Recipe(tried): Light and Quick Amish Friendship Bread

Light and Quick Amish Friendship Bread

This is a traditional Amish Bread that is lovingly passed from one friend to another. Usually, it has a nurturing time of eight days, during which you stir in various ingredients. Then, of course there's additional kneading and rising. Here, that time is condensed into minutes.

Yield: 4 loaves (64 slices)

2 3/4 cup warm skim milk
1/4 cup low fat buttermilk
4 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
3 cups plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1 package active dry yeast
2/3 cup canola oil
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups very coarsely chopped hazelnuts
2 cups dried cherries

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

In a large nonreactive bowl, MIX..3/4 cup of the skim milk, the buttermilk, 3/4 cup of the all purpose flour, the whole wheat flour, 1 teaspoon sugar, and the yeast. Set aside for 10 minutes or until the mixture starts to bubble.

In a large mixing bowl, place the remaining ingredients, MIX..2 cups skim milk, 4 cups flour, 3 cups sugar, oil, baking powder, egg, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, baking soda, except for the hazelnuts and cherries, and mix well. Add the milk yeast mixture to the bowl and mix well. Fold in the hazelnuts and cherries.

Lightly grease FOUR--10 x 5 x 2-inch pans with vegetable oil, divide the dough among the pans, and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cal. per serving 129, Chol. 2 mg.