Revive Stale Bread by Running It Under Water and Baking Briefly

It sounds completely wrong, but it works. Run the stale loaf quickly under the tap — just enough to wet the outside crust. Then bake it at 180°C (350°F) for 5 to 8 minutes. The water turns to steam inside the oven, re-hydrating the bread from outside in.

The result is a loaf with a crispy, crackly crust and a soft, warm interior — as if it just came out of the bakery. This works best with crusty breads like sourdough, baguettes, and ciabatta. It does not work well with sliced sandwich bread, which is better off toasted.