If you are one of those people who decided that as a new year resolution will live a frugal life, then this recipe is for you and your sweet tooth. I always marvel at the many ways our previous generations avoided wasting food, and this is just one example of it. Bakers will use the unsold bread of the day to make bread pudding, and these tasty, can’t get enough of them breads called “Piedras” (Stones).
Day Old or Stale Bread? Use it to make a new bread called Stones
They are a mix of a cookie and a bread. If you like scones or biscuits then you will enjoy this versatile recipe. After several times baking them in the past 2 months and experimenting with the recipe, it allows for many variations: you can add raisins, dried cranberries, frozen blueberries and even chocolate chips. However, in México they are sold plain.
Although I had this recipe for many years, it was until recently that after a fellow blogger girlichef mentioned it in her blog that this is one of her husband’s favorite Mexican pastries at their local bakery, and since this is also one of my favorites breads, I decided to make them at home.
Try it yourself next time you have some day old bread or stale bread, you will be surprised of how easy they are to prepare. You can even freeze the dough after mixing it for later use.
How to make Day Old or Stale Bread
Please check notes below if you are using sweetbreads or a mix of breads.
Instructions:
Making the breadcrumbs
- After a few days of buying the bread and when it starts to look sad, I usually cut it in cubes and freeze it in a plastic bag to be used for bread crumbs, croutons, bread pudding and the like. When it is just sweet bread like challah, croissants, or biscuits they are frozen in a separate bag from the plain or salty bread. In this case, the one in the pictures is day old sweetbreads. (Please check the ingredients list below)
- The breadcrumbs are placed in the food processor and processed until they become fine crumbs.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients, then add the margarine and knead. Gradually mix in the milk until you form a smooth dough.
- Knead the dough until it is soft. If the dough seems hard to add more milk. The dough should resemble cookie dough.
- Using a 2 ⅓ inch ice cream scoop place the dough on your greased baking sheet. Arrange them one inch apart. Sprinkle with sugar and bake until the bread is golden at edges but firm, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely.
Let me know if you try this recipe, I will love to hear about your own version.
¡Buen provecho!
Mely,
More recipes:
Concha Recipe
Strawberries and Cream
Cassava Fritters
Stale Bread
Ingredients
Please check notes bellow if you are using sweet breads or a mix of breads.
- 4 ½ cup 500 grams plain bread crumbs, made out after processing your bread in the food processor or blender
- 1 ¾ cup 250 grams All purpose flour
- ½ cup 100 grams sugar
- 100 grams margarine
- 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
- 1 ½ tsp. baking soda
- 1 ½ cup whole milk add slowly
- Flour as needed to work the dough
- Sugar to decorate the topping
Instructions
Making the bread crumbs
After a few days of buying the bread and when it starts to look sad, I usually cut it in cubes and freeze it in a plastic bag to be used for bread crumbs, croutons, bread pudding and the like. When it is just sweet breads like challah, croissants, or biscuits they are frozen in a separate bag from the plain or salty bread. In this case the one in the pictures is day old sweet breads.
- The bread crumbs are placed in the food processor and processed until they become fine crumbs.
- Preheat your oven at 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients, then add the margarine and knead. Gradually mix in the milk until you form a smooth dough.
- Knead the dough until it is soft. If the dough seems hard add more milk. The dough should resemble cookie dough.
- Using a 2 ⅓ inch ice cream scoop place the dough in your greased baking sheet. Arrange them one inch apart. Sprinkle with sugar and bake until the bread is golden at edges but firm, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely.
Chris Michelsen
To make this recipe more moist, I added 2 eggs and 1/4 cup of olive oil. Skip the sugar if you’re using sweet bread. Make sure you melt the butter and add 2Tsp of vanilla.
Mely Martínez
Hello Chris,
Thank you for trying the recipe and for sharing all the additions.
Anonymous
I have to make an authentic dish for spanish class and this is perfect! Thank you so much for doing this! This help so much.
And it looks delicious!
Carolyn Soto
Can I use store bought Progresso bread crumbs?
Mely
Hello Carolyn,
They could work to make a salty version, maybe adding some herbs and Parmesan cheese. Something like that. Not sure how good will they work since those crumbs are completely dry. I will go ahead and try, maybe adding a little bit of flour to form the dough.
If you try it, please let me know.
Happy cooking.
Mexico in my kitchen
Hello Mademoiselle,
That is an excellent idea way to used the bread.Thanks for sharing it. I will try to make your recipe for Sunday Brunch.
Happy cooking and Provecho!
Mademoiselle D
Bonjour ,
Dans le Nord de la France , où je suis née , lorsque nous avons du pain rassis ... pour ne pas le jeter , nous faisons du " pain perdu " ...
la baguette , nous la coupons en tronçons pas très gros ... tout dépend du pain ...
nous le trempons dans le lait froid que l'on peut vanillé ... qu'il soit bien empreignez de lait , mais pas détrempé , puis nous faisons la même chose dans des oeufs battus ...
nous cuisons les bouts de pain à la poêle dans un peu d'huile ...
puis le dégustons , chaud ou froid , meilleur tiède , avec du sucre glace ou toute forme de sucre en poudre ...
généralement , les mamans font cela pour le goûter !
Bon appétit !
Candace
Mely, this is fantastic! We have access to the greatest deals locally on stale bread. I can't wait to give these a try. Hope you are enjoying a wonderful weekend!