We’ve all been there: you buy a load of bread, eat a few slices, only to forget about it until it’s stale and inedible.
But before you throw it in the bin, try this hack to save your stale bread. This trick works especially well for bread that’s a few days old and starting to get hard.
Before we start, let’s get one thing straight: Bread that’s gone mouldy is beyond repair and unsafe to eat. So compost it and move on.
But if your loaf is just a little crusty and tough, there is hope. Read on.
Did you know that bread is one of the most wasted foods?
In Australia alone, for every loaf of bread that’s eaten, almost half a loaf is thrown away.
It equates to about 186,000 tonnes – or 125 million loaves sent to landfill every year! That’s a lot of waste for perfectly edible food, especially since all it takes is this simple trick to save your stale bread.
So, how do you revive a stale loaf of bread?
Stick the bread under a running tap. Stay with me! I promise this works.
Start by preheating your oven to 180°. Then, run your stale bread under some cold water until it’s lightly damp all over. Try to position it so the exposed or cut side is facing away from the running water. It’s ok if you get a little bit of water on it, but try not to soak the inside of the loaf.
Now don’t be shy, get the crust good and wet.
Baking in the oven
Then, place the bread on a baking sheet and pop it in the oven for 5-10 minutes, depending on the size of the loaf – and how wet the loaf is. If you’ve soaked the interior, you’ll need longer for it to dry out.
Check on the bread every few minutes. It should be warm and slightly crispy on the outside, with a soft, fluffy inside. If it’s not quite there yet, give it a few more minutes in the oven.
Once it’s done, let it cool for a minute or two before slicing and serving.
The trick is that by adding moisture and heat, you’re essentially rehydrating the bread and making it soft again. Plus, the slight crisping on the outside gives it that mouth-watering fresh-baked taste.
Now serve up your fresh crusty bread with some creamy butter, and jam or with some spiced pumpkin soup. *chef’s kiss*
