If a loaf isn't going to be eaten within a day or two, the freezer is usually your best friend. In this lesson, we look at what actually causes bread to go stale, why the refrigerator often makes the problem worse, and how to freeze, thaw, and refresh your bread so it keeps as much of its original quality as possible. You'll learn: 🥖 Why bread goes stale ❄️ Why freezing works 🚫 Why the refrigerator isn't always the answer 🍞 How to freeze whole loaves and sliced bread 🔥 How to bring frozen bread back to life A simple skill. A big difference. 🎬 Watch the lesson here: https://youtu.be/eiepOzOVDgk 🛍️ Member Discount from ModKitchn Many of you ask how I store bread at home. One of the tools I use is the ModKitchn Fresh Bread Storage Bag. It's designed for countertop storage and freezer use, making it a great option for keeping your bread fresher longer. ModKitchn has generously offered Crust & Crumb Academy members 10% off. 👉 https://modkitchn.com/discount/BAKINGGREATBREAD10 Use code: BAKINGGREATBREAD10 Thank you to Morgan and the team at ModKitchn for supporting bread bakers and our community. Perfection not required. Progress expected. Henry⭐🔥 Crust & Crumb Academy

For months I've been working on something on the side. Not a course, not a book. A tool. Here's the thing. I've made hundreds of videos, articles, recipes, and lessons over the years. And even I couldn't always put my hands on the right one fast. Somebody would ask about dense crumb and I'd know the answer lived in three videos, a blog post, and a classroom module. Finding them all? That was the work. So I built myself a rolodex. One place that holds everything I've ever made, organized by topic. Twenty-nine topics. Videos, recipes, articles, classroom lessons, the books, the podcast. All of it. It's called The Bread Authority. You don't search for topics. You search for problems. Type "flat loaf" and it takes you to the answer. Type "overproofed dough" and it knows what you mean. Misspell sourdough at six in the morning with flour on your hands? It still finds you. It was designed for me. But why keep it to myself. It's free, and it lives here: https://baking-great-bread.lovable.app/bread-authority There's a 60-second tour at the top of the page if you want to see it work before you dig in. I'll have it pinned in the classroom near the top of the page by close of business so it's easy to find. Now tell me this. What's the one bread problem you could never find a straight answer for? Drop it below. If The Bread Authority doesn't already cover it, I'll build it. ~ Henry⭐🔥

I know, I didn't have time to make challah this week after all, but @Henry Hunter you'll be proud of me. I did pull out the stater and feed it. Made some flap jacks. Then put her back in the fridge. I'm getting closer to more bread.

A lot of you have asked me, how do you get the seeds to coat the rope so evenly? Here’s the trick. It’s simpler than you’d think. Set up two plates. The first one has a clean dish cloth on it, soaking wet, laid out flat. The second one has your seeds spread across it, white sesame on one, black sesame on another if you’re doing both. Roll out your rope. Then take the rope and roll it gently across the wet cloth, just enough to moisten the whole surface. Then straight onto the seed plate and roll it through. The seeds grab the wet rope and coat it uniformly, top to bottom, no patches, no bald spots. Pour the leftover seeds back into the container. Wipe the plate. Repeat with the next rope on the black sesame. By the time you’ve moved on to the third (plain) rope, the first two have had a minute to set and the seeds are stuck on solid. Now braid the whole thing carefully. Egg wash before the proof. The plain rope gets straight egg yolk for that deep mahogany color. The two seeded ropes get the rest of the egg wash. Sprinkle a little Maldon salt on top, especially the bare rope. Proof. Into the oven. And keep your aluminum foil handy because this dough is enriched and it’ll brown fast. Tent it the second the top is where you want it, even if the inside needs a few more minutes. That’s the technique. Now the bread. Henry ⭐🔥

Pulled some old shots together. Different years, different ovens, different braids, but the same dough every time. This is the bread we're baking this week. If you've been thinking about it, this is your sign. Henry ⭐🔥