1 Cup flour

2/3 cup cinnamon sugar

1/2 stick softened butter- not too soft

1/2tsp salt

"Fork" the butter (mash it) together with the dry ingredients until it looks like crumbles. Almost like you were making a scratch pie crust. Add the crumbles in the final 30 minutes of baking. Let cool and enjoy! 

This starter and recipe can be a very thoughtful and cost friendly holiday or "end of the school year" teacher's gift- especially when you have to buy for multiple teachers. Ugh! Buy a few small air tight jars (Ikea is a great place to find these on the cheap) fill them, add a ribbon and the recipe and voila! Consider Jr.'s gift covered!