Your bread gets hard in the fridge because the cold temperatures speed up starch retrogradation, a process where starch molecules recrystallize and firm up, making the bread stale much faster than at room temperature, even if wrapped. While freezers slow this down and the fridge helps prevent mold for a day or two, the ideal place for fresh bread is room temperature (or a bread box), and the freezer is best for long-term storage to preserve texture.
The problem with temperatures above freezing is the starches that were broken down during the baking will recrystallize. This is why a well wrapped and refrigerated loaf will start to become hard.
—but trust us: You actually do want to stick that loaf of bread underneath the kitchen faucet. Turn on the water so it's running in a slow, steady stream (it doesn't matter if the water is hot or cold). Position the cut side of the loaf away from you and run the stale loaf of bread under the running water.
Some people swear by keeping loaves in sealed Pyrex or Tupperware containers with a layer of uncooked rice in the bottom; the rice appears to absorb just enough moisture to discourage mold, while the bread stays soft.
It looks over proofed. It's usually after the rise falls again. You're looking for a domed top that slowly bounces back when you press on it. It'll be harder to shape when is over proofed as the dough will seem runnier and flat.
If your recipe calls for a 1- to 3-hour rise at room temperature (either first or second rise), opt for a long (8- to 12-hour) rise in the refrigerator. It can last up to about 16 hours, depending on the recipe, but be careful not to let the bread dough overproof.
As it starts to collapse from overproofing, it loses its airiness. Your bread will flatten. If a loaf is just slightly overproofed, it can be delicious and custard- like. But, the longer it goes, it can seem wet and even gummy.
Contrary to popular belief, keeping bread in the fridge will make it stale. It is best to leave it in a place where it can stay at room temperature or get a bread box for optimal bread storage. This is best for homemade bread, but store-bought loaves will keep longer in the fridge.
Hold the bread at room temperature, or in the freezer. Starch retrogrades most quickly around refrigerator temps. Wrap it well. This only works so well because the water does not have to leave the loaf for staling to occur, it only has to leave the starch molecules in the bread.
Keep bread fresh by stopping moisture loss. Sliced bread should last for 2 to 5 days in its wrapper or in an air-tight container. Storing bread in the fridge is not recommended as it can become stale quickly at low temperatures. Store bread in the freezer if you want to keep it for longer than 5 days.
The more moisture that is lost during baking, the drier the crust becomes, which ultimately results in a hard crust texture. Smaller loaves and rolls lose a higher proportion of their moisture weight because of a higher surface area to volume ratio. Larger loaves lose less moisture to evaporation.
Fortunately, one of the most glaring baking problems has an easy solution: ensuring your bread stays moist. The key is twofold: use quality ingredients and let the dough stand overnight. If you're using storebought flour, opt for “bread flour,” which will hold better in heat and help create a more tender crumb.
The fridge
At 3 to 5 °C, bread stales faster than in the freezer or at room temperature. The fridge will prevent moulds growth and spoilage, and lower moisture loss than when at ambient conditions (without plastic bag) but starch properties change a lot faster here, leading to faster staling.
Crusty types of breads almost always benefit texturally from being stored at room temperature. You can really notice the deleterious effects when you refrigerate crusty breads like baguettes, ciabatta and focaccia.
The loaf has lost its tall shoulders, and is starting to flatten. A weaker flour would have shown more of the overproofing in a flattening shape, more dense crumb, and a dense strip of small holes at the bottom of the loaf. The strong flour disguises some of the effects of overproofing.
There's something magical about the bread you get at your local bakeries - they're always sooo soft and fluffy. Many of these breads, especially packaged ones, are made with a ton of chemical additives such as calcium propionate, amylase, and chlorine dioxide which help keep them soft, light, and fluffy for days.
Egg has protein, fat, water and while the fat and water soften the crumb, the protein helps with strengthening the gluten and capturing more CO2. Eggs are also helping with leavening the dough which adds to the rise. Doughs that have more egg usually rise more, so go ahead and play around a bit!
While it may seem like a good idea to pop your bread in the refrigerator, it can actually cause it to become stale more quickly. This is because bread contains starches that recrystallize at lower temperatures, leading to a dry, hard texture.
Bread boxes are the best containers to keep bread fresh. A bread box is typically recommended as the best method for bread storage because they are designed to balance moisture and airflow, helping to prevent both mold and staling.
About this method: I kept the loaf of bread on the bottom shelf of my fridge, toward the front. Every few days I would open up the package, take out a slice, and close it up again using the plastic bread clip that came with the package.
Dough which has risen far too long outside of the oven won't rise as much inside the oven, so your bread will be less floofy than it might have been. It'll taste fine though. It'll be less floofy, but it's not like it won't still be awesome.
Over proofed dough is dough that has bulk fermented too long. You can visually tell if your dough is over proofed when it lacks structure, caves in, is stringy, very sticky, unmanageable, etc. How does dough over proof? The yeast eats through the sugars in the dough and the gluten structure weakens.