18 Amish-Inspired Bread Recipes You Need to Try (2024)

FAQs

Is sourdough and Amish Friendship Bread the same? ›

Amish Friendship Bread Starter (Herman Starter) This is not technically a sourdough starter (because it contains commercial yeast), however many people are first introduced to the concept of a starter by this particular bread. It's a really old recipe and most of the time you'll find it written in cups.

But did you know that you can also store your Amish Friendship Bread starter in your fridge? The counter and freezer options do well because you're either maintaining it daily (counter) or stashing it away and forgetting about it (freezer).

If your starter looks discolored with a pink or green tinge, has mold (a no-brainer but worth mentioning), or if the sharp acetone smell doesn't go away, discard your starter and make a new one from scratch. It's sad, but so is food poisoning. The rule in the Friendship Bread Kitchen is: when in doubt, throw it out.

The original instructions for Amish Friendship Bread states that you should not use metal bowls or utensils. The original reason was because there's a chemical reaction that occurs between the fermenting starter and metal.

If too much moisture escapes, the bread could dry out. Check expiration dates and use fresh ingredients. For Amish Friendship Bread in particular, you'll want to make sure your yeast (if starting a starter from scratch), baking soda, and baking powder are fresh.

The Amish Have No Dietary Restrictions

Having no dietary restrictions means they can eat whatever their heart desires. While many Amish stick to a traditional Pennsylvania Dutch diet, we've seen Amish dine at Olive Garden and take their buggies through the Burger King drive thru line.

Does Rising Bread Affect Its Texture? For a fluffy bread texture, the key is to let the bread rise long enough.

The Amish do use sugar. It's a common ingredient in their meals, and not only the sweet treats. However, this sugar intake is balanced out by the fact that they don't consume sugars in processed foods and sodas like non-Amish tend to do.

Some good news. Amish Friendship Bread starter is pretty flexible, so if you miss a feeding by 1-3 days, you are probably in good shape.

Why is my Amish Friendship Bread starter not bubbling? ›

This is usually the case in cold environments (AC under 70F, winter kitchens). If your starter is barely bubbling or not bubbling at all 12-24 hours after the last feeding, simply stir it again and let the jar sit for a day or two. Then feed again and see if you get bubbles.

Active Amish friendship starter will keep for up to three months in the freezer. "You can also pop your starter in the fridge, but you can't forget about it like you can with freezing your starter," Gee says.

First of all, one of the most common reasons quick breads (and layer cakes as well) sink is that the pan is overfilled. If the batter reaches the top of the pan and still needs to rise, it will collapse.

One of the main differences between a regular sourdough starter and an Amish Friendship Bread starter is that the latter is sweet, so I made sure to stock up on sugar before making the bread. (I already had a giant Costco-sized tub of cinnamon on-hand, because cinnamon is life.)

If you missed one feeding

Don't worry — your starter is fine. Just pick back up with your typical routine and your starter will settle in easily. To be safe, give it one or two feedings before you bake with it to make sure it's at full strength.

You might also see the term “levain bread” or “pain au levain,” which are other names for sourdough bread. Because the term levain is French for leaven, which is almost always taken to mean naturally fermented bread, the term levain is often used synonymously with sourdough.

Additionally, sourdough fermentation increases the availability of essential nutrients like vitamins and minerals. Ezekiel bread, on the other hand, stands out for its use of sprouted whole grains and legumes, which provide a rich source of nutrients, including fiber, vitamins, and protein.

When you've made your bread, you can give your friends a sample and the starter that made it! Then your friends can make their own and pass it along to their friends. This is why the bread is called "friendship bread".

Sourdough bread is a type of bread that has been around for centuries. At Lingonberry we always have several options for delicious sourdough, from classic plain, to whole wheat, to delicious flavored varieties like jalapeno cheddar, and wild mushroom.