What temperature will bread harden at?

Bread doesn't have a specific temperature at which it *hardens*. It's more about the combination of time and moisture loss. Here's a breakdown:

* Staling: The process of bread becoming hard is called staling. It's primarily caused by the retrogradation of starch, where starch molecules reorganize and trap water, making the bread less flexible and chewy.

* Temperature: While temperature plays a role, it's not the sole factor. Higher temperatures (above room temperature) will accelerate staling because they increase the rate of moisture loss.

* Moisture Loss: The main driver of staling is moisture loss. As bread dries out, the starch molecules have less water to interact with, leading to their reorganization and hardening.

Here's how temperature affects staling:

* Room Temperature: Bread stales relatively slowly at room temperature.

* Refrigeration: The cold temperature slows down staling, but it also increases the rate of retrogradation. This is why bread often feels harder and drier after being stored in the fridge for a while.

* Freezing: Freezing effectively halts staling because it locks in moisture and prevents the starch molecules from reorganizing.

In summary:

* Bread doesn't have a single hardening temperature.

* Staling is primarily caused by moisture loss and starch retrogradation.

* Temperature influences the rate of staling but isn't the sole factor.

To slow down staling and keep your bread soft:

* Store it at room temperature in an airtight container.

* Freeze bread if you want to preserve it longer.

* Reheat stale bread in the oven or toaster to rehydrate it.