At one of my library talks recently I was asked "do you make bread every day?" It was half way between an accusation and a cry for help, as in, please, say no! Well, I have to come clean, I don't make bread every single day, but I make bread most days - probably six days a week. I don't see having bread left over as a problem, it's just the opportunity to create something else with it. Apart from toast, croutons and feeding it with warm milk (powdered) to the chooks during winter, there are so many uses for stale bread.
I know there are many of you who are trying your hand at bread for the first time, so I thought it would be a good idea to share some of these links for uses for stale bread. When you use stale bread to make something else it doesn't have to be the best piece of bread or, if you're making breadcrumbs, even the same type of bread. But if you're using plain bread and sweet bread, make sure you keep them to their own recipes. If you're new to bread making and you don't like the taste of your bread, if it's not too far off the mark you may be able to save it by turning it into something like bread and butter pudding. Making a pudding out of it will add extra flavour and if your bread's downfall has been that it looks okay but it hasn't got much taste, then go for the pudding option and add more flavour when you make your next loaf.
- Bread and butter pudding or Banana bread and butter pudding
- Italian bread salad
- Bread cases
- Bread sauce
- How to make and freeze breadcrumbs
- Scroll down the page to find Orangette's Nanny's cinnamon toast snacks. I can vouch for these. Delicious!
- Nigel Slater's French toast
- 15 unexpected hacks from chicken soup to broken glass
And now it's over to you. What do you do with your stale bread that's not already on the list?
I rarely have stale bread, as I make 4 loaves at a time, about every week, slice it and freeze it. If there is an unwanted piece of toast or a heel, I make it into breadcrumbs.
ReplyDeleteI am definitely trying the cinnamon toasts! I love the list of 15. The one about cleaning oil paintings with bread really works. I have done that for years to clean our paintings. Our 11 month old grandson loves French toast. I keep leftover slices in the freezer just for him. A quarter of a slice will keep him happy for at least 15 minutes.
ReplyDeleteI add it to meatballs, meatloaf or to spaghetti sauce to bulk both out.
ReplyDeleteIn the meatballs it helps to bulk out and also binds well to the egg so the meatballs don't fall apart!
I do a bread gratin. I cube the bread, mix in some cooked greens and shredded chicken, poura mix of eggs, milk, cheese, salt and pepper over the top and bake.
ReplyDeleteI make three loaves at a time, slice the fresh bread and freeze it so I rarely have stale bread.
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing better than fresh bread. I have been making sourdough everyday for the last week and I can't believe how easy it is.
ReplyDeleteAny leftovers, which is very rare, goes straight into the freezer for breadcrumbs. I used some in some spinach and feta rolls. Delish!
http://livingalittlegreener.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/doin-hugh.html
If I've got an end nub that isn't too stale but looks like going to waste I'll turn it into garlic or herb bread, wrap it in foil and pop it in the freezer so it's ready to go if a meal needs a little extra or needs to unexpectedly feed a few more mouths. I also keep a stash of croutons and crumbs in the freezer. Breadcrumbs are used in a lot of things but one of my favourite is pangrattato - where you fry the breads with oil and flavours and sprinkle on top of pasta or veg - it really does jazz up a frugal pasta dish (particularly if i'm sneaking a meat free version past the better half). Another use for breadcrumbs that I've seen but not tried yet is using as a substitute for flour in cake like shown here http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2011/03/01/bread-crumb-carrot-cake/
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Laura
Hi Rhonda
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post. Great idea and helpful
Carol
At Christmas time if there is any left over croissants from Christmas breakfast I make a dessert like bread and butter pudding with croissants and raspberries. Very easy to make and delicious. Miirih
ReplyDeleteHi Rhonda we freeze our bread but I always save some to give to my chickens they devour it with warm milk we get back huge eggs so everyone is happy the chooks and us :-)
ReplyDeleteI keep all the end crusts, freeze them and then when I've got a bag full I make good old-fashioned Bread Pudding. (This is not the same as Bread and Butter pudding). It has dried fruit, milk, eggs, butter and breadcrumbs in it and comes out as a heavy slab which you cut into squares for eating, like a cake. Or you can have it warm with custard on as a pudding. I'm sure there will be recipes on the interweb somewhere, but I've got to the stage now where I just throw it all together and it comes out right every time. It's a big hit with the pensioners in the Visitor Centre where I work and I'm the only one who knows how to make it!
ReplyDeleteOurs are puddind, definitely! But actually, any kind of bread will do for my family - we just looove breads; especially during mornings with our hot coffee.
ReplyDeleteNice blog you have here. Please post more food-related posts. I love them!
I save stale bread to take to the park to feed the ducks with my 10 month old daughter. I love bread & butter pudding so i will give it a try.
ReplyDeleteI bake bread once a week, making 2 loaves at a time. One is frozen for later in the week. They are both sliced in a machine as I am a rotten slicer! Rarely have any leftover but if I do, bread and butter pudding is our best use up!
ReplyDeleteAlso, i only started baking bread about a month ago after buying a breadmaker from the salvos, i use it to knead then bake the loaf in the oven. Do you have any tips on slicing the bread? I use a serrated bread knife but it is still difficult to cut as the loaf wobbles & ends up quite messy after it's cut.
ReplyDeleteHi Freckles, although it's difficult to wait sometimes, I try to wait until the bread is cold. Slicing it is easier then.
DeleteBreading meats, fish, or vegetables to cook. Queen of Puddings is a great way to use up bread crumbs too. I also add them to homemade suet balls. My husband uses them as part of his ground bait when he goes fishing.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much, those are wonderful links !! I use stale bread to feed the birds, but now I can do more things with it.
ReplyDeleteGreetings from The Netherlands.
Our bread never goes stale! With two little boys all too eager to eat up any leftovers, it's just happened. We bake four loaves of bread every other week. We then slice and freeze them away. This works well for us and allows us to have a piece of toast every morning and the occasional sandwich.
ReplyDeleteHi Rhonda,
ReplyDeleteHere in France stale bread is used to dip in cheese fondu, as it is harder than fresh bread it doesn't break up when dipped in the hot cheese.
Another local treat here is 'Croute'. Stale bread is doused with white wine and cream, then the hard bits on the edges of cheese - called croute - or stale cheese are sprinkled on top. Left over bits of cured ham and an egg are often added before grilling the whole thing. It's delicious and considering it's something made with left over bits and bobs, is often outrageously priced in restaurants.
Bon appétit!
Hi Emma, I've never heard of Croute. It sounds like a good leftovers dish. I'll try it. Thanks!
DeleteI like using older breads to float on french onion soup - add some swiss cheese...
ReplyDeleteMMMM!
Have a lovely day!
-Kristin
My #2 son loves bread pudding so he always snags the heels and the last 2 or 3 pieces of bread and stashes them in the freezer before they can get used. When the bag is full, it's time for a big pan! I make sweet bread pudding with whatever dried fruit or jam I have on hand that needs to be used (home dried blueberries are the favorite) or sometimes just cinnamon and ginger. When it's hot, we serve with a custard sauce topping; when cold, they eat it out of hand like a piece of cake or slice it as thick as bread slices and pan fry it, serving like French toast with syrup.
ReplyDeleteI also make a savory version with cheese, eggs, ham or sausage, onions, maybe spinach or kale, etc. Some folks call this a frittata, I guess.
I make bread crumbs for all kinds of uses: deep fried foods, buttered for topping casseroles, binder for meatballs and loafs, thickener for soups and sauces, etc.
I was lucky enough to have a mom who taught me a lot of homemaking skills and then those were fine-tuned and expanded with life experience of being very short of money and lots of mouths to feed. I can't hardly 'waste' a thing; even when food isn't edible for us, we trade it for eggs by feeding our chickens with it.
Hi Rhonda! Do you have any tips for making bread fluffier and lighter. Everytime I made my bread it is always dense and really heavy. I kneed it correctly and allow it to double in size as receipes state. Do you know how I can improve? Your breads look amazing!
ReplyDeleteThe lightness of bread is down to two things - the type of flour you use and the length of time you knead the dough. Spelt, wholemeal, rye flour will not rise as much as white flour. If you're kneading by hand, you must knead vigorously for at least 10 minutes. If you're already doing that, try adding a teaspoon of either cornflour (cornstarch) OR vinegar to you dough mix.
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