How do I make stale bread soft again?
Run the whole stale loaf under the tap for about one second, then bake it directly on the oven rack at 350°F (175°C) for 5 to 8 minutes. The water turns to steam and softens the crumb while the crust crisps. It works best on crusty loaves one or two days old. Eat it warm.
How to do it
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C)Let the oven heat up fully before the bread goes in, so the loaf spends its 5 to 8 minutes at the right temperature.
- Check that the loaf is stale, not spoiledThe method works best on crusty bread one or two days old. Throw out any loaf with mold, because heating it does not make it safe.
- Rinse the whole loaf under the tap for about a secondGet the crust wet all over, but don't soak the loaf through. A quick pass under running water is enough.
- Bake it directly on the oven rack for 5 to 8 minutesUse no pan and no foil, so hot air reaches every side. Baguettes and small loaves need closer to 5 minutes, larger loaves closer to 8.
- Eat it while it is still warmRevived bread usually goes stale again within a few hours, so only revive what you plan to eat right away.
Questions that come up
Does this work on soft sandwich bread?
Not very well. The trick relies on a thick crust that takes the water and then crisps back up. Soft sliced bread tends to turn soggy or tough instead. For sliced bread, toasting is usually the better fix, or a few seconds in the microwave under a damp paper towel if you eat it immediately.
Can I revive bread that is several days old?
Sometimes, but results drop off quickly. A loaf that is two or three days old usually comes back well. A loaf that is rock hard all the way through may only soften partly. At that stage it is often better used for croutons, breadcrumbs or bread pudding.
Can I do this with half a loaf?
Yes. Wet the crust as usual, and cover the cut face with a piece of foil so the exposed crumb does not dry out further in the oven. Smaller pieces heat through faster, so start checking at around 4 to 5 minutes.
Why does revived bread go stale again so fast?
Staling is mostly the starch firming up again, not just the bread drying out. Heat reverses that temporarily, but the loaf has also lost some moisture along the way. Once it cools, the starch firms up again, usually within a few hours, which is why it is best revived right before eating.
Full transcript
Stale bread? Rinse it and bake it again. Run the whole loaf under the tap for just a second. Straight onto the oven rack at 350 for five to eight minutes. The water steams the crumb soft while the crust crackles again.