Fresh Homemade Bread--How do you keep it soft after it cools?
By vokey9472
@vokey9472 (1486)
United States
April 16, 2007 5:14pm CST
Ok, I need some serious advice on how to keep my homemade bread soft after it cools down. I learned to make homemade bread several months ago and my family loves it. I make anywhere from 3-9 loaves at a time. My family can go through 3 loaves of hot fresh bread in a single day.
My problem is that the bread is really soft and yummy that first day and then once it cools completely down, it startd to get a bit hard. I know that store bought bread is soft for days. I am trying to figure out how to keep my homemade bread soft. I tried putting into plastic bags while still warm, but this caused moisture to collect on the inside of the bag and the bread got soggy.
Any ideas how to keep it soft??
4 people like this
3 responses
@nrnotrare (631)
• United States
17 Apr 07
Hello vokey9472....
As you remove your bread from the pans on to racks, use a stick of butter or margerine like a giant crayon and rub the crust all over completely really well. Let it cool completely on the rack, then freeze as much as you want as soon as possible well sealed.
It should remain decently soft as you use it from the freezer.
This has worked well for me well over 40 years.
Tom
3 people like this
@unusualsuspect (2602)
• United States
17 Apr 07
If you don't have a rack, you can put the bread on a clean kitchen towel to cool. The towel absorbs the moisture and the bottom of the loaf doesn't get soggy. I always cooled my bread completely before putting it into plastic bags, because otherwise, the moisture will condense on the inside of the cool bag. And I also used butter or margarine to coat the loaves. It keeps the crust soft and probably helps keep the bread from drying out as fast as it normally would. That's especially important if you freeze your bread, because the freezing will dry it out slightly.
1 person likes this
@vokey9472 (1486)
• United States
17 Apr 07
Thanks for the tips. I have never let it cool on racks. Maybe that is why the bottom always seems wet to me. I guess it really does need air to circulate under it also to really cool completely. I will try that too. I never thought about freezing the homemade bread. I always freeze store bought bread since I buy at the day old store in bulk. Thanks again for the tips.
2 people like this
@judyt00 (3497)
• Canada
16 Apr 07
I save the bags from store bought bread, andputthem right into thoseas soon s it is cool enough to touch. The moisture is locked in and the crust stays nice and soft. I've also used kitchen garbagebags, you know, the white ones that fit the bathroom waste can. And I've used rubbermaid totes when baking a lot fora party. Anything that seals in the air will work.
3 people like this
@vokey9472 (1486)
• United States
17 Apr 07
I have saved my bags, but maybe I am putting the bread in when it is still too hot. It just seems that my bread gets soggy when I stick into the bags. I will have to try again. THanks.
1 person likes this
@kathy77 (7486)
• Australia
17 Apr 07
Well I do not know how you are going to keep it soft but what we do is when the bread has cooled down we then put it in the freezer and just before we have run out of our bread and we want some fresh bread then we take it out of the freezer, once it is unfrozen, then we pop it back into the over with a bit of milk over it and it is fresh again and normal and is not soft and soggy.
1 person likes this
@vokey9472 (1486)
• United States
17 Apr 07
Thanks for the info. I will try that too. I am just about willing to try anything. According to the Amish cookbook that I am currently trying out, I am supposed to let it cool down and then pop it into buttered paper bags. Then I can store it in my springhouse (i don't even know what a springhouse is) for upto a week. While I love the Amish recipes, I haven't a clue what a springhouse is or even what it is used for. I am currently looking that up. I am pretty sure I don't have one. As for buttered paper bags, where am I supposed to get paper bags?? None of my grocery stores even have paper bags anymore. :)
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