Can someone help me with a newbie question?

[PIRATEGIRL007]

I have just started cooking again and am trying all kinds of new recipes. Before I did basic cooking only. This questions is probably silly for anyone with any experience but please help me! I got a receipt of the resturants board for Boma! Bannana Bread pudding. It calls for "1/2 pound cubed day-old brioche, croissants, challah, or Texas Toast (bread needs a high butter content)." Now here is the silly question: How am I going to know its a day old? I'll be buying it at the grocery store (we don't have any local bakery's). Should I keep it until a day after the 'use by' date before using it or buy it and use it on the same date or what?

Thanks for your help!

PS there is asboloutely no way i could bake the bread myself, either! I don't possess any 'baking' genes.

 

[Disneyaholic]

What is usually meant by "day old" is that it's not fresh out of the oven. When bread has dried out a little bit ("day old"), it will absorb the custard for the bread pudding a little better.

Unless it's specifically marked "day old" or is on sale for being near/past the code date, it's probably still going to be quite soft. You might consider cubing the softer bread and leaving it sit out on a baking pan (single layer) overnight to dry out a bit.

Hope this helps!!

 

[MazdaUK]

Generally you need "bakers bread" rather than packaged sliced bread, as it has a firmer crumb and won't fall apart. If you have a baker near you, buy any old white loaf the day before you need it. Or you may be lucky and get one reduced in price at the end of the day Don't wrap it over night (a bread bin is OK, but no plastic or other wrapping) then just slice it when you're ready.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

That makes sense!
Thanks a million!