Freezing bread dough

[mrsshpub]

What's the best stage to freeze bread dough at? Just mixed, after first proving.....?

I've tried to freeze it after the first proving & it has refused to rise any more once defrosted — so what am I doing wrong?

[grumbledoak]

I've only tried part-baked pizza bases; that works very well but, of course, there's no need to defrost/rise further.

I don't think yeast is killed by the cold, though, it just sort of goes to sleep. How did you defrost it?

[mrsshpub]

I left it to fully defrost at room temperature, loosely wrapped in cling film. It was then shaped into bread rolls & went into the airing cupboard to rise (just like I do with unfrozen dough) & just sat there, doing nothing.

I was sure I'd read somewhere that dough could be frozen — but freezing really seems to have killed off the yeast.

[Chim Girl]

I've done it successfully with pizza bases but never with a loaf. For me the key was to increase the yeast content and also to defrost in the fridge whilst still wrapped in cling film. Once defrosted I'd then treat as normal, i.e prove in a warm place with a cloth/cling film loosely over the top. I think I added 25% more yeast, but it was a case of trial and error.

[HiRich]

The yeast certainly should survive (and did, the one time I tried it). My book says:

• Can be frozen for up to one month
• Thaw overnight in the fridge, or 2-3 hours at room temperature
• Once thawed, place in a warm place to rise, but bear in mind that it will take longer to rise than fresh dough.

It isn't suitably explicit about which rise this means. I would suggest it means freeze immeditely after mixing and kneeding. After thawing would be the first rising, followed by knocking back, shaping and final rise.

[mrsshpub]

Thanks for that. Looks like I shall just have to give it another go........