Friendship Bread, the gift that keeps giving

With the holidays fast approaching, I dug out a favorite gift-giving recipe that is meant for sharing. Not just the final baked deliciousness that you present, but also the actual ingredients.

A friend (hence the name) gave me this recipe years ago. An audience participation project, it’s also a commitment of time, taking a minimum of ten days from start to finish.

Once begun, this project can take on a life of its own, but it can also bring you closer to your friends, especially if they aren’t familiar with how to keep the sourdough ‘alive’ and have to rely on you for their starter fix.

The traditional recipe makes a sweet, spice cake-type bread. The more contemporary recipe can be adapted to your personal tastes depending on the flavor of pudding mix you use. You can also use almonds or pecans instead of walnuts, or other dried fruits in place of the raisins and dates.

I’ve used chocolate pudding, white chocolate chips and dried cranberries… the resulting bread lasted all of ten minutes.

Starter:

1 (¼ oz) package active yeast (or 2¼ teaspoons bread machine yeast)
¼ cup warm water (110°F/45°C)
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
3 cups sugar, divided
3 cups milk, divided

Directions:

1. In a small glass bowl dissolve yeast in water. Let stand 10 minutes. In a 2 quart container (glass, plastic or ceramic) combine ONE cup each of flour and sugar, mixing until well blended (this will help keep the dry ingredients from clumping when you add milk.) Slowly stir in ONE cup milk and yeast mixture, stirring well with a wooden or plastic spoon to avoid lumps (if lumps do form, pour the mixture through a sieve, pushing the lumps through the mesh). Cover loosely and let stand at room temperature until bubbly. Do not refrigerate at this point. Count this as Day 1.

2. Days 2-4 stir starter with a wooden spoon.

3. Day 5 stir in ONE cup each of flour, sugar and milk.

4. Days 6-9, stir only.

5. On Day 10 add ONE cup each of flour, sugar and milk. Divide starter into four cups of mixture. Use one cup to make bread, share two cups with friends, and keep one cup to continue starter cycle. The one cup of starter held for bread can be stored in the refrigerator until ready to use.

4. Using the remaining cup of starter, count this as Day 1 and continue from step #2.

Friendship Bread ~ Traditional

1 cup bread starter
2/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F /175°C. Grease 2 (9×5-inch) loaf pans.

2. In a large bowl, combine starter, oil, and eggs. Set aside. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients and stir well to mix. Add to starter mixture, stir in vanilla and mix well. Pour evenly into prepared pans.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes or until tests done. Cool for 10 minutes in pans before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

Friendship Bread ~ Contemporary

1 cup starter
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup applesauce
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
½ cup milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 (5 0z.) package instant vanilla pudding mix (or favorite flavor)
1 cup chopped walnuts
½ cup raisins
½ cup pitted/chopped dates

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F/165°C. Lightly grease 2 (9×5-inch) loaf pans.

2. In a large bowl stir together starter, oil, applesauce, sugar, eggs and milk. Set aside. Combine dry ingredients, stirring into starter mixture. Stir in vanilla and pudding mix. Fold in nuts, raisins and dates. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.

3. Bake for 60 minutes or until tests done. Cool for 10 minutes in pans before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

It’s important that you don’t use any metal bowls, utensils or containers ~ only glass, plastic or ceramic. The starter will bubble up and smell slightly like beer. If it turns pinkish in color and develops a foul smell, it’s gone bad and you should discard it. Once begun, the starter should remain at room temperature throughout the 10 Day cycle. ENJOY!

*From the Vault of If Mom Says OK. Edited and updated. Originally posted Jan. 24, 2009