November 26, 2013 - 1:41pm
Refridgerating / Freezing dough for later
I am making Challah rolls for Thanksgiving. The recipe calls for two, one hour rises, then form the dough, rise again for 45 min, egg wash, bake.
I want to make the dough ahead and store. At what point in this process can I put it away, and then what do I do when its time to revive the dough?
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If possible, my suggestion would be to make the dough the night before and let it have the first rise on the counter, then shape them, cover them well, and pop them the fridge. Pull them out of the fridge when you are ready to bake it and throw it in the oven.
The dough will continue to rise in the fridge overnight, just at a slower rate. Typically that'll be all the second rise you need, though if it doesn't look like anything happened overnight you can give it an hour or two on the counter to wake back up before baking. That usually isn't necessary though.
Also, cold doughs can take longer to bake through to the center, so it may need a bit of extra time in the oven. The shape and size of the loaf determine how much of a factor that is. With something small like rolls though, it shouldn't be a problem.
Good luck!
Alternatively, you can parbake them ahead of time and freeze. then thaw the night before you want them. finish in oven for 10-15 minutes.
Ditto the two suggestions above. I've done both before, and both have worked. Overnight refrigeration actually improves taste and shelf life considerably.