Crunchy and herby croutons
- Carbohydrate 127.425190625 g
- Cholesterol 15.2515625 mg
- Fat 9.299284375 g
- Fiber 4.47337515965104 g
- Protein 21.788890625 g
- Saturated Fat 4.1589475 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (202g)
- Sodium 47.216675 mg
- Sugar 122.951815465349 g
- Trans Fat 1.397110625 g
- Calories 691 calories
Step-by-step
- Place all bread ingredients in the bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer.
- Set crust on light and program for the basic cycle
- Remove bread from the machine when finished, and allow to cool on a wire rack.
- Slice off the entire rounded top of the bread and stand there at the counter, tearing it apart with your fingers and eating it like a barbarian. You won?t need it for the croutons, and it?s entirely too soft and delicious to eat in a refined, ladylike manner.
- You might also want to set aside a few slices for sandwiches. You really only need half a loaf for the croutons.
- Cut 3/4-inch slices, and further cut each slice into 3/4-inch cubes.
- Preheat the oven to 375?.
- Spread the bread cubes out on an ungreased cookie sheet.
- Drizzle the butter over the bread cubes.
- Bake for 5 minutes, remove the cubes from the oven and stir them up a bit.
- Return to the oven, bake for another 5 minutes, stir again.
- Return to the oven for 5 more minutes, or until the bread cubes are crunchy all the way through
- Cool completely and store in an airtight container
Mastering the Fifteen-Minute Oven Window
Timing dictates whether cubes transform into golden crisp morsels or burn on the baking sheet. Pulling the ungreased sheet from the oven every five minutes during the 375-degree baking cycle ensures even browning across all sides without scorching the dried herbs. Because residual heat continues to cook the starch after removal, transferring the hot pieces immediately to a wire rack prevents moisture from condensing underneath and softening the crust.
Avoiding the Soggy Interior Mistake
Uneven slicing leads directly to pockets of moisture trapped inside soft bread interiors instead of achieving a uniform crunch all the way through. Cutting precise three-quarter-inch cubes guarantees that heat penetrates the crumb at an equal rate, while stale or cooled bread starts with less internal moisture and crisps faster than fresh loaves. Spreading the pieces in a single layer without overcrowding allows hot air to circulate freely rather than steaming the bread.
Adapting Fats and Flours Wisely
Substitutions alter both shelf life and structural integrity, requiring careful adjustments when swapping core components. Replacing melted butter with an equal volume of neutral vegetable oil changes the richness but raises the smoke point, whereas substituting all-purpose flour for bread flour yields a more fragile crumb due to lower protein content. Storing the finished batch in an airtight container once completely cooled preserves that desired texture for up to a week.
