Instructions for Toasting Bread

Yes, really.
eHow
July 1, 2011

Eaten alone or as a sandwich, toast is a versatile comfort food that adds texture and flavor to otherwise boring bread. Topped with butter or jam, toast is an easy, tasty breakfast. Stuffed with cheese and meats, it gives crunch to sandwiches. Toast can even be transformed into croutons for a soup or salad, or breadcrumbs for dredging fried foods. Perfectly toasted bread is the product of trial and error, so take your time to find your toast groove.

Things You'll Need

• Sliced bread
• Toaster, toaster oven, oven or skillet
• Tongs
• Butter knife

Step 1
Choose the variety of bread you want to toast. White and wheat are classic. Pumpernickel and rye are a bit more sophisticated. Cinnamon raisin and brioche are sweet and rich.

Step 2
Place the bread into the toaster. If you are using a toaster oven or conventional oven, place the bread right on the rack. Toast can also be made in a skillet on the stovetop. Use a cast iron skillet or stainless steel pan. The toast is dry, so no oil or butter is needed.

Step 3
Set the toaster to the desired setting. To avoid, burning, start with a low setting and work your way up to desired brownness and crunch. Most toaster ovens have toasting settings from light to dark. Set a conventional oven to medium and keep a close eye on the bread. Use a medium to medium-high setting on the stovetop. A setting that is too low will dry out the bread slowly, rather than toast it.

Step 4
Press the toaster plunger to begin toasting, or turn on toaster oven, oven or stovetop. Keep an eye on your bread to avoid burning and fire. If you smell burning or see smoke, unplug the device. The toaster will pop up automatically when toasting is complete. Toaster ovens will alert you when toasting is finished. You will have to remove the toast from the oven or stovetop when it reaches desired brownness. Keep in mind that you should turn the toast once on the stove to brown both sides.

Step 5
Remove the toast carefully from the toaster. Never put your fingers or metal objects in the toaster. Use silicon or other nonmetal tongs to remove the toast. Place on a place and enjoy.

Tips
Don’t despair if you burn your toast. It can be salvaged. Using the back of a butter knife, scrape the black crumbs off of the bread. Do this over a sink or trash can, as it can be a messy job.