Revealed: The perfect piece of toast

11:44 22 July 2011

The recipe for the perfect piece of toast has no doubt been the subject of debate in households all over the country.

However, the debate is about to be settled, as scientists come up with the formula for the perfect piece of toast. 

Experts have worked out the mathematical formula for the ideal slice of toast, showing that it's best cooked for precisely 216 seconds.

A team of researchers carried out a study which found that the optimum thickness of the bread should be 14mm and the ideal amount of butter should be 0.44 per square inch.

The dial on the toaster also needs to be set to five out of six to produce the 154 degrees required, according to the study.

This recommended timing gives the slice a "golden-brown" colour and the "ultimate balance of external crunch and internal softness".

Bread expert Dr Dom Lane, a consultant food researcher, spent one week toasting and tasting a massive 2,000 slices for his research, in his bid to assist the nation's toast eaters.

He said of the experiment:

"Taking the most popular mid-point toast tone and the terribly complicated maths behind [it], we derived the formula for the perfect slice of toast.

"It was then relatively straightforward to develop a five-step process, allowing toast lovers to replicate our laboratory method in their own kitchens."