Emma Miller
Don’t rush to throw out stale bread and buy replacements. It can be restored to freshness if you follow a few tricks. However, if the bread already shows signs of mold or fungus – such bread is dangerous to eat.
Keep in mind that the effect will last a few hours. Then the bread will harden again. Therefore, soft bread should be eaten quickly. You can also heat stale bread in portions.
How to steam stale bread in the oven
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Tear off a piece of foil to wrap the bread. Place the bread in the foil on a baking tray in the oven. If the bread is sliced, it will steam in 5 minutes, but leave a whole loaf for 20 minutes. After you take the bread out of the oven, let it cool in the foil.
How to make stale bread fresh on the stovetop
Place the bread in a sieve and place it in a saucepan. Pour water on the bottom of the pan so that it’s about 10 inches from the sieve. Turn on the gas and bring the water to a boil. Hold the bread over the boiling water for 5 minutes. The bread slices can be turned periodically so that they soften evenly.
How to soften stale bread in the microwave
Wrap the bread in a slightly damp paper towel. Place it in the microwave and turn on the heat. Depending on how stale the bread is, it will take 10-40 seconds for it to completely soften. After heating, remove the paper and allow the bread to cool slightly.
Bread will be soft for a while after microwaving. It should be consumed immediately.
How to refresh stale bread with celery
If you have celery stalks, you can use them to make stale bread soft. To do this, you’ll need large packets or zip-top bags. Place the bread and 2-3 celery stalks in the bag. Put it in the refrigerator for a few hours, or better yet, overnight. Overnight, the celery will give moisture to the bread, and the vegetable itself will dry out.
