Melba Toast is a snack that's incredibly easy to make. You can enjoy it in all its rustic simplicity or transform it into something a bit fancy.
This crunchy cracker-style bread is made using day-old or stale bread and some butter or oil. That's right, you're extending the life of bread that may otherwise land in the bin! It's also extremely versatile – enjoy i with dips, pate, cheese, cold meats or just a little butter or honey.
Another great thing about Melba Toast is you can recount the interesting story of its origins when you're sitting with friends enjoying a glass of bubbly with pate and Melba Toast.
Jump to:
Melba Toast: the Australian connection
In 1897, Australian opera singer Dame Nellie Melba was staying at London’s Savoy Hotel. Upon feeling ill, she was offered "Toast Marie" which had been invented by the hotel's chef, Auguste Escoffier. It helped her recover from her illness – and the toast was renamed in her honour.
Today, she's still remembered thanks to her wonderful talent – along with this recipe and her appearance on our $100 note.
Ingredient notes
The ingredients you'll need are:
- french stick or baguette (30cm long)
- 6 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil.
That's right. This is a 2-ingredient recipe!
The ingredient measurements are in the recipe card at the end of this post.
How to make Melba Toast
Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees celsius / 355 degrees fahrenheit.
Slice the bread into 0.5-1cm thick slices, depending on your preferences.
Place the bread pieces onto a baking tray and brush each piece with melted butter or oil.
Place into the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove trays from the oven and place onto a cooling rack. Once cooled completely, place into an airtight container.
Making Melba Toast in days gone by
I love this little glimpse into how we made and enjoyed Melba Toast back in 1945 and 1951.
Storage and Serving
Store Melba Toast in an airtight container for up to a couple of weeks. Enjoy it paired with:
- Corn Relish Dip
- Pate
- Cream Cheese and freshly-sliced Strawberry
- Bocconcini, Tomato and Basil
- Ham, Cheese and Pickles
- Turkey, Brie and Cranberry
- Cheddar and Tomato Relish
- Goats Cheese and Grilled Nectarine
- Mock Chicken.
More quick and easy party food
Get the party started with more simple recipes for celebrations:
Made this recipe and love it? Please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. (And it really makes my day to hear how Nana Ling's recipes are being made, shared and loved all around the world! - Libby x)
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Melba Toast Recipe
Ingredients
- french stick or baguette (30cm long)
- 6 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees celsius / 355 degrees fahrenheit.
- Slice bread into 0.5-1cm thick slices.
- Place bread pieces onto a baking tray and brush each piece with melted butter or oil.
- Place into oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from oven and place onto a cooling rack. Once cool, place into an airtight container.
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