How to Store Bread Dough

Beautiful bread dough.

Bread dough is usually a labor-intensive creation, from the first mixing and kneading to successive risings and final shaping. While this is a great project for an uninterrupted day, life doesn't always cooperate. So, what do you do when you get the phone call that means leaving and abandoning your floury project? Actually, most bread doughs are quite flexible and can be put on hold at several points in their creation. There are also several ways to store your bread dough, depending upon the stage you are at.

Things You'll Need

• Flour, oil or soft butter Bread pans (optional) Gallon-size plastic food storage bags (optional) Cookie sheet (optional) Muffin tin (optional)

Instructions

1. Determine when you will be able to return to your bread dough. Also, determine how far along your recipe is. Last, look at what type of bread dough you are making, from sweet rolls to sandwich bread to a fancy bread, like brioche.

2. Store just-mixed yeast and liquid in a vented container in the coldest part of your refrigerator.

3. Move just-mixed, ready-to-knead dough into a floured or greased bowl or floured food storage bag. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Seal the food storage bag, except for a 1-inch gap at one end of the closure. Place the bag in a bowl or other container to keep it from collapsing all over the shelf. You can also freeze it at this stage. A floured plastic storage bag is the best freezing container. Move dough to a covered, greased bowl to bring to room temperature and continue with your recipe.

4. Punch down already kneaded and risen bread. Again, place this dough in either a floured or greased bowl or a floured food storage bag. Refrigerate or freeze. Bring back to room temperature to resume recipe.

5. Move already-shaped dough to the coldest part of your refrigerator or freezer. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate in the pan your dough is already in. If you are freezing this dough, wait until loaves or other shapes are completely frozen, then store the shapes and pack gently into food storage bags. Place dough in original pans to thaw and resume recipe.

6. If you've already put your bread into the oven, let it bake until it has finished its oven rise but remove it while it is still unbrowned. Package and store as in Step 5. You've just made your own brown-and-serve bread or rolls. Bring to room temperature, then glaze if desired, and return to oven to finish baking.

Tips & Warnings

• Double-bag anything like bread dough to avoid freezer or refrigerator odors. Write down the rest of the instructions and place them in the bag with the dough, or between the bags if double-bagging. Most bread doughs ready for their first rising will hold overnight in the refrigerator perfectly. These instructions will work for any bread dough, but avoid storing with added ingredients like egg or sugary glazes.

• Remember that yeast is a living organism until the bread is baked. You are just slowing down or delaying its action. You don't want to kill it.

Resources

• Dough: Simple Contemporary Breads
• Chicago Metallic Commercial Bread Pan
• Brotform Bread Proofing Basket