December 16, 2013 - 5:29pm
Freezing Bread and Bread Dough
Do you freeze your baked breads? How about your bread doughs? What's your method? I just thawed a loaf of cinnamon bread that's been in my freezer for two and half weeks. I froze it covered loosely with a plastic bag (the kind from the grocery store) and thawed it naturally sitting on the cupboard. When I noticed water condensation on the bag as it thawed I opened it up and let it continue to thaw.
Today as I ate it I thought that it was as good as it would have been the day that I baked it.
I'm curious whether or not you freeze your breads, baked or as dough, and what you think about freezing in general.
Do you have recipes that freeze better than others.
Thanks, and I look forward to hearing from you.
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I wrap my breads in aluminum foil and freeze them. They're usually not in the freezer for longer than a week or ten days, and when my freezer is full, the neighbours get the overflow. That's beautiful looking bread you have there!
I freeze pizza dough, after the first rise, shaped into balls. Just wrap in oiled cling film. It doesn't stay in the freezer for long though. I also slice my loaves once cool and freeze them. Then I just get out what I need. I hate the mess slicing bread makes, so at least I only get that once this way too!
before freezing and It always does well in the freezer for up to 8 weeks. For pumpernickel and 100% rye i let them sit on the counter for 2 days and slice them in 1/4" slices before freezing 8-12 slices to a packet. I wrap the cooled bread tightly in plastic wrap. The plastic wrap comes off completely and I thaw on the defrost cycle in the microwave or 2 minutes on 30% power for a quarter of a loaf turning it over half way though.
I'm glad I can't tell the difference between freah adn frozen - sure makes life easy and the variety can't be beat. There are always 8 different breads to sample, put out for guests or give away. Sure wish I could type.
Happy baking
I would never have thought of it! I will definitely go with the wrapping in plastic wrap also. Thanks so much!
I usually let the bread cool completely (in order to avoid excessive condensation) then slice it, put it in a plastic bag and freeze it. For lean doughs (french breads etc) I give them a tad less than a full bake as the storage and subsequent thawing in the microwave tend to make them a bit dry. If you'd just divide them in chunks and slice those after thawing I guess that issue wouldn't com up but slicing before freezing is just more convenient to me. Works like a charm. Pumpernickel (the dense, german kind) keeps for an eternity when tightly wrapped in plastic and stored in the fridge, no need to freeze. I don't freeze breads containing herbs as somehow the taste tends to change.
I double wrap in plastic film, then put in a freezer bag. If the loaf is large I will cut in half and freeze each half separately.
I am mostly interested in how you accomplished such a beautiful looking bread! Would you please share your technique?
Frank
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcgk-j8BS1c
I have only made this twice, and since I don't care for Nutella, the first time I made it I used a spinach and garlic paste filling (for Thanksgiving). The one shown I used cinnamon and butter and a light sprinkling of sugar, like for cinnamon rolls. It really is easy to do, my only hint would be not to over fill. I encourage you to give it a try!
Happy Baking!