The bread should be fresh and soft. This crispy crust and delicate aroma is preferred by most people. Only here's the bad luck: the loaves get stale too quickly and go for crackers. If this state of affairs does not suit you at all, and you want to learn how to return the former freshness to stale bread, then these 3 methods will come in handy.
The main rule that you need to be guided by: you can only refresh the bread that is stale, but not moldy. If there are clear signs that the product has deteriorated, then you should come to terms with the fact that it can no longer be saved.
Bread becomes stale as it loses moisture, so all methods are aimed at re-saturating the pieces with moisture. This can be done in several ways: in the microwave, in the oven, or in a double boiler.
1. Microwave
The quickest way to soften bread is by placing the wet pieces in the microwave. Put a small container of water there. Turn on for 15-20 seconds, check the degree of softness, then repeat another 1-2 times. Typically, 40-50 seconds is enough for the bread to soften. You need to check often, because if you overexpose, then it is quite possible that the effect will be exactly the opposite - the pieces will turn into crackers.
2. Oven
In order to soften the bread in the oven, you need to cut the same small pieces as for the microwave. Then wrap them with a paper towel soaked in water and place in an oven preheated to 180 degrees. 2-3 minutes is enough for the bread to become soft again.
If there is no paper towel at hand, but there is foil, then you can also wrap bread in it. In this case, the holding time in the oven should be increased to 10-15 minutes. It is important to let the bread cool without unrolling the foil, then it will be really soft.
3. Steamer or colander with a saucepan
Steam softening bread is another effective method that housewives know about. This usually takes 1 to 2 minutes in normal mode if using a double boiler.
If there is no such machine, then the usual steam bath will become an alternative. A colander is placed over a pot of boiling water. Pieces of bread are placed at the bottom of the colander, which actively absorb moisture. This method is simple, but it requires care: if the bread is left over steam for too long, it can get wet. In addition, you need to make sure that the bread does not touch the boiling water, this will also spoil the result.
Be sure to take note an easy way to keep bread fresh 3 times longer … A little trick will allow you to enjoy soft bread for almost a whole week!