Breadcrumbs recipes
Breadcrumbs are bread that has been grated or finely ground, either with or without the crust. They’re produced from both fresh and stale bread. Ready-made versions may also contain colouring, emulsifiers or treatment agents.
Home-made fish fingers have more fish, more flavour and more crunch than shop bought. Well worth the extra effort.
More breadcrumbs recipes
Buyer's guide
Fresh breadcrumbs are usually best made at home, and most easily with semi-stale bread. If you’re making them by hand, use a coarse box grater and grate the bread loaf directly on it. If using a food processor, cut the bread loaf into small cubes first as this will produce the most even result.
Panko breadcrumbs are a Japanese product made from white bread and are very light and crisp.
Storage
Fresh breadcrumbs are best used immediately, while dry breadcrumbs can be stored for a few weeks in a cool place, using an airtight container, or up to 3 months in the freezer. The ends and crusts of bread loaves can be stored in a bag in the freezer and turned into breadcrumbs another time.
Preparation
To dry breadcrumbs, spread the fresh crumbs to a 0.5cm/¼in thickness onto a baking tray and place into a low oven (150C/300F/gas 2) for about 20-30 minutes, stirring the crumbs gently halfway through cooking, until lightly golden-brown and dry. Commercially-produced dry breadcrumbs can also be purchased from most major retailers.