Smiley Sue
Assistant Cook
I love baking bread and buns. I have no problem keeping my buns soft and fresh but I dont know how to keep my loaves soft and fresh. I would love tips on how to keep my loaves soft and fresh.
How do I keep bread fresh up to a week?
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HomeCook58
Assistant Cook
Grandma kept her bread in a breadbox. It was in a humid place as I remember and she always had it covered with a cotton dish towel. Since I am over 70 now that's best memory I have.
I buy bread at the USED bread store... i.e. The day old store. I freeze one or two loaves at a time and when I need it set it out the night before needed. It is soft and fresh still. I have also put it in the microwave for a minute or two on med power to warm it.. It won't last as long doing that but it is tasty...
I buy bread at the USED bread store... i.e. The day old store. I freeze one or two loaves at a time and when I need it set it out the night before needed. It is soft and fresh still. I have also put it in the microwave for a minute or two on med power to warm it.. It won't last as long doing that but it is tasty...
justplainbill
Executive Chef
Try enriching your bread dough with some shortening.
I keep bread in the refrigerator for current use, the freezer for later use. It lasts well over a week in the refrigerator. It may be a little bit on the stale side, but never gets moldy.
Even when it gets a little stale, it's not a problem because I usually toast it anyway.
Even when it gets a little stale, it's not a problem because I usually toast it anyway.
When I made homemade loaves it seemed if I loosely wrapped the loaf in aluminum foil it kept better. Maybe that's akin to a breadbox, some air to keep away mold, but not enough air to cause it to go stale quickly.
That's actually one of the reasons I went back to buying my bread at the store.
Maybe you could try increasing the salt without affecting the yeast, since salt is the preservative.
That's actually one of the reasons I went back to buying my bread at the store.
Maybe you could try increasing the salt without affecting the yeast, since salt is the preservative.
Aunt Bea
Master Chef
I'm with bill on this one.
A rich dough containing milk, shortening even eggs and some sugar stays moist longer than a basic dough made with water, salt, yeast and flour.
Another hint is to take some shortening or butter and apply it to the crust when the bread is taken from the oven.
Your post made me think of a group of young Amish folks that were starting a new community in Colorado. The young women wanted to conserve money by making all of the bread and baked goods at home from scratch once a week. The young Amish men would only go along with this idea if the women would bake more than once a week. The young women of course felt that baking more than once a week was too much to ask considering all of the other work they needed to do.
I guess it was what you would call a stalemate!
Aunt Bea
Master Chef
I have been thinking about this and maybe we should not be looking at how to keep the bread fresh. Instead we should be looking at how to have a supply of fresh bread.
Have you tried making up a batch of dough and baking half as you normally would then placing the other half into a plastic bag and storing it in the refrigerator. I have stored dough with good results for 3 or 4 days as long as the dough contained a little sugar to feed the yeast. When you need bread or rolls take out the dough, shape it, let it rise and bake as normal.
Another thought would be to shape the loaves and put a couple into the freezer. The night before you want to bake them take them out of the freezer, put them into pans and set them in a warm place to thaw and rise. Bake as usual.
Have you tried making up a batch of dough and baking half as you normally would then placing the other half into a plastic bag and storing it in the refrigerator. I have stored dough with good results for 3 or 4 days as long as the dough contained a little sugar to feed the yeast. When you need bread or rolls take out the dough, shape it, let it rise and bake as normal.
Another thought would be to shape the loaves and put a couple into the freezer. The night before you want to bake them take them out of the freezer, put them into pans and set them in a warm place to thaw and rise. Bake as usual.
Steve Kroll
Wine Guy
For most of the last 20 years I made bread once a week. What I did was make two loaves at a time. One stayed out on the counter, while the other went in the freezer to enjoy later in the week.
Another trick is to use a longer fermentation and rise time on your dough. Not only will the bread have better flavor, but it will stay fresher tasting longer and be less susceptible to spoilage. Simply add only a fourth of the yeast the recipe calls for, and let it take up to 24 hours to rise (if need be you can even put it in the fridge for up to two days).
And if you do end up with stale bread, don't throw it out. It makes the best homemade bread crumbs, croutons, and stuffing.
Another trick is to use a longer fermentation and rise time on your dough. Not only will the bread have better flavor, but it will stay fresher tasting longer and be less susceptible to spoilage. Simply add only a fourth of the yeast the recipe calls for, and let it take up to 24 hours to rise (if need be you can even put it in the fridge for up to two days).
And if you do end up with stale bread, don't throw it out. It makes the best homemade bread crumbs, croutons, and stuffing.
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GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
You could also use the no knead bread method. You can keep dough ready to use for up to 2 weeks.
http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/
http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/
Zagut
Head Chef
Cooking for one I've always found it hard to use a loaf of bread before it starts to turn.
I guess if I lived by bread alone I could use it fast enough.
I've found freezing it to be the best method to keep it fresh.
If you slice it before it's frozen it easy to remove only what you need and keep the rest of the loaf frozen.
If it's not sliced first a good serrated knife is in order.
A few minutes out of the freezer and it's good to go. Separate the pieces as they thaw.
If need be about 15 seconds in the microwave thaws it out.
Now do you care to share your secret on keeping your bunns soft and fresh.
I guess if I lived by bread alone I could use it fast enough.
I've found freezing it to be the best method to keep it fresh.
If you slice it before it's frozen it easy to remove only what you need and keep the rest of the loaf frozen.
If it's not sliced first a good serrated knife is in order.
A few minutes out of the freezer and it's good to go. Separate the pieces as they thaw.
If need be about 15 seconds in the microwave thaws it out.
Now do you care to share your secret on keeping your bunns soft and fresh.
CWS4322
Chef Extraordinaire
I rarely make a loaf of bread. Instead, I make pitas or rolls (buns). I put mine in ziplock bags. I also put shortening, milk, and egg in the dough. When I do make a loaf, I will rub the top with butter.
Susansmith099
Assistant Cook
Why dont you wrap the bread you won't use straight away in an airtight bag and freeze. Therefor you can eat the fresh bread and then when you're ready for somemore take the second batch out of the freezer?
CWS4322
Chef Extraordinaire
That's what I've trained my parents to do--take 1/2 of the loaf and freeze it (sliced). That way, when the 1/2 loaf is gone, they can take the half out of the freezer. When I make a loaf, I usually slice what is left and put 2 slices per ziplock bag. I eat so little bread, that even 1/2 loaf at a time would be more than I would eat in a couple of days.Why dont you wrap the bread you won't use straight away in an airtight bag and freeze. Therefor you can eat the fresh bread and then when you're ready for somemore take the second batch out of the freezer?
melissacupido
Assistant Cook
hello cari
why not try to put it in the fridge and take it out about an hour before the time
why not try to put it in the fridge and take it out about an hour before the time
Snip 13
Master Chef
I don't seem to have a problem using a whole loaf. With lunch boxes to pack every day and 3 kids that eat sandwiches when they get home I need about 1 and a half loaves per day.
We don't really eat bread over weekends so I only buy half a loaf to prevent spoiling.
Freezing does work though. I used to freeze sliced bread for sandwiches and crusty loaves are great to freeze too. Just put the crusty loaves in the oven for a few minutes at 360F before serving and it will taste freshly baked.
You can also freeze sandwiches wrapped in cling wrap and stored in an airtight container to use for lunches etc. Just make sure the filling is not wet. Only cheese, cold cuts of meat and so on.
We don't really eat bread over weekends so I only buy half a loaf to prevent spoiling.
Freezing does work though. I used to freeze sliced bread for sandwiches and crusty loaves are great to freeze too. Just put the crusty loaves in the oven for a few minutes at 360F before serving and it will taste freshly baked.
You can also freeze sandwiches wrapped in cling wrap and stored in an airtight container to use for lunches etc. Just make sure the filling is not wet. Only cheese, cold cuts of meat and so on.
Snip 13
Master Chef
frenchguycooking
Senior Cook
For a day, just a towel on top of the bread. And for more, the freezer would be nice ( but making new bread would be nicer
