• Begin by preheating your oven to 170 degrees Celsius (338 degrees Fahrenheit).
  

Prepare the Bread

• Slice six slices of fresh crusty white bread, leaving the crusts intact.
  6 slices Fresh crusty white bread
• Cut each slice of bread into approximately 1cm cubes and arrange them on a large baking sheet.

Create the Herb Infusion

• In a bowl, combine the minced garlic, extra virgin olive oil, Italian seasoning herbs, sea salt, and black pepper. Mix them thoroughly to create a fragrant herb-infused oil.
  1 clove Minced garlic, 70 mls Extra virgin olive oil, 2 tsp Italian seasoning herbs, ⅛ tsp Sea salt, ⅛ tsp Black pepper
• Drizzle the herb-infused oil mixture over the cubed bread. Using your fingertips, gently toss the bread cubes, ensuring each one is evenly coated with the aromatic oil and herbs.

Bake the Croutons

• Lay the coated bread cubes back out on the baking sheet, ensuring they are in a single layer.
• Place the baking sheet into your preheated oven for five minutes. After this initial baking period, remove the croutons, turn them over, and return them to the oven for another five minutes.
• After an additional five minutes, remove the croutons once more. This time, sprinkle Parmesan cheese (optional) over the top of your croutons.
  3 tbsp Parmesan cheese
• Return the baking sheet to the oven for a final five minutes or until the croutons turn a delightful golden brown.

Cool and Serve

• Once perfectly golden brown, take your freshly baked croutons out of the oven and allow them to cool.
• These aromatic gems are now ready to adorn your salads and soups, infusing every bite with an irresistible crunch.