Resting bread is a crucial step in bread baking that many amateur bakers may skip over. By doing so, they are cheating themselves out of the best flavor and texture they could get out of their loaf.
Bread should be rested anywhere from thirty minutes to several hours after baking to allow it to finish cooking and to allow for starch retrogradation. Failing to rest bread properly can lead to an improper texture, a lack of flavor depth, and a bread that goes stale faster.
If your baked bread isn’t turning out quite like you expected even though you’ve followed all the other baking instructions down to the letter, chances are you aren’t resting your bread long enough. Keep reading to learn more about how long bread should be rested and why this part of the baking process is so important.
How Long Should Bread Be Rested?
The amount of time needed to rest bread is dependent on the type of bread baked and the size of the loaf. Here are some general guidelines for resting baked bread:
- Rolls and baguettes: 30 minutes or more
- Small loaves: 1 hour or more
- Large loaves: 2 hours or more
- Sourdough loaves: 4 hours or more
Without resting the bread completely before cutting it, bakers can almost guarantee their baked goods are going to be ruined before they even take a bite. Many of the texture and flavor problems found in baked goods made by new bakers are the result of not resting the bread long enough. Even if you baked the bread well otherwise, this mistake can ruin it.
Why Should Bread Be Cooled Before Cutting?
Bread should be rested and cooled before cutting because it continues to cook even after it is removed from the oven. This fact is especially true for sourdough loaves, which take a longer time to cool down and stop the chemical process of cooking due to the fermentation they contain.
Bread also needs to be rested because of a chemical reaction that occurs during the cooling process called starch retrogradation.
What Is Starch Retrogradation in Baking?
In baking, starch retrogradation refers to how bread molecules shift in response to the bread expelling water through evaporation that was absorbed during the baking process. It is only once this excess water is fully expelled that bread develops its light, airy crumb and texture.
What Happens If Bread Is Cut Too Early?
If bread is not rested before cutting, several things will change in the bread’s flavor profile. Here are some of the changes you can expect if you cut your freshly-baked bread too early:
- Texture problems: If you cut bread too early and don’t let it rest, extra water in the bread will cause it to have a gummy, dough-like texture. This texture will also prevent the bread from cutting properly, which means that pressing a knife against the bread’s surface will squish it flat rather than cutting it.
- Bland flavor: Not giving the bread enough time to rest also prevents the full development of its flavor. Because the steam that is finalizing the baking process is expelled too early through cutting, the bread ends up underdone on the inside. This gives it a bland flavor in comparison to properly rested breads.
- Reduced shelf life: Bread that has not been properly rested expels its steam too early in the baking process. This causes the bread to dry out faster during storage, and will cause it to go stale days early.
Resting bread offers several advantages for baking bread compared to the issues found above. But what exactly does resting do to bread?
What Does Resting Do to Baked Bread?
Resting baked bread allows the excess water in the bread to evaporate naturally during the cooling process. This results in a bread texture that is dry, chewy, and pleasant. Allowing natural evaporation during the resting process also helps seal in necessary moisture on the loaf’s interior, keeping it fresh for a longer period after baking.
Resting Bread FAQ
Once you’ve determined how long you need to rest your bread, the next thing to figure out is exactly how to do it. Resting bread improperly can cause just as many problems as not resting it long enough.
What Is the Minimum Time Bread Should Be Rested?
The minimum time bread should be rested is thirty minutes. If a loaf of bread is eaten before this time is up, it should be torn into pieces and served in a rustic fashion rather than cut with a knife. This will preserve the texture of the bread and prevent it from being squished by the knife during cutting if it’s still moist on the inside.
Where Should Bread Rest?
Bread should be removed from the pan it was baked in and rested on a countertop. This will allow the excess steam in the still-baking bread to evaporate naturally as the bread rests and dries. Resting bread in the pan should be avoided, as the water will cause condensation on the inside of the pan and will create a soggy loaf.
Should You Cover Bread While Resting?
Bread should not be covered during resting because this prevents the moisture in the bread from evaporating naturally. Instead, bread should be rested and then covered with a towel or placed in a bread box as soon as the resting process is complete.
Should Bread Be Rested Before Storage?
Fresh-baked bread should always be rested thoroughly before storing it. If bread isn’t rested properly, this can cause it to go stale prematurely in storage even if it is stored in an airtight container. It is especially important to rest bread if you’re planning on slicing it before storing it since not resting it can ruin the look and texture of the bread slices.
How Long Can Bread Rest at Room Temperature?
Bread can rest at room temperature for up to eight hours before it should either be frozen or stored in an airtight compartment. It’s advisable that if you’re planning on leaving a loaf of bread out longer than two hours to rest that you cover it with a dish towel or some lightly placed plastic wrap to prevent it from getting dirty on the countertop.
Resting Bread Is Vital to the Perfect Loaf
If you’ve had issues with the texture of your homemade bread in the past even while following the recipe, chances are you might not be resting it long enough to allow the baking process to finalize properly. Resist the urge to cut right into a steaming hot loaf of bread and give it the rest it needs to develop a richer texture and flavor for future loaves.
