Top 5 Desserts You Can Make Using Leftover Bread Sides

No one likes the crust on a slice of bread. Whenever we’re making a sandwich, the first thing we do is cut the crusts off, so we’re left with only the good stuff in the middle. But what happens to the crusts? Do we just throw them out? Well, removing the crust doesn’t always have to be wasteful.

No matter the dish, you can remove the crust of the bread and store it for future use. The crust is the brown border on the outside of the bread. Its removal is usually termed wasteful. However, what if we told you there was a way you could incorporate it into your future dishes?

Reducing food wastage can help alleviate poverty by promoting a healthy redistribution of food. Bread is a staple food that should be enjoyed to the fullest. Here are some desserts that make use of those leftover bread sides you are about to throw out!

1. Cinnamon Fingers

If you have some crust leftover from those peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, here’s another treat your young ones will love. It is an easy-to-follow recipe, takes less than ten minutes, and you can even pack it for their school lunch.

If you want to encourage healthy habits and make your kids finish their sandwiches, crust and all, try these cinnamon fingers. The following bread dessert can serve 5-6 people.

You Will Need:

1. Baking tray and sheet
2. 5-6 cups worth of stale bread crusts
3. ¼ cup melted butter
4. 4 tbsp sugar
5. 1 tbsp sugar for garnish
6. 1 tsp cinnamon (or more as per taste)

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 350F.
2. Cut up all of the crusts into finger lengths.
3. Mix the crusts with the butter in a bowl. Mix crusts at an interval for equal distribution.
4. Add the 4 tbsp sugar and the cinnamon per taste and mix the crusts again.
5. Bake the crusts for not more than 8 minutes or until crispy.
6. Remove the crusts from the oven and taste one cinnamon finger. Reheat if needed.
7. Add the remaining sugar on the fingers and add extra cinnamon if required.

There you have it. A bread dessert perfect for a cold winter’s evening or a long day at school!

2. The Popular Pudding

Contrary to popular belief, leftover bread sides can be pretty sweet if you know how to work with them. They can be used in various kinds of pudding as they are quite soft when baked. They are also great for absorbing sugar, leading to the soft, spongy texture people usually prefer in their puddings.

You Will Need:

1. 5-6 cups worth of stale bread crusts chopped into pieces
2. Baking tray and sheets
3. 1 tsp cinnamon powder
4. 1 tsp vanilla extract
5. ¾ cup of white or brown sugar (you can also use artificial sweetener)
6. 2 cups milk
7. 2 tbsp melted butter
8. ½ cup of chocolate chips (you can substitute this with anything you like)
9. 4 eggs

Method

1. Start by preheating your oven to 350F.
2. Prepare the baking tray by adding the chopped bread and spreading them evenly. Add the melted butter and chocolate chips to the bread. Set it aside.
3. Mix the eggs, cinnamon, vanilla, milk, and sugar in a bowl. Add this mixture to the bread and press down with a spoon, so the bread is soaked.
4. Add the tray to the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the tray and push in a toothpick to test if it is done.

Your bread dessert is ready to be served!

3. The Famous French Toast Stick

These are an absolute delight and easy to take to school, like cinnamon fingers. They are a quick breakfast dish that’s easy to make.

You Will Need:

1. 2 eggs
2. 2 cups of milk
3. 1 tsp vanilla
4. 2 cups stale leftover bread sides

Method:

1. Add all the ingredients to the bowl and mix them with the leftover bread sides. Make sure the bread crusts are evenly coated.
2. Brush a skillet with some butter and add the crusts to it. Cook evenly on both sides for up to two minutes.
3. Enjoy your bread dessert!

4. The Crusty Cheesecake

The crusty cheesecake is everyone’s dream dessert. It doesn’t take much time and effort. All you need to do is toast your leftover bread sides and crush them in the grinder to make bread crumbs. You will need two cups of breadcrumbs for this recipe.

You Will Need:

1. 2 cups breadcrumbs
2. 1/3 cup butter (can use a substitute)
3. 3 eggs
4. 1 tsp lemon
5. 1 tsp sugar
6. 1 tsp vanilla extract
7. 1 tsp cinnamon
8. ½ cup cornflour
9. 4 cups cream cheese
10. 2 cups brown or white sugar

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and brush your cake tin with butter.
2. Melt your butter and mix it with the breadcrumbs, sugar, and cinnamon.
3. Build the cheesecake base by pressing the breadcrumbs to create a layer.
4. Add some lemon juice on top.
5. Mix the cornflour with the cream cheese, vanilla extract, and sugar. Beat the egg into the mixture until fully mixed.  
6. 6. Pour it over the bottom layer and bake for an hour. Test it with a toothpick before adding it to the freezer.

5. Pie à la Crust!

You can add breadcrumbs to any dessert you like. You might have caught on to that by now. Similarly, a pie can be made all the better with breadcrumbs. Work on any pie you like, and when it is time to add the crust, use your leftover bread sides to make the crust.

To Sum it Up

Food wastage causes most food shortages all around the world. Since we can’t do much to end hunger on a global scale, we can start at home and ensure we consume most of what we buy. Reducing food wastage can bring us one step closer to reducing food shortages.