What can I do with stale hard French bread?

10 Ways to Use a Stale Baguette

Make a killer panzanella.
DIY those breadcrumbs.
Make some meatballs.
Croutons!
Add eggs and vegetables, bake, and call it strata.
Or Go Sweet and Bake a bread pudding.
Slice it into crostini.
Use it to Thicken soup.

How do you make French bread stale?

Here’s how to make it fresh! Simply drench your rock-hard baguette in cold water then tightly wrap it in aluminum foil. Next, place the wrapped baguette in the oven (not preheated), then set the temperature to 300°F and let is heat for 12 to 15 minutes.

Why does French bread stale quickly?

Bread goes stale when it loses moisture. Because French bread contains no oil, it loses moisture more rapidly than other breads made with fat. While it might seem like a good idea to store your French bread in the refrigerator to keep it soft, doing so dries it out faster.

What is day-old bread?

I’m not familiar with them. —L.D., Los Lunas, New Mexico Day-old bread cubes are made from day-old bread that is sliced into cubes. They’re easy to make. Start with a good-quality firm bread that is beginning to dry out—it will better absorb the liquid ingredients and seasonings.

What can I substitute for day old bread?

Dishes like stuffing, french toast, stratas, and bread pudding may be thrifty ways to give yesterday’s bread a second life, but that doesn’t mean that there’s always stale bread on hand when a craving hits.

How do you get day old bread?

Giving your bread a quick bake in a 350ºF oven will starve it of its moisture—which is exactly what you’re looking for. Cut your loaf into evenly sized cubes or slices (depending on what you’re making), and toast them, dry, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.

How long does it take bread to go stale?

Store-bought bread, both multi-grain, whole-grain, and white, lasts about 5 to 7 days in the pantry. While it might still be safe to eat after a week, it’s usually stale by this point. When it comes to homemade bread, you can store in the pantry for about 4 to 5 days.

What does day old white bread mean?

It’s always been my understanding that “day old bread” is just stale… It’s stiff and tends to hold batters better… Just leave the bread out of the wrapper for 24 hours. *Edit… It holds batter better because it doesn’t get as mushy as fast as using fresh bread.

Should you use stale bread for French toast?

The way French toast originated is that it was a way to use up day-old bread. But it also turns out that slightly stale bread is actually the best for making French toast because stale bread absorbs more of the egg mixture than fresh bread will.

What is a good side dish for French toast?

What to Serve with French Toast (15 Fantastic Side Dishes)

Bacon. Who can say no to bacon in the morning?!
Syrup. There’s a reason why syrup is the most popular topping for French toast.
Scrambled Eggs.
Fresh Fruit.
Banana.
Peaches.
Sausage Links.
Strawberry Yogurt.

What bread makes the best toast?

Tender, buttery brioche can’t take high heat; denser, moister whole-grain breads can. Challah, ciabatta, semolina bread, baguettes split lengthwise, pain de campagne — all make fine toast (actually, day-old bread makes the best toast), given proper attention.

How do you make French toast not soggy?

Soak the bread in the mixture about 20 seconds per side, then transfer to a separate baking sheet, so it doesn’t get soggy. Lower oven temperature to 200F (to keep cooked french toast warm). Add butter to a skillet, and cook over low heat.

Why is restaurant toast so good?

“Toast can definitely serve simply as a vehicle and a tool, a means for picking up egg yolks or delivering jam, but it’s also an important flavor and texture element on its own,” López-Alt says. “Without toast, jam would be cloyingly sweet and completely soft. Toast adds savory notes as well as crunch and structure.”

Why does restaurant bread taste better?

Home-made toasts taste better as normally the bread is toasted over a low fire with a lot of care. It is turned and toasted to perfection. At restaurants the toast is either prepared in a toaster or over a heavy bottomed pan, so that it is prepared without much loss of time. Hence the difference.

What kind of butter do restaurants use?

Unsalted Butter