Amish Friendship Bread Starter

1 pkg active dry yeast
2-1/2 cups warm water
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar

Dissolve yeast in 1 cup of the warm water. Stir in remaining warm water, flour and sugar, beat until smooth. Place in a glass bowl on the countertop and do not refrigerate. Cover with plastic wrap.
     After the starter has fermented for 10 days, you're ready to begin the next 10 days. Make sure you don't miss a day! Mixture might become bubbly, and that's okay.

Day 1: Begin or receive starter
Day 2: Stir
Day 3: Stir
Day 4: Stir
Day 5: Add 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk
Day 6: Stir
Day 7: Stir
Day 8: Do nothing
Day 9: Do nothing
Day 10: Add 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk

After all 10 days are completed, put 1 cup of the starter in four separate containers. Give three to your friends and keep one for yourself to bake with later. You can give the starters in Ziplock bags, but make sure your friends "burp" the bag each day to keep excess air out.
     When you give the starter to them, they're ready to begin the Day 1 instructions immediately.
     Next, when you're ready to bake the bread, add the following ingredients to 1 cup of starter:

1 cup oil
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3 eggs
1 large box or two small boxes vanilla pudding mix
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Beat by hand until well blended. If desired, add one cup raisins, nuts or chocolate chips. Grease two loaf pans and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 325 degrees for one hour or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.

Variations: If you'd like to try a different recipe, replace the cinnamon and vanilla pudding with one of the following: poppy seeds and lemon pudding, chocolate pudding and mini chocolate chips or banana pudding and chopped walnuts.

Printed in the August 2000 issue of Rural Missouri.