Bread is simply part of everyday life – whether it's small bread rolls or a whole loaf of bread. Fresh and still warm, bread is a food that sustains body and soul. But how do baked goods stay crispy, warm, and fresh for longer?
Tips for delicious bread and rolls
Slicing fresh bread
A freshly bought or prepared loaf of bread is easier and better to cut if it is sliced with a warmed or moistened knife.
Older bread or baked goods become crispy again
Slightly older or frozen bread and rolls become wonderfully fresh and crispy again if they are lightly moistened with cold water and then briefly baked.
Thawing bread or rolls
To thaw bread or rolls, place them in a paper bag and put them in an oven preheated to 160°C for 5 minutes. This makes them taste like they were freshly baked. Water also helps when baking: brush the rolls with a little water, milk, or a water-milk mixture and then bake at approx. 100 – 110°C, depending on the desired level of browning, to make them nice and crispy. Old but not inedible baked goods dry out quickly and lose their flavor. In this case, it helps to place the baked goods in a dry container, such as Tupperware, and warm them for a few minutes in a water bath.
Bread stays warm longer
To keep baked goods warm longer in a bread basket, place a piece of aluminum foil under the napkin.
Freezing bread or rolls
To avoid moldy rolls or bread, you should freeze them. Bread can be excellently halved or even sliced and frozen in portions. If you need rolls or bread slices, you can conveniently take them out of the freezer, thaw them, and always have fresh bread.
Clean bread box
Mold in bread boxes can be avoided by paying attention to hygiene. It is best to rinse and wipe out the bread box with vinegar water every 14 days; this successfully combats unwanted bacteria.
What is the best way to store baked goods?
Fresh bread is simply delicious for most people, and hardly anyone wants to miss out on that enjoyment. However, heat, storage conditions, and humidity can affect the taste and shelf life of baked goods. To ensure you can enjoy your baked goods for a longer period, you should keep a few important things in mind.
- After cutting, place sliced bread on its cut side – this prevents the end piece from drying out too quickly.
- Only buy as much bread as you can actually eat.
- Pay attention to the expiration date and do not mix old bread with new bread.
- It is best to place unwrapped loaves in airtight, clean, and dry containers.
- You should never eat moldy bread, because the fungi are not just on the surface but penetrate deep into the loaf. The toxic substances are harmful to humans and are anything but beneficial to health.
- Bread should ideally be stored separately, as they also have different expiration dates. For example, rusks should be separated from toast, and dark bread from white bread.
If you want to enjoy your baked goods for longer, it is best to store themin the refrigerator.Although it loses a little flavor and becomes slightly drier there, it is also less prone to molding. Good packaging is also very important here. If there is still too much left over, simply put it in freezer bags, seal it airtight, and place it in the freezer.
Tip:frozen bread can be kept for one to three months.
Extra tip:if the bread is already too hard, you can make wonderful croutons out of it. Cut the baked goods or bread into bite-sized pieces and fry them until crispy in a pan with a little butter. Goes great with soups or stews.
Read also:Â Mold on bread and food
Photo by Sabine, meinhaushalt.at
