I've only frozen baked bread, but am certainly interested to know if anyone freezes their bread par-baked or totally unbaked. I've gotten the impression that freezing temperatures are rough on active yeast... If that's the case, how can you compensate? 

When I freeze mine, I make sure that the bread is totally cooled, like half a day out of the oven or maybe overnight.

If it's a big loaf, I cut it into manageably sized hunks-- last week I made a big 3.5 lb round, so I cut that one into four pieces-- partially to have just a couple of days of optimally fresh bread at a time, and partially because I usually don't have bags bigger than a gallon or so.

I don't wrap it particularly tightly; I just throw it in a freezer bag. It doesn't seem to suffer. I usually keep some sliced bread frozen too, in case I just want some toast or something.

John

I do the same thing. Seems to work well with most breads, but especially sourdough - just regular Ziploc gallon bags. I agree it's better to wait for it to cool completely, also. Same exact 3.5 lb loaf concept, but I cut in 6 pieces.

But haven't tried any other way-- I also never cut or break into my loaves while they're warm, also to avoid the gumminess factor; I think it has to do with the gelatinous starch still setting... It seems like that would contribute to some sort of further change in texture after freezing, too, but, well, heck if I know.

I freeze bread extremely successfully. I bake the baguettes, let them cool completely, wrap them in cling film and freeze at -18 degrees C. when you need them heat the oven to 200 degrees C, spray them very lightly with water and pop them in the oven for 15 minutes or until crispy.

I often freeze raw dough and starter, as well as baked bread. If I'm freezing raw dough, I only do it after it has risen at least once - knock it back and put in freezer immediately in two plastic bags.  When  it's defrosted again, I  let it rise again at room temp. at least once  before baking. I find doughs with a levain or biga repond the best to this, though. I often do this to my  bigas as well, never had any problem reviving them.

greetings from Australia - I make a double batchof no knead bread - add a tablespoon of oliveoil to the water - and when it is baked - I slice it, pop it iin a plastic bag and whammo into the freezer it goes for me to use as toast or  defrost in a plastic bag for lunch when I need it  - is brilliiant everytiime = no worries

gerry

I use 1 cup of wholemeal flour - 2 cups of plain  1/4 teaspoon dried yeast - 1 teaspoon cooking salt 3.5 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of olive oil and that is all - mixed together - let rise for 20 hours then fold it over twice like you are making puff pastry - rest 20 minutes and then shape let rise for another 2 hours and voila into the oven it goes - @ 450F 30 min and then uncovered for 20 min - perfect everytime

I freeze finished and par baked.

For par baked I bake until I reach 180 F and then remove to cool to room temperature, then bag and freeze at -25 C.

So far I have had no problems but I will want a flash freezer and a vacuum sealer if I'm to do this regularly.

THIS WAS PASSED ON TO ME FROM MY BREAD MENTOR IN THE SIXTIES.  IT IS FOOL PROOF.  TAKE YOUR BAKED BREAD OUT OF THE FREEZER, PUT IT IN A BROWN PAPER BAG, FOLD THE TOP OF THE BAG, RUN IT UNDER THE WATER TAP AND SOAK DOWN THE BAG, POP IT IN A PRE HEATED OVEN 350 DEGREES FOR ABOUT FIFTEEN MINUTES OR UNTIL THE CRUST IS HARD. 

So once the bread is in the back you fold it so the bag is sealed?

Then you make sure that the bag is wet everywhere, running it under water with the bread in the bag?

Thanks for for your method. My mom cooks Thanksgiving turkey in a bag and although i have been a vegitarian for 10 years now, I do remember the skin of the turkey that she cooked this way being very crunchy.

So I am very interested in the suggestion of heating up frozen bread this way.

the paper bag doesn't need to be sealed, just really wet.works great especially at family dinners!