Do you like freshly baked bread, but you don’t have time to bake bread every single day? This is one of the problems very many of us have to deal with all the time.
Freshly baked bread is delicious, but it can be a drag to prepare it on a daily basis. Not to mention that most people don’t have time to spend on bread making.
So, is it possible to enjoy fresh bread without having to prepare it from top to bottom? There is one hack that will help you on this matter. You could freeze bread and keep it from getting it spoiled too soon. Will this change the taste or consistency of the bread?
We all eat bread every day, in various quantities. Once baked, bread can last for a few days if kept in proper conditions.
However, a few days old bread will not taste quite the same as freshly baked bread. Also, it could get harder and lose all its moisture and chewiness.
Most certainly you’re wondering if you can save some time by baking or buying more than one bread at once. Still, you want to know how to store it safely, so it can last for as long as it is possible.
Well, freezing your bread can be a great solution, in spite of the fact that it may sound weird.
Freezing is better than putting bread in the fridge
Some may be tempted to think that refrigerating bread is better than freezing it. The truth is that the cold temperatures inside the fridge will prevent mold from forming on the bread.
So, storing bread at lower temperatures can keep it from getting spoiled. But, inside the fridge, the bread will go stale faster.
This means that it will lose its taste and consistency rather fast. In fact, it is better to keep bread in a plastic bag at room temperature, instead of placing it in the fridge. If you buy bread from the store, as soon as you get it home put it inside a plastic bag.
Keep the paper bag in which the bread is sold and simply wrap it that way in a plastic bag. This will prevent the bread from getting too dry and hard.
But, if you want to preserve the flavor and properties of bread, it’s best to freeze it. Frozen bread will taste the same as freshly baked bread. Just make sure to freeze it while it is still fresh, instead of waiting until it gets dry or stale.
How to freeze bread correctly
If you buy bread from the store, save some that will be eaten shortly and freeze the rest. You could easily buy two smaller loaves of bread and freeze one, keeping one for consumption for the next day or two.
The sooner you freeze bread after purchasing it, the better it will preserve its flavor. For safekeeping in the freezer, wrap the bread in a plastic bag.
Those that bake bread at home can do the same. You can bake a larger bread and freeze half or bake more than one bread at once.
This way, you will have bread saved for later and it will still be as delicious as on the day you baked it. Just wait for the freshly baked bread to completely cool down before putting it in the freezer.
It is not advisable to freeze warm bread, as there can be too much moisture buildup inside the bread’s bag as you freeze it.
It is worth mentioning that there are two types of bread freezing, depending on how much you want to keep the bread in the freezer.
If you want to freeze the bread for a short term, which is less than 3 weeks, wrapping the bread in a plastic bag, freezer paper, or foil will do.
If you want to freeze it for more than 3 weeks, wrap it tightly in plastic, then in freezer paper or foil. It would be ideal to write the date on the bread bag before putting it in the freezer.
This way you will know for how long the bread has been frozen. Frozen bread should be consumed within 6 months after freezing. If it sits for longer in the freezer, it will get an unpleasant freezer-like taste.
How to prepare frozen bread
So you need some bread and you know you have a frozen loaf waiting for you. How to proceed next? To enjoy fresh bread right out of the freezer, preheat the oven at medium to high temperatures.
Get the bread out of the freezer, splash it with a small amount of water, and immediately place it in the oven. 5 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven will be sufficient to revive your frozen bread. It will taste just like when it’s freshly baked.
Don’t allow the frozen loaf of bread or buns to sit for too long at room temperature. It will get too soggy and you won’t be able to repair it in the oven.
Frozen bread is best if you place it in a heated oven while it is still frozen. If you have frozen bread slides, you can use them directly in the toaster. They will come out nice and warm, even slightly crunchy.
Now you know that freezing bread can make it last for longer. It is one of the best methods to use if you want to preserve the flavor of the bread right after baking.
Considering that it is ready for consumption in approximately 10 minutes, you can take the bread out of the freezer early in the morning.
Just toss it in the oven and you’ll have warm bread to enjoy before you know it. This way you could bake bread at the weekend, when you have more time at your disposal, and freeze it for the entire week.
You won’t have to worry about fresh bread ever again. When you realize that you forgot to buy bread, it’s great to simply open the freezer and get some from there.