Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Defrosting slices of bread
• Part 2 of 3: Defrosting whole loaves
• Part 3 of 3: Ensuring quality by properly storing the bread
• Tips
• Necessities

If you freeze fresh bread, it will last longer. That is why many people buy large quantities of bread and then freeze it, for example because the bread is on sale or to ensure that they always have fresh bread at home. Bread slices are easy to defrost, but whole breads (such as baguettes, uncut breads and focaccia) should be more careful. Knowing how to store, freeze and defrost bread will keep your bread fresh, crispy and delicious.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Defrosting slices of bread

1. Defrost as many slices as you need. If you only need part of a sliced ​​loaf, it's best to only thaw some slices. If you thaw the whole loaf when you only need a few slices of bread, you should eat the rest quickly, or refreeze it.
   • If you refreeze bread, it dries out, hardens or tastes stale.
   • Remove as many slices as you need from the freezer to thaw and put the rest back.
   • Once the slices are stuck together, you can gently pry them apart with a clean fork or knife.
2. Place the slices on a microwave safe plate. Take the slices of bread you want to defrost and spread them out on a platter or plate. Most plates nowadays can go in the microwave; if you are unsure, check the bottom of the plate as the manufacturer will often put a stamp there stating whether it is safe to use in the microwave.
   • Do not cover the bread. Simply place the slices on the plate with a little space between them.
   • Some bakers recommend wrapping frozen bread in a paper towel before putting it in the microwave.
   • Make sure you can put the plate in the microwave.
   • Do not put disposable plates or plastic plates in the microwave.
3. Heat the frozen sandwiches in the microwave. Although you cannot defrost a whole loaf properly in the microwave, sliced ​​bread can do this. As the bread thaws, the starch molecules will form crystals that can pull out the moisture that was previously in the bread. In the microwave, these crystals are broken down in the bread, so that each slice becomes soft and warm.
   • Set the microwave to the highest setting.
   • Heat the slices for 10 seconds at a time. After 10 seconds, check to see if the bread has thawed, and run the microwave for an additional 10 seconds if necessary.
   • In most microwaves, it takes no more than 15 to 25 seconds for a slice of bread to thaw. But the time may vary depending on your microwave.
   • Do not let the bread sit in the microwave for more than 1 minute or it could burn. Make sure the bread is not too hot when you eat it.
   • Be careful, as microwave-thawed bread can become chewy, hard, or stale. This is because the bread loses moisture as it evaporates in the microwave and pulls out of the bread.
4. Heat frozen sandwiches in a toaster. If you don't have or prefer not to use a microwave, you can also defrost sandwiches in a toaster. This will not work with whole loaves, so only use this method for slices of bread.
   • Some toasters have a "defrost setting" that allows you to defrost bread from the freezer.
   • Also make sure that the bread does not get too hot while you are toasting it.

Part 2 of 3: Defrosting whole loaves

1. Remove the bread from the freezer and let it thaw at room temperature. If you don't have an oven, or if you don't need the bread right away, you can let it thaw at room temperature. How long it takes to defrost depends on how big and thick your bread is. You can check the inside by cutting a slice off it if it looks like it has thawed, or by squeezing the bread to see if it is already soft.
   • Remove the bread from the freezer.
   • Leave the bread in the bag and place it on the counter.
   • In this way, it can take three to four hours for a loaf to thaw completely.
   • When it is done, it will be thawed, but not warm. The crust may have become less crispy, and if it was a very moist bread it may have become soggy or stale.
   • Most bakers think that defrosting in the oven is a better method.
2. Use an oven to defrost a loaf. With an oven you can defrost a bread much faster and more effectively than at room temperature. You then get a nice, warm bread that feels and tastes like it has just been baked.
   • Preheat the oven to 175ºC.
   • Remove the bread from the freezer and from the bag it came in.
   • Place the frozen bread in the center of the oven.
   • Set the timer for 40 minutes. This should be enough to completely defrost the bread so that it is warm inside and out.
   • Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool on the counter for a while until it is at room temperature.
3. Make hard bread soft again. Whether you thawed it on the counter or in the oven, the bread may become stale or hard. Don't worry, you can return this bread to its original crunchy, delicious state.
   • Slightly wet the bread with cold water. You can run it very quickly under the tap or rub the crust with a wet kitchen paper until the bread is moist.
   • Wrap the moist bread in aluminum foil. Make sure that the foil is wrapped tightly around the bread so that no moisture can escape.
   • Place the foil-wrapped bread in the center of the oven. The oven should not be preheated as the bread should heat up gradually.
   • Set the oven to 150ºC.
   • A small sandwich (such as a baguette or pistol) is ready after 15 to 20 minutes, but a large, thick loaf sometimes takes up to 30 minutes in the oven.
   • Remove the bread from the oven, remove the foil and return the bread without the foil to the oven for another five minutes for the perfect crust.
   • Pay attention, because with this method you only make old bread tasty for a few hours. Eat the bread quickly, otherwise it will become hard and stale again.
4. Give the crust of a thawed bread a boost. You can defrost the crust of a bread that is no longer so tasty to its original state by putting it in the oven for a few minutes. Watch carefully so that the bread does not burn, then you will have a delicious, crispy crust again in no time.
   • Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
   • Place the bread without packaging in the oven. Placing the bread directly on the rack will give you a crisper crust, but you can also use a baking tray if you prefer.
   • Set the timer for five minutes and let the bread heat up in the oven.
   • Take the bread out of the oven after 5 minutes and let it cool for another 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. If you cut the bread while it is still too warm, it will be difficult to make nice slices.

Part 3 of 3: Ensuring quality by properly storing the bread

1. Know how long bread usually lasts. You can keep bread from the bakery or supermarket in the freezer for the same amount of time. However, if you freeze bread after its expiration date, it can affect the quality. If you kept bread in the fridge, it may not be tasty enough to freeze anymore.
   • Bread from the baker will usually keep for two or three days after its expiration date if you kept it in the pantry, but not if you put it in the fridge.
   • Factory bread can often be eaten seven days after its best-before date if it has been stored in the cupboard, but not if it has been in the refrigerator.
   • Bread that is properly stored and frozen, whether it comes from the bakery or the supermarket, will keep in the freezer for up to six months.
2. Use good quality freezer bags. Freezer bags made of thicker plastic are more resistant to freezer burn. If you use good quality freezer bags, your bread will stay fresh for as long as possible. You can find freezer bags at the supermarket.
   • Put the bread in a freezer bag. Squeeze out all the air and seal the bag tightly.
   • Put this bag in a second freezer bag. A double bag guarantees quality even better.
3. Freeze the bread well so that it retains its quality. The best way to keep your bread as fresh as possible is to freeze it properly. Providing the right temperature and conditions will keep bread in the freezer in good condition.
   • Freeze the bread as soon as possible after you buy it so that it is not stale or moldy when you put it in the freezer.
   • Make sure your freezer is set to -18ºC so that the bread stays as cold as possible and does not spoil.
   • Write the date you frozen the bread on the bag so you know how long it has been in the freezer. If you are freezing several loaves, put the freshest loaves in the back so that you eat the older ones first.
   • Keep the bread in the freezer until you need it. Make sure that the bread is not exposed to excessive temperature fluctuations.
   • Do not freeze a loaf of bread when it is very humid outside. Moisture can make the bread soft or even moist.
4. Store your bread properly before and after freezing. It is important to store bread properly, whether you have an unfrozen loaf or have just thawed a loaf. Then it stays good longer and it is still tasty when you start eating it.
   • It is better not to keep bread in the refrigerator. Although low temperatures prevent the bread from getting moldy, it can also dry out faster.
   • Bread with a crispy crust and hard rolls are best kept in a paper bag and are best eaten the day they are baked. These breads often survive freezing less well than heavier breads.
   • It is better to keep an ordinary bread at room temperature.
   • Store regular bread in a bread bag, plastic bag or lunch box with good ventilation.
5. Eat bread that has been frozen in time. Bread stays fresh in the freezer for quite a long time, but it doesn't last forever. Even frozen bread has a limited shelf life and should preferably be eaten within a few weeks of freezing (if possible).
   • Some bakers recommend eating frozen bread within three months. Other bakers say it's actually better to eat it within a month.
   • The most important factors in determining whether you should eat the bread within one or three months are the type of bread you have frozen, the conditions in which you stored the bread before freezing it, and whether the bread in the freezer is always empty. has remained the same temperature.
   • Leaving frozen bread in the freezer for too long, or if it has been exposed to drastic temperature changes, can have a negative effect on its quality.

Tips

• Make sure that you store the bread well before, during and after freezing, so that the quality of the bread does not deteriorate.

Necessities

• Breads
• Plastic bags
• Marker
• Tape
• Freezer
• Oven
• Aluminium foil
• Microwave or toaster with defrost setting (optional)