Yeast Bread Starter

I begged a friend for this starter recipe after having her amazing bread a few years ago. The bread that she served was made from this starter It is a bit sweet and very versatile. I have made loaves, dinner rolls, hamburger buns, and cinnamon rolls with this starter. If you have ever had the yeast rolls at O'Charley's or Logan Roadhouse, the rolls made with this starter are really close to theirs. But, before we can bake bread, we have to prepare the starter..................

Day 1

• 1 Cup Warm Water
• 3/4 Cup Sugar
• 1 Package (2 1/4 teaspoons) dry yeast
• 3 T Instant Potato Flakes

Mix the above ingredients in a glass jar and allow to sit on your counter at room temperature for two days.

Day 2

• Stir starter with a wooden spoon

Day 3 - "Feed" Starter

• 1 Cup Warm Water
• 3/4 Cup Sugar
• 3 T Instant Potato Flakes

Add all the above ingredients to your starter. Stir with a wooden spoon. Allow to sit on counter at room temperature for 8 hours. Then refrigerate 3 - 5 days. (A minimum of 3 days and a maximum of 5 days)

Day 3, 4, or 5 (whichever you choose) - Bake Bread

Remove the starter from the refrigerator on the morning you choose to bake bread. Allow starter to sit on counter and warm to room temperature. Stir with wooden spoon. Measure 1 cup starter to bake bread. Return remaining starter to the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

To Make Bread

• 6 Cups Bread Flour
• 1 t Salt
• 1/2 Cup Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Corn Oil
• 1 1/4 Cup Warm Water
• 1 Cup Starter

Add flour, salt, sugar, oil, and water to starter. Mix well. Knead on a floured surface for 5 to 10 minutes. Put  dough into a greased bowl. Cover and put in a warm place to rise overnight or all day (about 12 hours). I like to put mine on top of the refrigerator.

The Next Morning (or 12 hours later)

Preheat oven to 350*. Grease three loaf pans. 

Punch down the dough. Knead on a floured surface to get out any air bubbles.

Divide dough into three equal parts. Take one part of the dough and roll to 1/2" thickness with rolling pin. Then, roll the dough up into a log, like a jelly roll. Then place in to greased loaf pan. Repeat for the other two pieces of divided dough. Brush the tops of each loaf with corn oil. Set the pans of dough in a warm place and cover loosely with a towel to rise again. This rise will take 6 to 8 hours.

Bake at 350* for 25-30 minutes or until the tops of the loaves are golden brown.

Wait 3 - 5 

Remove starter from refrigerator and feed

• 1 Cup Warm Water
• 3/4 Cup Sugar
• 3 T Instant Potato Flakes

Allow to sit on counter overnight or about 12 hours. Then, the next morning you are ready to bake bread again. Use one cup of the starter and return the remaining starter to the refrigerator for 3 - 5 days. You will repeat this step every 3-5 days.

Your remaining starter will start to grow in volume. You can either give a cup away to a friend, or make multiple batches of bread to use your extra starter. If you choose not to bake every 3 - 5 days, just measure out one cup of starter and throw it away. But, make sure you keep feeding your starter every 3 - 5 days or it will "die".