When’s the last time you used a whole packet of bread, down to the last crumb, before it went stale? Most of us try our best, but it seems like there are always a few slices that lie around. 
When there’s a fresh packet of bread in the house we ignore the old one. As days pass by all those unused slices pile up and then we resort to turning the leftover bread into breadcrumbs. However, this article will talk about how to use stale bread to make for so much more, in fact make the most delicious dishes out of it.

As stale bread absorbs a lot more flavour than fresh bread, so there are quite a few things you can do with them. Our recipes are very easy to make like Baked Croutons, Classic British Pudding and the famous bread Soufflé.

1. Baked Croutons

 Baked croutons are delicious, whether you’re having them with soups, salads or as a standalone crispy healthy snack. Making them at home is not that hard. You’ll need:

• 4 slices stale bread
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• some salt to taste 

Instructions:

Chop the bread slices into small squares, and proceed to place them on a baking tray. In a separate bowl, make a mixture from the butter, garlic, chilli powder and salt to make a light paste. Use a brush to spread this paste evenly on the surfaces of the croutons, and bake in the oven for 20 minutes at a temperature of 180 degrees. The croutons will then turn brownish golden, crispy & absolutely delightful to taste!

2. Classic British Pudding

 This Classic British delicacy always calls for stale bread, and there’s no reason why you shouldn’t make it more often because it really is very easy to make. The best bit is, you can easily scale down the recipe accordingly. You’ll need:

• 4 cups bread chopped
• 2 eggs beaten
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon.

In a greased baking dish, place the chopped bread. Whisk the other ingredients together in a large bowl. Proceed to pour the mix evenly on top of the bread. Put the dish in a preheated oven, and bake the bread for 40 minutes at a temperature of 200 degrees. Once you follow this basic recipe, you can branch out by adding almonds, cashews and raisins to it. Serve it with a good chocolate or caramel sauce, and there you have, dessert sorted!

3. Bread Soufflé

 Soufflé roughly translates to “full of air”.The egg whites give the soufflés their signature puffiness. You’ll need

• 3 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp of all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (250 mL) Milk
• 5 egg yolks
• 1 cup (250 mL) of shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) dry mustard
• 1/4 tsp (1.25 mL) salt
• 5 egg whites
• 1 1/2 cup (375 mL) white bread cubes

Instructions:

 Preheat oven to a 190°C. Melt butter in saucepan. Whisk the butter in flour; and cook and stir the mixture over a low heat for 1 minute. Whisk your mixture in milk all at once; cook and stir until thickened. Remove from heat. Whisk in egg yolks, two at a time. Stir in cheese. Add mustard, salt and pepper; mix well. Transfer mixture to large bowl and set aside. Beat 5 egg whites in medium bowl with an electric mixer until it turns stiff but not completely dry. Gently fold whites into cheese mixture. Stir in bread cubes. Pour into ungreased 8-cup (2 L) soufflé dish. Bake in preheated (190°C) oven until the soufflé has risen and is golden brown, about 30-35 minutes. Serve immediately.

These easy to make bread delicacies help you make the most out of that bread packet lying at home. It’s time we show those crusty ends and leftovers some love. So get started and do let us know how they turn out.