30 June 2023
Bread makeover | Recipe ideas using bread
You’ve heard all about turning stale bread or crusts and ends into breadcrumbs, croutons, or turning crusts into garlic bread chips or cinnamon sugar bread chips, turning them into bread and butter pudding in a microwave or oven, or make a meal in a mug. Read on for more ideas using up all sorts of bread and some quick tips on how to revive stale bread.
You can crumb the bread
Then make:
- Crumble topping – try this recipe for Crunchy Fruit and Oat Crumble or Hot Cross Bun Fruit Crumble
- Chocolate cake – try this eggless recipe that transforms stale bread into Chocolate Cake
- Breadcrumbs – for stuffing, adding to patties and meatballs, as crispy topping over a pasta bake
Chop or slice your bread
Then make:
- Tomato and bread soup (Pappa al pomodoro)
- Chocky bread muffins
- Garlic bread – super easy to make with softened butter, margarine, or olive oil mixed with grated garlic or crushed garlic then spread on the bread slice or bun and bake. Tip: it helps keep the bread soft if you wrap it or cover it in foil as it bakes.
- French toast – looking for flavour inspiration, check out these 49 Decedent French Toast recipes from Taste of Home
- Cheese and bacon bread pudding
- Savoury bread pudding
Got sliced sandwich or toast bread?
Use as:
- Bread cases or bread cups instead of pastry – try this recipe for Leftover Mashed Potato Bread Cups or Bacon Bread Cases with Raw Energy Slaw
- For something sweet, try making these Berry Bread Puddings
Is it safe to eat mouldy bread?
Unfortunately not.
Visible mould on a slice or two of bread is a good indicator that there is likely to be invisible mould spores throughout the rest of the loaf, so you should put the entire loaf into your compost or food scraps bin. For more information about mould on other foods, read our blog: Is it safe to eat mouldy food?
‘Revive it’ tip
If you’ve got a stale loaf or bun, give it a quick dunk of water or quickly run it under a tap, place on an oven tray and heat it up for 5-10 minutes (or longer for larger pieces) at 140C fan or 160C bake till it is heated through.
Storage
Just a reminder on storage, because of the humidity in NZ our bread tends to get mouldy quicker if left out on the bench. Keep it in the fridge or better yet freeze them. For tips on how to freeze bread so it doesn’t get stuck together, freezing sandwiches, and more ideas, read our blog: What you didn’t know about freezing bread.
More blogs
Click on any of the below for more bread recipe ideas 🍞
