Dough and yeast question

[ChrisnChris]

This is what I want to do, is it going to work?

Mix all the ingredients for bread, except the yeast. Freeze the dough ball then defrost it when I need it, kneed in the yeast (dried easy bake) for a few minutes & treat as normal.
Normally the mix would be very wet to start so the yeast would be in a wet mix.
With what I want to do, the flour has absorbed the water so would the yeast be activated or basically remain as tiny granules?
What about if I mixed the yeast with a tablespoon of water & re-kneeded with some extra flour for a couple of minutes?

Thanks

[calibrax]

Why?

Mixing the ingredients doesn't take that long, it's the kneading that takes time and you'll still have to do that bit when you add in the yeast...

And you can freeze dough after adding the yeast and kneading, the cold won't kill it.

[calibrax]

http://www.nigella.com/kitchen-queries/view/Freezi...

[mrsshpub]

I think you'd struggle to get a good, even distribution of the yeast.

Are you planning to create dough in 'large' quantities & then just defrost & use what you need? If so, a better route might be to bake the bread (as rolls) & freeze it. You can then defrost it (keeping it in the freezer bag it was frozen in so it doesn't dry out) then lightly moisten the crust & reheat in a hot oven for about 10 mins.

[ChrisnChris]

calibrax said:

And you can freeze dough after adding the yeast and kneading, the cold won't kill it.

This part is useful, thanks.

[ChrisnChris]

Nothing complicated, self catering, love fresh crab & lobster & my own fresh baked rolls.
Don't want to take flour & kneed etc so was looking for a solution.

I knew that you could "prove" in the fridge but didn't know you could freeze dough once it had proved and been knocked back & shaped.
Thanks for the Nigella link.

[21TonyK]

Sounds very much like you've got the answer already but yes, you can freeze dough once mixed and proven. Just wrap each dough ball up in cling film and freeze. Defrost naturally or in a fridge over night or at a push you can defrost in a microwave carefully and then bake as normal.

[calibrax]

A breadmaker would be another option. Bung ingredients in and just let it do all the work. Take out dough once kneaded and proved, simply shape into rolls and finish off in the oven. Would be quicker than waiting for frozen dough to defrost.