freezing bread dough?

[lumabean]

Since I've not been feeling that well, I wanted to try to make as many things ahead of time when I've got the energy levels up. My son loves the homemade bread that I make, so I was hoping to freeze, then thaw/rise/bake as needed.

 

How many times do you let it rise before freezing it?

 

My initial thought was to make the dough, let it rise, punch it down, shape, freeze, then thaw and let rise for baking. I wasn't sure if one rising was enough, or if freezing dough would kill the yeast for it's second rise?

 

I know I could bake then freeze the baked loaf, but that doesn't give the same 'fresh baked' sort I was going for.

[sassenach]

One rising is enough tofreeze it. Thaw later let rise to bake it. Am on kindle for a bit at my library.

[Andrea]

Check out Mother's response in the 5th reply to this thread:

http://mrssurvival.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=42950&hl=%2Bbread+%2Bdough

[lumabean]

thanks

[Midnightmom]

I know I'm not adding any useful information here, but the post reminds me of a time when I didn't know the answer either. Here's the story:

 

You must realize this was in the days before GOOGLE!!!

 

Back in 1981 I was pregnant with my first child and I got an "urge" to bake some bread (I was a midnight mom even back then!) around 10 pm. I don't remember if my dh was asleep or working the graveyard shift. Anyway, I started working on a recipe for French Bread. I believe it had to rest and then rise a couple of times--about an hour each time.

 

Well, I finally ran out of "energy" around 2 or 3 a.m., just at the point where it was ready to be baked, but the wind was out of my sails by then. I don't think the recipe book said anything about when or how to freeze the dough.

 

There was NO WAY I was going to risk losing that loaf of bread............not after all the work I'd put into it by that point..............so I wracked my brain trying to figure out how to get the answer to my question. I was trying to think of who could possibly be up/working that late at night.

 

My husband was working as an operator for AT&T at that time, and he had told me stories of people calling up "Information" for the stupidest reasons..................like they though 4-1-1 was the resource desk at the local library! So...............I immediately crossed that option off of my list. (Not that I hadn't thought about it.)

 

My next flash of inspiration was.................................................

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...................an answering service! My Ob/Gyn's answering service! They were guaranteed to be up!!! So, I called my Dr.'s office number, and of course, got the "operator."

 

I launched into my story about baking bread, letting it rise, etc, and then asked (the operator, so I thought) whether it was possible to freeze the dough at this point, or should I go ahead and bake it (I was afraid of falling asleep and burning it)?

 

Next thing I know, I hear this MALE voice telling me it was okay to refrigerate the dough and bake it later!

 

The whole time I was "explaining" my dilemma, the operator wasn't even listening...she was calling the doctor at home and putting me through to him. Talk about embarrassing.

 

The only thing I could do at that point was to say "Thank You" and take a loaf of bread to him at my next appointment. He liked it.

Edited October 20, 2013 by Midnightmom

[dogmom4]

[Andrea]

Edited October 20, 2013 by Andrea

[Jeepers]

 

Ob/Gyn's are used to things baking in the 'oven'.

[Midnightmom]

 

Ob/Gyn's are used to things baking in the 'oven'.

Very funny Jeepers. Very funny.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Actually, it WAS very funny!

[MomM]

I love your story!