How to keep bread and other baked goods fresh for longer

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Here are some simple tips to help you always enjoy a soft center and crisp finish.

Why does baking stale?

First, it loses moisture. The process begins as soon as the finished product is taken out of the oven. If you've made cookies or bread at home, you probably noticed that they are softest when you first took them out of the oven. In the future, moisture gradually evaporates.

Secondly, at the same time, the starch contained in the flour begins to change its structure and harden. It is these two processes that underlie hardening.

How to prolong the freshness of bread and rolls

1. Freeze

This way, the bread can be stored for several months, and by heating it, you will always get a soft center and a crispy crust.

Once you've brought home fresh bread or baked your own, cut it into slices and put in a zip-top bag any you won't eat during the day. Try to keep the bag with as little air as possible. Put it in the freezer, and then take out the required number of pieces and reheat. This can be done in an oven, microwave, or toaster.

To defrost bread slices in the oven, wrap them in foil and reheat at 160 ° C for 5-10 minutes. The microwave will cope faster: place the pieces in it, without covering, and hold for 20-25 seconds at maximum power. If you want toasted bread, put it straight from the freezer into the toaster.

You can also freeze the whole loaf, but only if you know you will eat it later at a time. Frequent freezing and thawing will definitely not make the bread tastier. To defrost a whole loaf, wrap it in foil and place in an oven preheated to 160 ° C for 25 minutes. Then remove the foil and return the bread to the oven for another 5 minutes for a crispy crust.

2. Store in a bread bin

The baked goods will preserve their taste in it for several days. There are small holes in the bins, so air will circulate inside, which will prevent mold from forming.

Note that the more bread you put in the bread bin, the higher the moisture level inside. So it's better not to fill it entirely, leave some free space. And do not put baked goods in the bag, otherwise all the moisture will remain on it, and this will increase the risk of mold.

3. Wrap in paper and keep on the table

If you plan on eating bread in the next couple of days, there is no point in putting it away. Just put it in a paper bag and leave it on your kitchen counter. In this case, a plastic bag is not the best option: the moisture will have nowhere to evaporate, which means that the bread will mold faster.

But it is better not to put baked goods in the refrigerator. There, it will harden almost six times faster than at room temperature.

And don't forget that despite your best efforts, the bread will eventually turn stale. But this is not a reason to be upset: you can make croutons from it or use it in other recipes.

How to keep cookies soft for longer

If you bake yourself - do not skimp on butter, then the baked goods will stay soft longer. Also try removing the biscuits from the oven a little earlier than indicated in the recipe - when the middle still seems slightly uncooked. Don't worry, you won't have to eat raw dough, it will reach the desired state outside the oven, but the texture will be softer.

If you intend to store cookies for no more than a week, put them in a ziplock bag or airtight container as soon as they have cooled slightly.

If you need to store food for a longer period, put it in the freezer. Stack the cookies in layers, laying each “floor” with baking paper, then wrap with cling film and place in an airtight container. Then just take out the cookies and wait for them to warm up to room temperature. If you want it to be even softer, heat it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds along with a glass of water.