How to reheat stale bread in the microwave. How to soften stale bread - and is it possible to soften bread in the microwave?

Hardened bread is a very unpleasant surprise, which can be discovered even the next day after purchasing a golden-brown loaf. Stale buns are often used to make authentic charlotte, but not everyone will like such a specific treat.

A well-known proverb says that bread is the head of everything, so it is no good to send it straight to crackers. Almost all bakery products can be revived with simple grandma's ways. We will talk about them further.

What to do with stale bread
1. Hard bread, even a week old, will regain its former softness thanks to a simple trick. Place it in a small saucepan and cover with a lid. Fill a larger pan halfway with boiling water, then place a container with bread in the middle and wait for the water to cool. Ready!

2. Cut the bread into slices and microwave for 10–60 seconds, setting the power to minimum.

3. Fill a saucepan with some water and place a colander or sieve on top. Place the structure on the fire and bring to a boil. Place 1–2 cm thick slices of bread in a colander and simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes until the bread has steamed.

4. Keep the bread under running water for 1 minute, then place in an oven preheated to 150 degrees for 10 minutes.

Proper storage bakery products will prevent drying out and the appearance of mold, so you should listen to several recommendations from “With Taste”.
**White bread quickly absorbs foreign odors, so it is better to store it separately from rye bread.
**Do not store dry bread and crackers next to bread: the latter absorb moisture and lose their crunchy properties.

It is best to store bread in a paper bag or a bag made of natural fabric.
Do not store bread in the refrigerator: there it will become saturated with moisture and unpleasant odors, and also becomes moldy.
To make bread go stale slower, place a piece of apple in the bread bin or sprinkle a little salt.

Soft and fragrant bread with a crispy crust, it quickly loses its original taste. And if it is also stored incorrectly, it will lose its characteristic texture in just a couple of days. A stale product can also be used in cooking, but before resorting to extreme measures, you should try to restore the product.

On modern kitchen there is everything for this the necessary conditions. The desired effect is achieved using an oven, a double boiler, a pan of water or a microwave. In addition, there are several special approaches that can soften even the most ruined reserves.

How to properly store bread?

First of all, you need to learn how to properly store baked goods. Then you won't have to try to soften them again. There are not many rules, they are all simple and accessible, but mandatory.

The bread will remain soft for a long time if you follow these recommendations:

A completely fresh, still crispy loaf should be wrapped in a linen or canvas towel. In this case, the product will remain soft for a week. Today, fabric can be replaced with baking paper.
Housewives prefer to keep loaves and rolls in the refrigerator, but do not think too much when choosing a shelf. It is best to put the bread in the warmest place, because... at temperatures below 2ºC the component loses moisture much faster.

To store loaves, you can purchase or manually make special bags consisting of two layers of cotton fabric with a polyethylene layer with holes.

Tip: The bread product will remain soft longer if you cut it from the middle and then connect the halves. In this case, there is no need to try to wrap the structure in cling film or polyethylene. Even without this, it will not spoil right in the bread bin or paper bag.

If you need to keep buns or other small baked goods soft for 2-3 days, put them in a pan and put a fresh apple in there.
When homebaked bread It is planned to be stored for a long time; during baking it should not be brought to full readiness. This semi-finished product is cooled, cut into slices with a very sharp knife and put into the freezer. There it must be kept at a temperature no higher than -18ºС. Before use, it is heated in the oven or microwave, and it becomes like fresh. The main thing is to do this right before eating, such products very quickly become stale and dry.
To avoid having to eat a stale product, you should put a couple of pieces of sugar, half an apple or a potato tuber in the bread bin. Additionally, you can use a pinch of salt, which will protect the product from mold.

It is equally important to choose a suitable place to store food. If it is a bread box, it must be airtight. In the refrigerator, the component is kept in paper or multi-layer bags. Before going into the freezer, the slices are wrapped in cling film.

How to restore softness to bread using kitchen devices?

If no tricks help and the product has dried out, it can be quickly restored or at least refreshed using the following approaches:

In the oven - 1 way. We heat the chamber to a temperature of 150ºС. Place slices of bread on a baking sheet or parchment-lined rack, lightly spray them with water or cover with a damp cloth. Process for 3-4 minutes.
In the oven - method 2. When the bread is very stale, but at the same time cut into slices, put it in hot water for a couple of minutes boiled water. Then we put the elements on a baking sheet and put them in the oven, preheated to 160ºC. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes with the door slightly open (this will allow excess moisture to escape).

In the microwave - 1 way. We simply place the workpieces in the microwave oven chamber and heat them at medium or low power for 10-30 seconds. We evaluate the quality of the product and, if necessary, repeat the manipulation.
In the microwave - method 2. When the product is so stale that it can no longer be cut, everything will have to be done in two stages. First, the loaf or part of it needs to be refreshed by sprinkling it with cool boiled water from a spray bottle. Place the semi-finished product in the microwave and heat at low power for 20-30 seconds. We take out the product and cut it into slices. We send them to the cell for the same amount of time.

These are emergency methods of solving the problem, with the help of which very stale bread is quickly restored. In cases where time is not so important and the situation is not too advanced, you can try other approaches.

Additional ways to restore softness to bread

If the above methods must be applied immediately before using the products, then the following methods are used as the problem is detected. Of course, in this case too, it is recommended to eat the bread as quickly as possible, at least within 24 hours.

Cut 1 cm thick slices from the loaf, place them in a dry colander and place over a pan of boiling water. There must be a significant gap between the structure and the liquid, otherwise the workpieces will simply soften. Processing is carried out until the desired result is obtained.
Place the slices or part of the loaf in a small saucepan and cover it with a lid. Place the container in a basin, bowl or larger pan filled with boiling water. We wait until the water cools down and check the quality of the bread. If necessary, repeat the approach.

If the bread is already sliced, place it in paper bag, add a stalk of fresh celery there. Close the container carefully and place it in the refrigerator for several hours. After which we take out the celery, it should dry out noticeably, giving up moisture to the bread.
Bakery products are also reconstituted in a double boiler. But here it is very difficult to calculate the impact time. You have to constantly ensure that the product does not soften.

When nothing can be done, no methods help, you should find suitable recipe and use the product as intended. Stale bread can be useful in making crackers, cutlets, charlotte and many other delicious dishes.

Soft and aromatic bread with a crispy crust quickly loses its original taste. And if it is also stored incorrectly, it will lose its characteristic texture in just a couple of days. A stale product can also be used in cooking, but before resorting to extreme measures, you should try to restore the product.

A modern kitchen has all the necessary conditions for this. The desired effect is achieved using an oven, a double boiler, a pan of water or a microwave. In addition, there are several special approaches that can soften even the most ruined reserves.

How to properly store bread?

First of all, you need to learn how to properly store baked goods. Then you won't have to try to soften them again. There are not many rules, they are all simple and accessible, but mandatory.

The bread will remain soft for a long time if you follow these recommendations:

A completely fresh, still crispy loaf should be wrapped in a linen or canvas towel. In this case, the product will remain soft for a week. Today, fabric can be replaced with baking paper.
Housewives prefer to keep loaves and rolls in the refrigerator, but do not think too much when choosing a shelf. It is best to put the bread in the warmest place, because... at temperatures below 2ºC the component loses moisture much faster.

To store loaves, you can purchase or manually make special bags consisting of two layers of cotton fabric with a polyethylene layer with holes.

Tip: The bread product will remain soft longer if you cut it from the middle and then connect the halves. In this case, there is no need to try to wrap the structure in cling film or polyethylene. Even without this, it will not spoil right in the bread bin or paper bag.

If you need to keep buns or other small baked goods soft for 2-3 days, put them in a pan and put a fresh apple in there.
When homemade bread is planned to be stored for a long time, it should not be fully cooked during the baking process. This semi-finished product is cooled, cut into slices with a very sharp knife and put into the freezer. There it must be kept at a temperature no higher than -18ºС. Before use, it is heated in the oven or microwave, and it becomes like fresh. The main thing is to do this right before eating, such products very quickly become stale and dry.
To avoid having to eat a stale product, you should put a couple of pieces of sugar, half an apple or a potato tuber in the bread bin. Additionally, you can use a pinch of salt, which will protect the product from mold.

How to restore softness to bread using kitchen devices?

If no tricks help and the product has dried out, it can be quickly restored or at least refreshed using the following approaches:

In the oven - 1 way. We heat the chamber to a temperature of 150ºС. Place slices of bread on a baking sheet or parchment-lined rack, lightly spray them with water or cover with a damp cloth. Process for 3-4 minutes.
In the oven - method 2. When the bread is very stale, but at the same time cut into slices, dip it in hot boiled water for a couple of minutes. Then we put the elements on a baking sheet and put them in the oven, preheated to 160ºC. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes with the door slightly open (this will allow excess moisture to escape).

In the microwave - 1 way. We simply place the workpieces in the microwave oven chamber and heat them at medium or low power for 10-30 seconds. We evaluate the quality of the product and, if necessary, repeat the manipulation.
In the microwave - method 2. When the product is so stale that it can no longer be cut, everything will have to be done in two stages. First, the loaf or part of it needs to be refreshed by sprinkling it with cool boiled water from a spray bottle. Place the semi-finished product in the microwave and heat at low power for 20-30 seconds. We take out the product and cut it into slices. We send them to the cell for the same amount of time.

Additional ways to restore softness to bread

Cut 1 cm thick slices from the loaf, place them in a dry colander and place over a pan of boiling water. There must be a significant gap between the structure and the liquid, otherwise the workpieces will simply soften. Processing is carried out until the desired result is obtained.
Place the slices or part of the loaf in a small saucepan and cover it with a lid. Place the container in a basin, bowl or larger pan filled with boiling water. We wait until the water cools down and check the quality of the bread. If necessary, repeat the approach.

If the bread is already sliced, put it in a paper bag and add a stalk of fresh celery there. Close the container carefully and place it in the refrigerator for several hours. After which we take out the celery, it should dry out noticeably, giving up moisture to the bread.
Bakery products are also reconstituted in a double boiler. But here it is very difficult to calculate the impact time. You have to constantly ensure that the product does not soften.

When nothing can be done, no methods help, you should find a suitable recipe and use the product for its intended purpose. Stale bread can be useful in making crackers, cutlets, charlotte and many other delicious dishes.

Bread left in the bread bin tends to go stale. If you haven't had time to go to your local grocery store, try one of the following methods for softening a stale slice.

The most quick method mitigation stale bread considered use microwave oven. Soak a paper towel in cold water, and then squeeze out as much water as possible. Wrap a piece of bread in a damp towel. Place the bundle in the oven for 10 seconds. Remove the bread from the towel. You can serve bread on the table. Stale bread can be made edible with help oven. To begin, preheat the oven to 150°C. Cut out aluminum foil to wrap your piece of bread with. Cover bread completely with foil. Place the bundle in the oven for 5-20 minutes. The holding time in the cabinet depends on the size of the slice. Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the foil.

The following method works well with sliced bread. Place the bread and celery stalk in the bag. Seal the bag and place it in the refrigerator for several hours. top scores shows bread that has been placed overnight. Remove celery from bag. The stem should be dry, since it gave up some of the moisture to the bread. Stale bread can be refreshed using a steamer or a pan with a special steaming rack. Steam the pieces of stale bread for 5-7 minutes. Monitor the moisture content carefully so that the bread does not absorb excess water and need to be dried in the oven.

You can chop up the remaining stale bread and turn it on additional ingredient in soups, use as a breading when frying fish and meat cutlets or go with the whole family to feed the birds in the park.

Bread in Rus' has always been treated with reverence and respect, and no one would think of throwing away a dried out loaf. “Bread is the head of everything,” our ancestors said, eating all the bread to the last crumb; besides, only wealthy townspeople could feast on fresh baked goods, while the poor had to be content with yesterday’s rolls. It's interesting that in Ancient Greece the bread was specially dried, since dishes made from stale bread were used to treat gastrointestinal diseases, and modern nutritionists recommend eating only baked goods that were prepared at least eight hours ago. It’s sad, but on average, every inhabitant of the earth throws away almost 30 kilograms of baked goods during his life, because we are not taught what to do with stale bread.

How to revive stale bread?

Bread that has dried out hasn't necessarily gone bad; it's just that the moisture has escaped, as happens with bread cooked in a toaster. Exist effective ways How to restore freshness and softness to a stale loaf:

Place the sliced bread in a steamer or water bath for 5-15 minutes.
Wrap the bread in a damp towel and place in an oven preheated to 150 degrees.
Place stale baked goods in the microwave in a plastic bag for 10-30 seconds.
Moisten the pieces of bread with water or milk, place them in a heated dry frying pan and cover with a lid.

What to cook from stale bread?

Stale bread does not lose any vitamins or nutritional value, so you can cook the most from it different dishes– soups, side dishes, desserts and drinks, many of which will surprise you with their ease of preparation and original taste.

The easiest way to use stale bread is to make crackers - regular, salted and garlic, which are usually added to soups and salads.
From dried and ground bread you can prepare breadcrumbs, enriching them sea salt And herbs. If you add crackers to meat and fish cutlets, you can get new shades of taste and save on minced meat.
From a stale loaf cut into pieces you get delicious croutons for breakfast, which are prepared in five minutes: bread should be dipped in a mixture of eggs beaten with milk and fried in butter.
Dried bread crusts are used to make amazing bread, recipes for which are abundantly available on the Internet.

Delicious bread dishes

Stale bread pancakes with apples - simple and original dessert, which can be prepared in between. For this, cut into cubes White bread soaked in milk, mixed with eggs, flour and grated apples, and then pancakes are baked from the dough and served with sour cream.
prepared the same way regular option charlotte, but with the addition of slices of bread soaked in milk. Using this principle, any pies and casseroles with bread are prepared, to which you can add fruits, berries, carrots, pumpkin and other vegetables.
Bread soup It has a bright, unforgettable taste, and many gourmets do not wait for the bread to go stale, but dry it themselves to enjoy the delicacy. Bread crumbs pour boiling water, leave for half an hour, rub through a sieve and cook with sugar, dried apricots, raisins, prunes with the addition of cinnamon, and the soup is served cold with whipped cream.
Bread pizza is different pleasant taste, if the bread is pre-moistened with water or milk, and then used as a base.
Among the dishes from black callous bread the most popular is meat loaf, which represents Ground beef, mixed with rye crumbs, eggs, onions, thyme and tomato paste.

If you don't like the idea of cooking with stale bread, you can periodically feed it to birds or put pieces of bread in the refrigerator with vegetables and fruits to keep them fresh. Many housewives mix bread crumbs with soil when planting plants to nourish and retain moisture, and some make hair masks from the soaked crumb. You can come up with your own recipe for using stale bread so as not to throw away this valuable product and not add to the sad statistics, because, as our great-grandfathers said, “kalach will become boring, but bread will never”...