Can I Defrost Bread Rolls in the Microwave

I absolutely cannot resist a beautiful loaf of bread at the bakery—I'm talking baguettes, sourdough, rye. So I end up freezing most of it and wondering "What's the best way to defrost bread?" After all, in my household of one, it's difficult to plow through an entire loaf before it goes stale. I know I'm not alone in this. Unlike refrigerating bread, freezing it is actually the best way to preserve it. Freezing bread dramatically slows down the staling process and reheating it will actually re-gelatinize the starches, making the texture springy and almost totally fresh again. Here's how to freeze bread—and how to bring your frozen loaf back to life:

1. Prep Bread for Freezing

If you're freezing a big hunk of bread, you might not need all of it when you're ready to defrost. So if you'd like the option of taking out individual slices for sandwiches and toast, the best strategy is to slice it before freezing it. Store the slices in a zip-top freezer bag in the freezer, making sure to press out all of the air before sealing.

If you bought a nice loaf from the bakery for dinner, and want to have the remainder to revive as a whole piece for another meal, take a large freezer bag and place the remainder of the loaf in it, sealed carefully with all of the air removed. If it can't fit, just cut it in half first. And remember: Only freeze a large piece if you think you'll be able to eat it over the course of one or two days. You won't want to keep freezing and thawing the bread, since this merry-go-round can negatively the flavor and texture of the bread.

You can also cut the bread into a couple smaller pieces before freezing, or cube the bread for stuffings or strata. Either way, the bread belongs in a zip-top freezer bag.

2. Don't Thaw Bread on the Counter—Heat It

Allowing bread to defrost on the counter at room temperature can actually make it go stale. Heating the bread, on the other hand "will get the starch and water molecules to break down the crystalline regions, producing soft, ready-to-eat bread," according to Cook's Illustrated. As a bonus, heating defrosts the bread much faster than thawing at room temperature.

If you've frozen individual slices

Remove the number of slices you need from the freezer and microwave them on high power until softened, 15 to 25 seconds. " If you'd rather skip the microwave, you can also bake slices on a rimmed baking sheet at 325°F for about 5 minutes.

If you prefer toasted bread, you can toast bread slices straight from frozen, adding a minute or two to the toasting time.

If you've frozen a whole loaf

According to the Epi Test Kitchen, a whole loaf of bread can be defrosted in the oven at 325°F until soft and fully thawed in the middle, 20 to 30 minutes.

Now that you know how to defrost bread, there's no excuse not to buy a quality loaf at your local bakery and have slices stashed away for sandwiches, or big hunks of a loaf ready to be reheated for dinner any time of the week. And if you've forgotten to freeze your leftover bread? No worries. Just make breadcrumbs or panzanella salad.

Since you know how to freeze bread and how to defrost bread, why not learn how to make it?

Can I Defrost Bread Rolls in the Microwave

Source: https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/how-to-defrost-bread-thaw-step-by-step-article

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