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ADVERTISING INFO
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Amy Culbertson 
Recipes could be the start of a nice friendship
Star-Telegram staff writer
Reader Nancy Wright of Bridgeport isn't the first to ask us for recipes for a "friendship" sourdough starter and cake; it seems that readers never lose interest in this Amish-based baking tradition.
The starter and bread recipes come from Heartland by Marcia Adams (Clarkson Potter, $30); the cake recipe is from The King Arthur Flour 200th-Anniversary Cookbook (Countryman Press, $21).
Friendship starter
Yields 4 cups sourdough starter
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups warm water
1 package active dry yeast
2 cups milk, divided
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, divided
2 cups sugar, divided
Day 1: In a large glass or ceramic bowl, thoroughly combine first three ingredients. Leave on counter uncovered; don't refrigerate.
Days 2, 3 and 4: Stir mixture well with wooden spoon.
Day 5: Stir mixture and add 1 cup milk, 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar. This is called feeding the starter.
Days 6, 7 and 8: Stir with wooden spoon.
Day 9: Stir and add another 1 cup milk, 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar. Stir well.
Days 10 and 11: Stir well.
Day 12: Ladle 1 cup starter into each of four containers and refrigerate. Use one to make the bread recipe, keep one to use another time and give the other two to friends. (If you're making the cake, you'll need 2 cups.) Date the jars. Every 10 days, remove the starter from the refrigerator, transfer it to a bowl and feed it with 1 cup each of milk, flour and sugar. Leave it out of the refrigerator uncovered for two days, then bake it or divide it among friends. Always save some for yourself.
Friendship cake
Serves 12
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups friendship starter
1 1/2 to 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bundt pan thoroughly.
2. In a large bowl, combine oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla and beat until light. Add starter and beat until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, blend dry ingredients; fold dry ingredients into starter mixture. Pour into pan: bake 40 to 45 minutes.
Variations: Just before baking, fold in up to 2 cups chopped nuts, diced apples or applesauce, or raisins. For a chocolate version, substitute 1/2 cup cocoa for the cinnamon and nutmeg.
Nutritional analysis per serving: 404 calories, 14 grams fat, 63 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams protein, 55 milligrams cholesterol, 357 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber, 31 percent of calories from fat.
Friendship bread
Yields 2 loaves, 12 slices each
1 cup friendship starter, at room temperature
3 eggs
2/3 cup vegetable oil
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
11/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans
2 medium apples, peeled and finely chopped
1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together starter, eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla. Add flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, soda and salt and blend. Fold in nuts and apples and transfer batter to prepared loaf pans.
3. Bake for 50 minutes; remove pans from oven and allow bread to cool for 10 minutes, then tip out onto rack to finish cooling completely.
Nutritional analysis per slice: 213 calories, 10 grams fat, 27 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams protein, 27 milligrams cholesterol, 194 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber, 43 percent of calories from fat.
Reader requests
For enjoying spring weather, we'd like to see recipes you associate with picnics. Share your picnic memories with us, too, if you like.
Reader recipe requests include a layered cherry dessert made with canned cherries, custard, whipped cream and vanilla wafers; German hard rolls called brochen or semmel; a coffeecake made with Red Hots; white bean and cabbage stew; and mushroom pie.
Send recipes and requests to Amy Culbertson: via e-mail, aculbertson@star-telegram.com with "Recipe Swap" in the subject line; or mail them to Amy Culbertson, Star-Telegram, Box 1870, Fort Worth, TX 76101, with "Recipe Swap" on the envelope.
Important: Please specify how many people the recipe serves and the size (in ounces) of any cans or packages called for. Include your name, city and a daytime telephone number.
