How to keep homemade bread from getting hard so quickly
I recently started making bread at home on weekends but it gets rock hard after a couple of days. I've tried storing it in bags, in containers, even in aluminum foil but nothing really works.
2 answers
★ Best answer
What works best is keeping the bread in a cloth or paper bag while it's still warm, that way it keeps the moisture in without sweating too much.
If you want it to last more days, the ideal thing is to freeze it in portions once it cools down completely, because that way it preserves the texture and you can thaw only what you need.
Avoid airtight containers because they trap all the moisture and it ends up getting kind of gummy, and aluminum isn't great for this either. Try a bakery bag or a regular cloth bag, that makes a pretty big difference.
Don't store it in airtight containers because they trap too much moisture and leave it gummy, not crispy. The key is finding the right balance: a paper or cloth bag while it's still warm works well, but if you want it to last several days without getting hard, freeze it as soon as it cools completely - the freezer stops the starch aging process, which is what actually makes bread hard and dry. Then you thaw whatever you need without losing almost any texture.
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