How to Soften a Pastry (4 Steps)

Time and air are the two main factors that harden once-soft pastries. Pastries such as donuts, Danish pastries or turnovers will go stale quickly if left uncovered. But pastries that are several days old also inevitably go stale and harden. This often happens quicker with homemade pastries that aren't treated with anti-staling agents found in store-bought goods. If the pastry isn't rock hard it can be saved with a quick trip into the microwave, a tip that also works on stale bread. Stave off premature staling by storing pastries in an airtight container to maximize freshness.

Things You'll Need

Paper towel
Microwave-safe plate

Microwave

Instructions

Moisten a paper towel slightly, wringing out excess water.
Wrap the moistened paper towel very loosely around the pastry. Limit the pastries to two at a time if you have several to soften. Softening them in batches of one or two allows the pastries to benefit more from the steaming action of the wet paper towel. Place the wrapped pastry on a microwave-safe plate or directly in the microwave.
Microwave the pastry on medium power for 20 seconds. Press the pastry gently to determine its softness. Repeat up to two more times. The process creates a steaming action from the wet paper towel and gentle heat. The starches in the pastry stretch to create softness.
Serve the pastry immediately. As the pastry sits out, the starches will contract and cause it to harden again.

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