How to Freeze Your Bread Dough Properly | The Science of Frozen Bread Dough, by Novita Listyani on YouTube. 10 min 23 s.
- Video length
- 10 min 23 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes, plus overnight tha
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Mix your dough as usual, then shape it and freeze it before the final proof. Do it the same day you make the dough, not after it has sat in the fridge.
Add extra yeast, about a quarter to a half more than the recipe states, because freezing knocks the yeast back. Scale the increase to your dough size.
Sweeten the dough with a spoon of honey or sugar. This feeds the yeast and helps it recover once the dough thaws.
Use a strong bread flour with higher protein and add some butter or oil. The fat keeps the gluten supple through freezing.
Make a tangzhong or yudane by cooking part of the flour with water into a gel, or soaking flour in boiling water, then mix it into the dough. This holds moisture and protects the crumb.
Stir in a little trehalose if you have it. This sugar helps the yeast and gluten cope with the cold.
Place the shaped portions on a lined tray and freeze until firm. Then seal them in airtight bags, press out the air and write the date on each bag.
Keep the dough frozen for a short time only, since damage grows the longer it stays frozen. Thaw it in the fridge overnight, then let it proof until doubled before baking.
Tips and common mistakes
Write the freeze date on every bag so you use the oldest dough first.
Thaw the dough in the fridge, never on the counter, so the yeast warms slowly.
Expect a longer final proof than usual, sometimes close to double the normal time.
Do not freeze dough that has already fully proofed, as it tends to collapse when thawed.
Questions
Can I freeze dough after it has risen once?
Yes. Freeze it after the first rise and shaping, before the final proof. Let it thaw in the fridge, then give it the final proof before baking.
How long can frozen bread dough keep?
Keep it for a few weeks at most. The yeast weakens and the gluten suffers more damage the longer the dough stays frozen.
Why did my frozen dough not rise?
The yeast was probably weakened by the cold or the dough was frozen too long. Add extra yeast next time and shorten the storage time.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
