There’s nothing like purchasing the perfect loaf of artisanal bread.
But far too often, it gets stale seemingly overnight, and then what? And of course, nothing’s better than a slice of toast slathered in butter and jam. Except for when you forget to adjust the setting on your toaster and your perfect toast resembles charred cardboard more than bread.
Luckily the next time you think your bread is past saving, you can still have hope. Thanks to these tips and recipes, you’ll never have to throw away a loaf of bread again.
1. Breadcrumbs
Toasting stale bread, then pulverizing it in a food processor or blender is the perfect way to make breadcrumbs. Or you can crumble first, then toast in a skillet with butter and seasonings.
2. Bread pudding
Bread pudding is the perfect way to use up your leftover bread. Stale bread will soak up the custardy base of a bread pudding nicely while still getting nice and browned on top.
3. French toast
Fresh bread just can’t stand up to stale when it comes to French toast. Stale bread is better able to soak up the eggy French toast batter than fresh bread can, so it stays nice and moist on the inside. Once cooked, you’ll have a decadent breakfast no one can tell started with stale bread.
4. Stuffing
It’s so easy to make stuffing from scratch with stale bread. Cut the stale bread into cubes, and add it to celery, onion and herbs sautéed in butter. Add some chicken stock until the bread is moist but not falling apart, and use it to stuff poultry, or bake it as a side dish until crispy on the edges.
5. Burnt toast powder
Burned your toast? Try grinding it in a spice grinder until it’s a fine powder, then using it to add a charred, smoky flavor to spice rubs and marinades or even to balance out the sweetness of homemade caramels or vanilla ice cream.
Want more ideas? Check out the recipes in the slideshow below.
More bread recipes
Easy homemade paleo bread
5 Fresh takes on breads and spreads
Healthy homemade breads
Leave a Comment