December 23, 2010 - 8:18pm
Refrigerating/freezing Brioche Dough
I want to make a big batch of brioche dough and use it for various things (a brioche loaf, txfarmer's pecan buns) over several days. Should I refrigerate it after its first rise? How long can it keep? Should I freeze it?
Thanks.
Glenn
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Hi, Glenn.
I've frozen babka dough for several weeks then used it to make pecan rolls. (Hmmmm .... They never got made when you were here for Thanksgiving. Sorry.)
After bulk fermentation, divide the dough into the size portions you are going to use later. Role the pieces into thick logs. Wrap double in heavy duty plastic wrap. Place into a freezer Zip Loc bag and freeze.
The evening before you want to use the dough, take the needed pieces out of the freezer and thaw overnight in the fridge. The next day, use 'em.
BTW, a trick I learned from SusanFNP is to chop half the pecans pretty fine and leave the other half whole, when making pecan rolls/sticky buns.
David
Thanks, David.
It'll probably only be two or three days from mix to bake. I'd rather refrigerate unless there's a reason not to.
Has anyone refrigerated brioche dough for a few days? With what results?
Thanks.
Glenn
Hi, Glenn.
It seems to me that most recipes for brioche I've seen call for overnight retardation of the dough. I don't know about 2-3 days. It might work fine. The risks would be over-fermentation and some weakening of gluten from proteolysis. But I have no experience from which to speak.
David
I do a refrigerated brioche mix quite often which lasts 5 days in a Cambro container. My mix does not fully develop the gluten and is mixed for 30 seconds in a SP8 Globe mixer. It rises 2 hrs. on the bench and then refrigerated at least over night as the dough is quite loose. I use this method for danish, loaves, cream cheese braids with terrific results! Susan in Calgary
The Artisan Bread in five book has brioche dough that can be refrigerated for a week, and if you don't use it by then, frozen for up to two months, I've made it and used it fresh, in the fridge for a week, and then froze the dough and used it after 2 weeks, couldn't find any difference in taste, the items made disappeared without complaint, so they must have been good. I do have to let it raise longer because my fridge is colder, its set at 37 but I also don't have sour milk.
Here it is four years later, and this thread gives me the information I need! I have this wacky idea of packing some frozen dough in my suitcase so we can have some proper buns Christmas morning. Dont know if I will do it, for this trip, but its something to consider for future trips.