A loaf of homemade white bread is a staple of Amish culinary life. In fact, the first time I ever visited an Amish home, way back when I was 17, the ladies were making loaves of homemade bread. I can still remember the sound of their hands kneading the elastic dough. With large families, bread can go a long way towards feeding many people inexpensively. Bread serves as the building blocks for sandwiches, French toast, stuffing, and puddings. Need a quick meal? Slap together a sandwich. Need an inexpensive dessert? Crumble up that loaf of day-old homemade bread and make a "bread pie." Bread pie is so simple I can just tell you how to make it: fill a pie crust with crumbled homemade bread, then fill the crust about ¾ full with milk. Sprinkle some sugar and cinnamon over it and bake at 350 until firm. This is a surprisingly delicious pie especially if you go heavy on the cinnamon! Stuck for what to have for breakfast? You can crumble up bread and make "coffee soup", another staple of the Great Depression-era Amish diet. Coffee soup is simply an empty mug filled with coffee, bread, and a dash of milk and perhaps some sugar.
This is a very basic homemade white bread recipe popular with Amish cooks that produces the delicious loaves above which I saw in a Conewango Valley, New York bakery. Yum! The Amish Cook herself uses a recipe similar to the one below.
The bread recipe below freezes well and will keep for up to 6 months.
A reader who tried the recipe gave the following tip: place a cast iron pan on lower rack in oven and let heat. When you place the bread in the oven to cook, pour 1-2 cups of water into heated pan and leave in closed over for 5-10 minutes. The steam makes a fabulous crust on the bread. While white bread remains the gold standard in Amish kitchens, sourdough bread has become popular, along with wheat bread, oatmeal bread, and even salt-rising bread.
FAQ
A formal class would be a rarity, although many Amish bakers would be happy to let you in on some of the tips and hints for the best bread. Years ago, and it may still be offered, you'll have to do some sleuthing, there was an Amish Bread Baking class held in an Amish home in Minneosta. Participants learned how to bake bread in a wood stove and make butter in an Amish home in Southeast Minnesota. Attendees got to take home a loaf of fresh baked bread and witness how life without electricity is possible. The class was held at River Roots Skills School with transportation to the Amish home. After the bread is baked and the butter is made, everyone gathers together for a pot of tea, fresh baked bread and homemade butter.
Full Recipe
Amish White Bread
Ingredients
- 1 package active dry yeas
- 2 ½ cups lukewarm water
- Lard (the size of an egg); you can substitute shortening here if needed
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- Enough bread flour to make a soft dough (usually about 5 cups)
Instructions
- Grease pans and set aside.In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in a ½ cup warm water.
- In a large bowl, combine the lard, sugar, salt and the remaining 2 cups of water. Add the yeast mixture to the bowl and stir until combined.
- Add the flour, ½ cup at a time, mixing until the dough is elastic and doesn't stick to the sides of the bowl.
- Cover the bowl loosely with a damp cloth and let rise until double in size, about 1 ½ hours in a warm, draft-free place.
- Punch the dough down and place on lightly floured surface. Cut the the dough into 2 equal portions.
- Punch down a little more and form each into a loaf. Place the dough into greased loaf pans.
- Cover with a damp cloth and let rise again until the dough is level with the loaf pan, about 40-50 minutes.
- Pierce each loaf several times with a fork.While the dough is rising, preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Bake the bread for 40-45 minutes. The bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped on top
- . After removing the bread from the over, brush with butter for a softer crust. Remove the bread from the pans and place on cooling rack.The bread freezes well and will keep for up to 6 months
Cheryl
pretty breads.....another thing was put bread into a bowl of milk.....have a small meal that way......
Lowell
The bread looks so good, but I have one question about the recipe. Is there no kneading required?
Tom
All the stirring to work in the flour substitutes for kneading in this batter bread.
Joyce A. Quintal
The sourdough bread looks great but ask for 1 cup of Amish Friendship batter ~ where do I get this or is it something I can make?
Irene
Can these be made in a bread machine? That is what I use all the time.
Kevin
Yes, irene, you can...good luck!
Faye
Hi Kevin,
Thank you for all these wonderful recipes.
I am inquiring about the 1 cup of Amish Friendship batter, what is this?
Thank you
Tom
The white bread is excellent. I recommend the steam as suggested at the end. Great crust with soft interior. Oh yeah....use lard.
Kevin
Glad the recipe worked out for you, Tom!
Catherine Smith
Where can I find the Friendship Batter.
Kathleen
Before making your loaves roll the dough out from center toward edges the air bubbles with pop and a finer textured loaf after baking.