...is so yummy! Like melt in your mouth moist goodness! When I was younger, I remember my mom getting this starter bread mix and it spreading like wild fire all over where we lived and back in Mascoutah (the town we all were born in as well as where my grandma still lives). So I was stoked to get this a few weeks ago from a friend of mine, Erin!
Like any saga of ours, something went wrong, and before I could stop it, I realized as the milk was pouring into the mix, that it had expired (thats what happens when your poor sweet husband buys milk at Circle K two days beforehand.)
The starter mix takes ten days before it can be baked, and I had babied and loved it all ten days. I was crushed *ok disappointed, so I called my sister in law Melissa who had also gotten it at the same time. She came to my rescue and I was off and running again with a new starter batch, yay!
The first time I made it, we were shocked and amazed at its goodness. Whoa. It was gone fast. I did my part and dispersed it to three friends and then we ate it up like crazy! Since it begins with 4 starter bags, I happily kept the fourth and started over!
Today I made my second batch and it was just as good as the first time! Jaden helped, since I am still not feeling spectacular (dont worry, i washed my hands and i did not infect it an any way, really i didnt. :)) and away we went! Let me say though, it took every bit of strength i had to make it, and if it wasnt for the fact today was day ten and i was "following the rules" and oh so scared of the consequences, I would have skipped it. But off topic, I think i am getting better...no fever for the past few hours!
Heres the background:
day 1: mush the bag
day 2: mush the bag
day 3: mush the bag
you get the picture...lots of mushing! On day 5 you add some ingredients, then you mush more every day and then on day ten you make it.
Ok, starting off with the recipe and the starter bag
Like any saga of ours, something went wrong, and before I could stop it, I realized as the milk was pouring into the mix, that it had expired (thats what happens when your poor sweet husband buys milk at Circle K two days beforehand.)
The starter mix takes ten days before it can be baked, and I had babied and loved it all ten days. I was crushed *ok disappointed, so I called my sister in law Melissa who had also gotten it at the same time. She came to my rescue and I was off and running again with a new starter batch, yay!
The first time I made it, we were shocked and amazed at its goodness. Whoa. It was gone fast. I did my part and dispersed it to three friends and then we ate it up like crazy! Since it begins with 4 starter bags, I happily kept the fourth and started over!
Today I made my second batch and it was just as good as the first time! Jaden helped, since I am still not feeling spectacular (dont worry, i washed my hands and i did not infect it an any way, really i didnt. :)) and away we went! Let me say though, it took every bit of strength i had to make it, and if it wasnt for the fact today was day ten and i was "following the rules" and oh so scared of the consequences, I would have skipped it. But off topic, I think i am getting better...no fever for the past few hours!
Heres the background:
day 1: mush the bag
day 2: mush the bag
day 3: mush the bag
you get the picture...lots of mushing! On day 5 you add some ingredients, then you mush more every day and then on day ten you make it.
Ok, starting off with the recipe and the starter bag
all your ingredients
my patient helper
dump in the starter mix into a great big bowl
then add flour sugar and milk
Then stir it all together....
Then put a cup into four bags
Then mix the other ingredients on the list with the remaining batter (you arent supposed to use metal anything...anyone know why? and all my mixing spoons were in the dishwasher and i hate washign dishes by hand!)
Grease two large loaf pans and dust with the above cinnamon/sugar mixture, then pour the batter into both, and pour over the remaining cinnamon/sugar mixture
Bake for an hour and then let it cool....
Then enjoy!! This is Monster Jaden enjoying his bread....
And now its time to pass it on to three more people. Hollar if you want one!
We made our bread today, and I didn't have enough flour (which of course I found out that moment) so I skipped the first part of adding flour, sugar and milk and just went ahead and made the bread (which is ok but now I can't hand any out :/) Anyway, it was yummy!
ReplyDeleteI also used the a teflon loaf pan...which concerned me bc of all the "do not use metal" but it tasted great!
Love you!
Oh I am glad you liked it! I am glad you had enough flour to do for you guys! Yay!
ReplyDelete..and i still dont know why it matters or not to use not use metal!
ReplyDeleteJaden is so adorable. I want to make the bread. I have no idea why no metal spoons?
ReplyDeleteYou are not to use a metal spoon or bowl when making Amish Friendship Bread because the recipe is made using sour dough. Sour dough is made by mixing yeast, water, flour and mixing it well. You let it raise and there are several more steps to this, and any good cook book will tell you the rest of the process.
ReplyDeleteThe friendship cake is because you take out a portion of this mixture, which is now called a starter, and give it to a friend. You then add more flour and water to your own mixture and let it raise. And you now have more starter to share with the next new friend you meet. It is like having prepetual yeast.
This is what the cowboys used and why they were called old sour doughs. Now the reason you should not use a metal spoon or bowl, is because the metal reacts with the starter and it does something to the starter. Personally I have used stainless steel bowls and my sour dough came out all right. But the best bowls and spoons for making sour dough is made from wood.
Thank you Christina! I am going to send you a starter!!
ReplyDeleteOh goodie!!!
ReplyDeleteI got one of these a while back, and really liked it...but we only made it once and passed it on. It made too much bread for us to eat in time. Maybe now that Madi is older it'll be more fun, and get eaten! I am reading back on all your posts because I haven't had much time lately to log on...I wonder why!? :)
ReplyDeleteI know this is an old post, but I'm commenting anyway ;) I ran across this post looking for the reasoning behind the "no metal" idea! I guess I finally get it. This bread turns out goooooood, doesn't it? By the way, your little man sure is a cutie pie! And you take beautiful pictures of him! Nice "meeting" you!
ReplyDelete-Kendra Ann-
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