Do you need to use stale bread?

You probably have heard that it’s best to use stale bread for bread pudding, french toast, and stuffing. Recipes like these were originally created as a way to use up old, stale bread. As it soaks up the custard or liquid base, it becomes moist and fresh again after it’s baked.

But does the bread need to be dry and stale in order to soak up the liquid? No, it does not need to be old or stale, but it does help if the bread is dry so that it soaks up more liquid. To easily dry bread out, slice or cube bread and leave it out overnight on a sheet pan uncovered, or toast in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes.