Definition

Noun: A type of bread that is baked, sliced, and then baked a second time until it becomes brown, hard, and crisp. It is often sweetened.

Usage

This term refers specifically to the finished product of bread that has undergone a second baking process. It is used as a countable noun (e.g., a twice-baked bread, some twice-baked breads). It describes a food item known for its dryness and crunchiness, often served with coffee or tea or used as a base for desserts.

Examples

• For breakfast, she preferred twice-baked bread with her tea.
• The recipe called for stale twice-baked bread to make the pudding.
• He ordered a cappuccino and a piece of twice-baked bread.

Advanced Usage

• As a culinary term: In professional baking, "twice-baked bread" can refer to a technique for preserving bread or creating a specific texture, distinct from simply toasting.
  • The chef's signature dessert was built upon a base of almond twice-baked bread.

Variants and Related Words

• Rusk (n): A common synonym, often referring specifically to a sweet or plain twice-baked bread, sometimes used for teething infants.
• Biscotti (n): An Italian type of twice-baked bread, typically almond-flavored, baked in a loaf and then sliced and re-baked.
• Zwieback (n): A German word meaning "twice-baked," used for a specific type of crisp, sweet rusk.

Synonyms

• Rusk
• Crispbread (when referring to a plain, dry variant)

Notes on Meaning

The core meaning is defined by the dual-baking process which dehydrates the bread, resulting in a hard, crisp texture. While often sweet, it can also be savory. It is distinct from "toast," which is typically bread browned by a single, direct application of heat (like in a toaster) and served soft on the inside.

Noun

1. slice of sweet raised bread baked again until it is brown and hard and crisp