Rolls, gray bread, yeast plait: Germany loves bread - but sometimes a little too much. Because who doesn't know it: often our eyes in the bakery are bigger than our hunger. And let's be honest: If the whole family or shared apartment doesn't help with the meal, it's almost impossible to eat an entire loaf of bread on your own.
Around two million tons of bread and baked goods end up in the trash every year in Germany (source: WWF). But this can be avoided!
With the right storage, bread lasts longer, but even dry baked goods can be given new life. We show you tips and recipes for using up leftover bread and thus reducing food waste .
Store bread properly
To prevent your bread from becoming bone dry or moldy after just a few days, there are a few rules.
- It is best to store fresh bread at room temperature in a bread box, clay pot or cloth bag. Place the cut bread on the cut edge. In plastic bags and other airtight containers, the air cannot circulate and moisture builds up, which promotes the formation of mold. Tip: The paper bag from the bakery is also ideal for keeping bread fresh for a long time.
- It is best to store bread and baked goods in a dark place and protect them from direct sunlight. Directly at the window there is a risk that the bread will dry out more quickly when ventilated.
- Bread and rolls that are stored in the refrigerator quickly lose their flavor and become dry. The refrigerator is suitable for storing baguettes etc. on very hot summer days.
- If you can estimate early on that you won't eat all the rolls or that the loaf of bread is simply too big, you can simply freeze the bread and rolls. This has the advantage that the baked goods last up to six months and can then easily be defrosted or baked again. Freeze baked goods in a freezer bag and moisten them with water before baking. Slices of bread can also simply be toasted in the toaster.
What if the bread is moldy?
If you discover mold on bread, you should be on the safe side and throw the whole bread away. Because: Even if mold is only visible in one place, the mold spores can be detected throughout the entire bread. Unfortunately, simply cutting away the moldy piece is not a good idea.
Turn old into new: This is how you spice up dry bread
Juicy, fluffy and wonderfully aromatic: bread simply tastes best fresh. Nothing is worse than stale bread that makes you almost bite your teeth. However, if bread becomes dry or sticky, you can freshen it up with a few tricks:
- Moisten the rolls with water and bake them in a preheated oven (approx. 150 °C fan oven) for approx. 5 to 10 minutes and the rolls will be like new - including a crispy crust! The trick also works with loaves of bread: wrap the bread in a damp kitchen towel and bake it for about 15 minutes.
- Give stale bread a steam bath. No joke: To do this, put half a centimeter of water in a pot, place a bowl or plate in it and place the bread on top (important: the bread should not come into contact with the water!). Turn on the stove and heat the water until it steams. Put the lid on the pot and let the bread steam on a low level for about 10 minutes. After you have aired the bread out briefly, it will be nice and juicy again and like new!
Instead of throwing it away: use old bread
Sometimes first aid no longer helps. Old and dry bread doesn't have to end up in the bin.
Breadcrumbs made from old bread
An absolute classic: Use old bread for breadcrumbs or breadcrumbs. To do this, use a grater to process old pieces of bread or baguette into fine crumbs.
The crumbs can, for example, be used excellently for preparing falafels or lentil balls - or for baking with baking tins so that the dough can be easily removed: Grease baking tins and then sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
Crispy croutons and bread granola
Nothing beats a really good crunch in a salad or smoothie bowl. Hard and dry bread can simply be cut into cubes and then fried in a pan with a little oil. For pan granola made from bread, it is best to use coconut oil and add a few seeds, nuts and coconut flakes.
Salad in a new – or old – way: bread salad
A salad made from bread cubes is also a delicious way to use old bread: mix lots of fresh ingredients such as tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, spring onions and fresh basil with the bread cubes and season with plenty of olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper - the Tuscan one is ready Panzanella bread salad.
Crunchy bread chips
Cut the dry bread into thin slices and place it on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Drizzle with plenty of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and herbs of your choice and bake in a hot oven until crispy. So good!
Recipe: Bread Pudding with Cashew Caramel
Leftover bread can not only be used for savory purposes: rolls etc. can also be used as a basis for sweet dishes and desserts. We have a recipe for a delicious bread casserole for you: vegan, sugar-free and absolutely delicious! Trying it out is a must.
Ingredients for 1 baking dish
- 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed
- 1/2 loaf of bread or 4 rolls (white, gray or mixed bread)
- 400 ml coconut milk
- 100 ml orange juice
- 1 TL orange zest
- 10 Medjool dates
- 1 EL Almond Candy
- 2 TL ground vanilla
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 5 EL date syrup
- 70 g dried sour cherries (or: raisins, cranberries, chopped dates, ...)
- 50 pecans
-
Coconut oil for greasing
For the casting
- 50 g Medjool dates
-
3 EL Pink Cashew
preparation
- Whisk flaxseeds with 5 tablespoons of water in a small bowl and let stand for 10 minutes. Cut the rolls or bread into small cubes and place them in a large bowl (if the crust is very hard, you can cut it away if necessary).
- Place coconut milk, orange juice, orange zest, dates, almond candy, vanilla and cinnamon in a blender and puree. If the dates aren't completely smooth, that's okay. Add the liquid mix, the whisked linseeds and date syrup to the bread cubes and mix carefully so that all the bread cubes are covered. Then fold in the raisins and pecans. Let the dough stand for 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, preheat the oven (top/bottom heat: 180°C, circulating air: 160°C, electric stove: see manufacturer's instructions). Grease a baking dish with coconut oil, pour in the dough and press it into the dish. Bake for an hour.
- For the glaze, puree all the ingredients together in a blender until smooth.
- Drizzle the glaze over the bread pudding and enjoy warm.
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