From maddening misnomers (like calling roasted watermelon ‘vegan tuna’) to hacks from hell, we’ve all endured our fair share of rage-bait content on social media. Some are clever and some are just criminal. Reviving stale bread with water? The jury is still out on that one.
The viral method involves taking a stale loaf, running it under cold water and placing it in the oven until it crisps up.
As ‘carbivores’, we hate seeing bread go to waste, especially if it’s a good ciabatta or one of those pricey artisanal loaves. But let’s face it – very few of us can polish off an entire loaf in one sitting. That’s where this kitchen hack might come in handy. ‘Waterboarding’ bread might feel wrong, but think of it more as a ‘bread baptism’ – you’re simply infusing new life into it. Wondering how it works and, more importantly, if it works? The answer is ‘yes’!
@tasty Stale bread need saving? Just run it under water and bake for 5-7 minutes and enjoy! #bread #wetbread
Soaking bread in water is one of the many TikTok hacks that caused chaos and curiosity. The trend first gained traction with videos of water-soaked loaves thrown into hot ovens and miraculously being revived. Naturally, it was met with horror and awe.
The viral method involves taking a stale loaf (or what’s left of it), briefly running it under cold water (yes, literally wetting the entire surface!) and placing it in a hot oven (around 180–200 °C) for 5–10 minutes until the outside crisps up. It’s supposedly best with rustic-style loaves – think ciabatta, sourdough or anything with a crackly crust and tender interior. Since it surfaced, the hack has been tested by many – possibly for shock factor, but also because it works. Here’s why…
The Science Behind the Hack
When bread goes stale, it doesn’t just dry out – it undergoes a chemical process called ‘starch retrogradation’. Basically, the starch molecules in the bread crystallise and firm up, squeezing out moisture and leaving you with that dreaded, unchewable texture. But here’s the clever part – by adding water back into the loaf and reheating it, you can reverse that process.
The water reintroduces moisture to the crumb (the inside of the bread), while the oven’s heat breaks down those hardened starch crystals, returning them to a softer state and making your bread ‘bounce back’. As the oven does its job, the soaked exterior dries out, crisps up and forms a beautiful crust.
Does it work on any bread? Not quite. This hack works best with sturdy loaves – your baguettes, sourdoughs, ciabattas – bread with enough structural integrity to handle a quick rinse. Don’t try this on a slice of soft sandwich bread – unless you enjoy eating soggy slices, which we doubt.
Clever or Criminal?
Sure, you could turn stale bread into breadcrumbs or croutons, but some loaves are destined for sandwiches and French Toast. While many hacks can lead to wasted time and ingredients, this one might be clever enough to try. It’s an effective way to revive stale bread – if it isn’t mouldy, that is!