Storing & Heating Your Artisan Bread (2024)

FAQs

What is the best way to store artisan bread? ›

Bread storage takeaways

For best moisture retention, slice bread from the center out, rather than from one end. Store airtight with the two cut halves facing each other and pressed together. Wrapping bread to retain moisture keeps it soft, though it robs crusty artisan bread of its crispy crust.

Let the bread come to room temperature, then pop in the oven for 5-10 minutes at 350 degrees for a warm revitalized loaf. Avoid storing bread in the refrigerator, David cautions. Changes in the alignment of the starch molecules are what cause bread to go stale.

Once thawed, place the bread in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until heated through. Don't Refrigerate: Avoid storing artisan bread in the refrigerator as it causes the bread to dry out and lose its flavor.

Storing bread at room temperature

Place it in a dry spot on the kitchen counter or in your pantry. This will prevent the bread from being exposed to excess heat and moisture. You can also keep it in a bread box, which is often used as part of the decoration in the kitchen.

Plastic bag or replacement wrap (1-4 days [+ frozen])

Plastic is good for breads you desire to be soft (e.g. hot cross buns, soft rolls, brioche). Never put warm bread in plastic as it will sweat and promote mould growth.

A temperature of 190°F at the center will yield bread that's fully baked (soft and moist) but not over-baked (tough and dry). For thin/crusty bread with a dry interior, like baguettes, small crusty rolls, or focaccia, rely on crust color to determine the point of optimum doneness.

You can also add herbs and seasonings such as garlic, rosemary, dill, chopped onion, jalapeño, shredded cheese, chopped nuts, dried cranberries, etc. My no yeast bread is the quick bread alternative here—you can add flavors to that loaf, too! Baker's Tip: Avoid adding too much flour to the dough as you work with it.

Yes! If a recipe calls for proofing bread dough overnight in the refrigerator, it can be proofed on the counter at a warmer temperature for a shorter period. Rather than placing the dough in the refrigerator overnight, leave it covered on the counter for 1 to 4 hours until it's ready to bake.

Mold loves heat, moisture and food sources. For best results, keep your bread away from excess heat and humidity. Keep it away from the stove, off the top of the fridge, away from the fruit bowl etc. Years ago, we used to keep our bread in a plastic bag, in a drawer nestled in-between the dishwasher and fridge.

Both store-bought and homemade bread should freeze well, says Lisa Brooks, the chef and owner of Heart & Soul, a personal chef service. Her go-to method involves wrapping the bread in two layers of plastic wrap and then storing the loaf in a resealable plastic freezer bag before freezing.

How to store homemade artisan bread? ›

Bread bags can keep loaves fresh for the first couple of days after baking. 4. Place it in a standard paper bag: Paper bag storage works best if you have a bread box to protect the loaf from direct airflow. Place the crusty bread in a paper bag, and store it inside your bread box.

A bread box will give you a more orderly way to store the various types of bread most households use and keep them fresh for longer. How does a bread box work? A good bread box works by regulating the amount of humidity your bread and other baked goods are exposed to.

Bread typically is baked at temperatures between 350-475 degrees Fahrenheit. While an all-metal mailbox would definitely get hot, it would not get nearly hot enough to bake bread.

Bread bags can keep loaves fresh for the first couple of days after baking. 4. Place it in a standard paper bag: Paper bag storage works best if you have a bread box to protect the loaf from direct airflow. Place the crusty bread in a paper bag, and store it inside your bread box.

Instead, leave the bread uncovered or loosely wrap it in a clean kitchen towel or paper bag. Store bread at room temperature: Storing bread in the refrigerator can accelerate staling and make the crust go soft. It's best to keep bread at room temperature in a cool, dry place.

The starch molecules in bread recrystallise very quickly at cool temperatures, and cause the bread to stale much faster when refrigerated. Shop-bought loaves should be kept in an air-tight plastic bag at room temperature rather than in the fridge.