Difference between revisions of "Make Stale Bread Soft Again"
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===Heating in the Oven=== | ===Heating in the Oven=== | ||
| − | #Preheat your oven to a low temperature. Set your oven to 300ºF (150ºC). The heat will restore most stale bread, although the effect will only last a few hours.<ref>http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0733521005000652</ref> | + | #Preheat your oven to a low temperature. Set your oven to 300ºF (150ºC). The heat will restore most stale bread, although the effect will only last a few hours.<ref name="rf1">http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0733521005000652</ref> |
| − | #Add water only if the crust is hard. Even stale bread still contains plenty of water. It feels dry because the starch molecules have linked up and trapped the water. This means you don't need to add water to the crumb of the bread. If the bread has a hard outer crust, flick water onto it, or run it under the cold tap if extremely stale.<ref>https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/8226-how-to-revive-stale-bread</ref> | + | #Add water only if the crust is hard. Even stale bread still contains plenty of water. It feels dry because the starch molecules have linked up and trapped the water. This means you don't need to add water to the crumb of the bread. If the bread has a hard outer crust, flick water onto it, or run it under the cold tap if extremely stale.<ref name="rf2">https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/8226-how-to-revive-stale-bread</ref> |
| − | #*If the bread turned dry from overheating, or if it was exposed to air, it ''has'' lost some of its water.<ref>https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=bKVCtH4AjwgC</ref> Wet the whole loaf to restore moisture. | + | #*If the bread turned dry from overheating, or if it was exposed to air, it ''has'' lost some of its water.<ref name="rf3">https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=bKVCtH4AjwgC</ref> Wet the whole loaf to restore moisture. |
#Wrap the bread in foil. This prevents steam from escaping, keeping the moisture trapped in the bread instead. | #Wrap the bread in foil. This prevents steam from escaping, keeping the moisture trapped in the bread instead. | ||
#Heat until soft. If you dampened the bread, wait until it no longer feels soggy. Depending on the size of the loaf and whether or not you added water, this could take 5–15 minutes. | #Heat until soft. If you dampened the bread, wait until it no longer feels soggy. Depending on the size of the loaf and whether or not you added water, this could take 5–15 minutes. | ||
| − | #Unwrap and heat for another five minutes if the crust is too soft. If the bread is soft but the once-hard crust is squishy, take off the foil. Keep heating for another five minutes, or until you've restored the crust to the right texture.<ref | + | #Unwrap and heat for another five minutes if the crust is too soft. If the bread is soft but the once-hard crust is squishy, take off the foil. Keep heating for another five minutes, or until you've restored the crust to the right texture.<ref name="rf2" /> |
| − | #Eat soon. Heat "melts" the starch molecule structure to release the trapped water, but also speeds up staling once the bread cools down.<ref>http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1541-4337.12143/pdf</ref> The bread will only last a few hours at most before it turns stale again.<ref | + | #Eat soon. Heat "melts" the starch molecule structure to release the trapped water, but also speeds up staling once the bread cools down.<ref name="rf4">http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1541-4337.12143/pdf</ref> The bread will only last a few hours at most before it turns stale again.<ref name="rf2" /><ref name="rf5">http://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2013-08-19/what-makes-bread-go-stale-</ref> |
=== Steaming === | === Steaming === | ||
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===Microwaving=== | ===Microwaving=== | ||
| − | #Slice bread to eat right away. Microwaves do soften bread, but the results aren't perfect. Within a few minutes, the bread usually turns rubbery and even tougher than before.<ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17625869</ref> This is the fastest method, but it's best to save it for an immediate snack. | + | #Slice bread to eat right away. Microwaves do soften bread, but the results aren't perfect. Within a few minutes, the bread usually turns rubbery and even tougher than before.<ref name="rf6">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17625869</ref> This is the fastest method, but it's best to save it for an immediate snack. |
#*This happens because the microwave boils away some of the water. The escaping steam pushes the starches into a denser structure, and leaves the bread dry. Slow heating in small increments can reduce this effect, but it's difficult to find a sweet spot that's still hot enough to soften the bread. | #*This happens because the microwave boils away some of the water. The escaping steam pushes the starches into a denser structure, and leaves the bread dry. Slow heating in small increments can reduce this effect, but it's difficult to find a sweet spot that's still hot enough to soften the bread. | ||
| − | #Wrap in a damp paper towel. Lightly dampen a plain, white paper towel. Wrap it around your bread.<ref>http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-soften-hard-bread-138150</ref> This adds more moisture, and traps some of the steam in the bread to keep it soft. | + | #Wrap in a damp paper towel. Lightly dampen a plain, white paper towel. Wrap it around your bread.<ref name="rf7">http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-soften-hard-bread-138150</ref> This adds more moisture, and traps some of the steam in the bread to keep it soft. |
#Heat in ten second intervals. Depending on how strong your microwave is, the bread might already be soft after ten seconds. If not, try again, checking frequently. | #Heat in ten second intervals. Depending on how strong your microwave is, the bread might already be soft after ten seconds. If not, try again, checking frequently. | ||
== Tips == | == Tips == | ||
| − | *Light breads stay fresh for longer than dense breads. Breads and cakes with fats, sugars, and other additional ingredients also tend to have a longer shelf life.<ref>http://www.e-reading.club/bookreader.php/151440/Figoni_-_How_baking_works__exploring_the_fundamentals_of_baking_science.pdf</ref> | + | *Light breads stay fresh for longer than dense breads. Breads and cakes with fats, sugars, and other additional ingredients also tend to have a longer shelf life.<ref name="rf8">http://www.e-reading.club/bookreader.php/151440/Figoni_-_How_baking_works__exploring_the_fundamentals_of_baking_science.pdf</ref> |
| − | *To extend shelf-life, freeze the bread and thaw it in the oven when ready to use. If you'd rather not thaw it, wrap the bread in plastic or foil until airtight and store at room temperature to keep it edible for an extra day or two.<ref>http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/06/does-refrigeration-really-ruin-bread.html</ref> | + | *To extend shelf-life, freeze the bread and thaw it in the oven when ready to use. If you'd rather not thaw it, wrap the bread in plastic or foil until airtight and store at room temperature to keep it edible for an extra day or two.<ref name="rf9">http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/06/does-refrigeration-really-ruin-bread.html</ref> |
*You can [[Make-Garlic-Bread|make garlic bread]] while refreshing the bread. Follow the oven instructions with these extra steps before heating: | *You can [[Make-Garlic-Bread|make garlic bread]] while refreshing the bread. Follow the oven instructions with these extra steps before heating: | ||
**Slice the bread in advance, but leave the slices attached at the base. | **Slice the bread in advance, but leave the slices attached at the base. | ||
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== Warnings == | == Warnings == | ||
| − | *The refrigerator may prevent mold from growing on your bread, but it won't keep it fresh. Starch retrogradation (the process that makes bread go stale) happens much faster at cold temperatures (above freezing).<ref>http://ssu.ac.ir/cms/fileadmin/user_upload/Mtahghighat/tfood/asil-article/q-z2/Retrogradation-behaviour-of-high-amylose-rice-starch-prepared-by-improved-extrusion-cooking-technology_2014_Food-Chemistry.pdf</ref> | + | *The refrigerator may prevent mold from growing on your bread, but it won't keep it fresh. Starch retrogradation (the process that makes bread go stale) happens much faster at cold temperatures (above freezing).<ref name="rf10">http://ssu.ac.ir/cms/fileadmin/user_upload/Mtahghighat/tfood/asil-article/q-z2/Retrogradation-behaviour-of-high-amylose-rice-starch-prepared-by-improved-extrusion-cooking-technology_2014_Food-Chemistry.pdf</ref> |
*Overheating the bread will boil away moisture and make it tough and dry. This is easy to do in the microwave, due to uneven heating. | *Overheating the bread will boil away moisture and make it tough and dry. This is easy to do in the microwave, due to uneven heating. | ||
