How to Soften Crusty Bread

Fresh homemade bread

Bread is a universal food that goes with nearly any meal, be it breakfast, lunch or dinner. Sometimes though, bread can harden and get a tough crust, rendering it more difficult to eat. Thankfully, there are some easy methods you can try to soften up that hard bread crust either during the baking process, or after it's been baked and cooled.

Things You'll Need

• Cloth
• Paper towel
• Microwave
• Plastic bag or container

Instructions

Cloth Method

1. Take a clean washcloth, and dampen it with lukewarm water. You don't want any water dripping from it, so just quickly run it under the faucet then wring it out.

2. Bake bread and when it comes out of the oven, wrap it in your cloth until it has cooled. Be careful to wait and not handle baked bread too soon, as this could lead to a bad burn.

3. Bread crust should stay soft this way, as long as you keep bread stored in a cool place, or freeze it until you are ready to eat it.

Microwave Method

1. Wrap your piece, or pieces, of bread in a paper towel. Try to wrap them a little loosely to allow for proper heating.

2. Place your bread in the microwave and microwave for about 20 to 30 seconds on medium heat. The microwave times will vary. Twenty seconds for a couple of pieces, and 30 for more pieces or hard dinner rolls should suffice.

3. Allow bread to cool before handling or eating.

Plastic Method

1. If you are in the process of baking, bag your bread in a plastic bag, or place it in a plastic container as soon as it has cooled to a warm temperature. The moisture in the heat should keep your crust soft.

2. If bread has already baked and cooled, try placing it in a plastic bag for at least eight hours and then checking to see if the moisture already present in the bag was enough to soften it.

3. Pay attention to mold growth. While this method will soften crust, it also adds moisture to the storage space of your bread, so it can lead to the onslaught of mold faster. This method is best for bread intended to be eaten within the week it is made.

References

• Baking 911