How to Recycle Stale Bread to Make Fresh Bread
Using stale bread to make fresh bread saves you money by recycling the ingredients you already have. Consider this quick bread, raised with baking soda, instead. This bread takes cues from Boston brown bread and traditional bread pudding.
Rather than using the coarser rye flour and cornmeal of Boston brown bread, this recipe substitutes stale bread ground into bread crumbs. The steaming method used to bake this bread adds moisture, returning flavor and texture to the stale bread.
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Things You'll Need
- Deep baking dish or roasting pan
- 2 to 3 cups stale bread cubes
- Food processor
- 2 mixing bowls
- Water
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 beaten eggs
- ½ cup molasses, honey or maple syrup
- 2 cups buttermilk or sour cream
- 1 cup diced, dried fruit or nuts (optional)
- 1 lb. metal coffee can or 1 lb. metal loaf pan
- Cooking spray
- Aluminum foil
Instructions
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1
Preheat the oven to 400° F. Pour water two inches deep into the baking dish. Set the dish on the bottom rack or floor of the oven.
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2
Process the bread cubes in the food processor in several short bursts until fine in texture.
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3
Combine two cups of bread crumbs, one cup whole wheat flour, 2 tsps. baking soda and 1 tsp. salt in a mixing bowl.
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4
In a separate bowl, stir together the eggs, molasses, buttermilk, and dried fruit or nuts.
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5
Gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry just to combine. Refrain from over-mixing, which results in a tough bread.
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6
Coat the inside of the coffee can or loaf pan with cooking spray and dust lightly with flour.
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7
Pour the bread batter into the prepared coffee can or loaf pan and cover the top tightly with aluminum foil.
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8
Set the can or pan into the water in the baking dish in the oven and turn the temperature down to 350 F.
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9
Add more water to come halfway up the side of the loaf pan or coffee can.
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10
Bake the bread for 90 to 120 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of the loaf comes out cleanly. Refill the water in the baking pan as needed to maintain the water level.
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11
Remove the can or loaf pan from the water filled baking dish. Let the bread cool completely in the pan before turning out and cutting.
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Tips & Warnings
Substitute ¾ cup white or brown sugar or the equivalent sugar substitute instead of the molasses.
Use any of the following for the optional dried fruits or nuts: raisins, cranberries, currants, walnuts, pecans or dates.
