How to transform your leftover bread

Have too much bread on your hands and the freezer is already full? Why not turn it into delicious, super crispy crackers to be enjoyed later? Although we can almost guarantee once you’ve made those, you won’t be able to refrain from eating the whole lot.

This recipe was developed by our very own Taeko. Taeko loves experimenting with our breads at home, and we sure enjoy sampling her creations at the bakery!

For this recipe you can use any type of bread. Taeko’s favourite cracker is made using our seeded sourdough, but she’s tried pretty much all of our other breads and the results have been great. Taeko makes those in her air fryer – it’s the fastest way to cook them and achieve a great result. However, a regular home oven is also perfectly fine, it might just take a bit longer.

Method

First, start by slicing the bread really thin – the thinner the better. For this, you’ll need patience, a good serrated bread knife, and a stable chopping board. Be careful if your bread is a bit old as it will be drier, therefore harder to cut. We don’t want any accidents here!

Then place the thin slices into a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil, then add your favourite seasoning. You can get creative here, but for a start we recommend:

• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp salt

These quantities are for one loaf approximately.

Give everything a good toss.

Then spread the slices into a single layer onto oven trays and bake in air fryer at 160ºC for 20 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Shake every 5-6 min.

If using a regular oven, it might take a bit longer. Make sure you keep an eye on them and regularly give them a shake to avoid any burnt bits.

Allow to cool, then pack in a ziplock bag or airtight container. Those bread crisps will keep for weeks!

Suggestions for use

Use those super crispy crackers the same way you’d use croutons, on soups or to give some extra crunch to a salad. Also delicious used as a scoop for hummus or your favourite dip. We’ve also been guilty of eating those straight from the bag, without any accompaniment. They are just a healthier version of potato crisps really 😁

Be warned: those are SUPER CRUNCHY. We wouldn’t recommend them for people with sensitive gums.

We hope you enjoy those as much as we do at Bellbird!

Taeko also made a sweet version of those crackers, using brioche and mixed with:

• 100g melted butter
• 100g sugar
• 2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cardamom

Those will take less time to bake as the added sugar will caramelise the crackers faster. They are fantastic with a hot cup of coffee!

Stay tuned for more of Taeko’s delicious creations! 😋