Adding a shortening agent: Try enriching your bread dough with some shortening. A rich dough containing milk, shortening even eggs and some sugar stays moist longer than a basic dough made with water, salt, yeast and flour. This maybe one of the best way to keep bread fresh.
Wrap it in aluminum foil: Using foil is a common way to preserve bread. When using aluminum foil, carefully wrap every part of the loaf to protect it from direct air, which causes staleness. Place the loaf in a paper bag or bread box for short-term storage.
*If making your own bread, choose recipes that include fats like butter, oil or eggs. These ingredients will help the preserve the bread and keep it softer for longer. *Wait for your freshly-baked loaf to cool completely before storing.
Lecithin A Natural Bread Preservative
Adding lecithin to your regular loaf of bread helps keep it fluffy and light. At the same time, it acts as a natural preservative for your bread. Powdered ascorbic acid is another well-known natural food preservative used in bread.
Make and bake your homemade bread, quick bread, or rolls and freeze to keep them fresh until you're ready to serve (this works great for the holidays). Wrap cooled bread (sliced or whole) or rolls in foil; place in resealable plastic freezer bags or freezer containers.
Acidification is commonly used in breadmaking to preserve breads and on top, is one of the sourdough mechanisms that improves the shelf life of the baked goods. Adding 1% of vinegar on the flour weight is a natural way to acidify your dough, and thus your bread.
The main cause for homemade bread drying out so quickly is the fact that no preservatives are used in the baking process. Store-bought bread uses preservatives that not only keep it moist but also help keep mold away. Homemade bread lacks preservatives, and so it does not last nearly as long as a store-bought loaf.
Freeze your bread
"Freezing bread is the best way to preserve that crusty loaf for the longest time possible. Wrap tightly in a freezer bag, either whole or sliced.
Storing your bread on the countertop in a plastic bag (or well-sealed plastic wrap) will help keep it from going stale, but be warned: the crust will suffer and grow mold due to trapped moisture. Toasting the bread (if it's too soft but not yet moldy, of course) will bring some of the crust's crunchy texture back.
A dough with added vinegar will have a better shelf life. This is mainly to do with the lowering of the pH value of the bread. This environment is harder for bacteria to bread. Therefore, reducing the likelihood of mould developing.
Before putting your loaf of bread in the fridge, you want to cut some holes in the bag so that the moisture doesn't remain inside, condensate, and cause mould to grow faster. Using a pair of scissors, make small cuts around the top of the bag where it pleats before it's sealed.
Wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap, then wrap it again in foil or freezer paper. Label with the date and freeze for up to six months. Tip: Slice your bread before you freeze it. That way, you won't have to thaw and refreeze the entire loaf every time you want a slice or two.
Bread should be stored in an air-tight container, but still have some room to breath. Any kind of tin or bread box will work, as long as the lid fits tightly enough to keep air out.
Add fat to lubricate the crumb
By introducing fat, such as butter, oil, lard or vegetable fat, we will get softer results. Fat lubricates and tenderises the gluten to keep it moist and less chewy. They reduce the browning temperature, which shortens the time it takes for the crust to form.
Baking with oil not only requires less work, and results in fewer dirty dishes, than butter, but it also produces tender, moist baked goods that get better with age and boast an impressively long shelf-life.
But now that the fresh stuff, the bread with a great crust and moist interior, is back, the reasons for the breadbox are clear: store one of those beautiful loaves in a plastic bag and it will turn into a tough hunk of foam overnight. A breadbox should keep it fresh for up to three days.
Can Fresh Baked Bread Be Left Out Overnight? You can leave out most fresh baked bread at room temperature for a couple of days with minimal risk of mold growth or staling.
Homemade bread, while flavorful, has a short shelf life because it lacks the preservatives found in commercially produced loaves. No matter what you do, bread will go stale if you keep it at room temperature. The best way to preserve freshness is by freezing.
The acidic properties of vinegar inhibit gluten, some will say. This theory proposes that once the water and flour are combined, gluten starts forming, causing the dough to grow tough. Adding an acid, the theory goes, stops the gluten in its tracks and rescues the crust from toughness.
Absorb Odors Place one slice of bread in a small dish and pour some white vinegar over it. Place the dish in a stinky spot for a few hours (or overnight), and let the vinegar absorb any stinky odors in the room. It's a simple, all-natural odor eliminator!
When combined in baking recipes, baking soda and vinegar (or acid) work together harmoniously to create the leavening process of batters and doughs. Similarly, when combined for cleaning purposes, baking soda and vinegar create an abrasive environment that is tough on stains, dirt, and clogged drains.
You can offer baby flatbreads (the soft kind, not crackers) around 6 months of age, although toasting them can help prevent the bread from gumming up in baby's mouth. You can also roll up a piece of flatbread into a stick shape, to make it easier for baby to hold.
Sourdough bread has a longer shelf life than brewer's yeast bread. It delays starch retrogradation and the staling of bread. This is because sourdough is more acidic and less prone to develop degenerative bacteria and moulds.