Franklin County

   October 2009
 

Home-baked delights from freezer to table

Winter holidays traditionally include gathering friends and family together to enjoy food. Since those holidays place many demands on time, many people purchase prepared foods to save time. As an option, consider freezing favorite baked goods for that next gathering.




Many products can be prepared ahead and frozen. Other foods such as meringues, egg white frosting, milk sauces, sour cream toppings, and custards do not freeze well. Most baked products can be made ahead and frozen after they are cooled. 

Yeast breads. Baked yeast breads, rolls, and coffee cakes keep frozen for six to eight months. Reheat in foil in a 300°F oven, 10 minutes for rolls and 15 minutes for larger items.

To freeze unbaked yeast breads, use recipes designed to be frozen. Use frozen unbaked yeast rolls within one month. Recipes for bread dough, rolls, coffee cake and sticky buns can be found at the Fleishmann’s yeast website at http://breadworld.com/default.aspx, or the Red Star Yeast site at http://www.redstaryeast.com. Type the word freeze in the search box.

Quick breads. Quick breads, such as banana, fruit, or nut breads also freeze well. Cool quick breads completely, and then package in freezer wrap, foil, or freezer bags. Store in the freezer up to four months. Thaw at room temperature, or wrap in foil and heat at 400°F. To prevent crumbling, cut the breads while partially frozen.

Cakes. Angel food , sponge, chiffon, and shortened cakes and cupcakes freeze well. Freeze
unfrosted, and ice after thawing. If a frosted cake is desired, confectioner’s sugar or fudge frosting freeze best.

Thaw unfrosted cakes in foil in a 300° oven for 10 to 20 minutes, or at room temperature in one to two hours. Thaw frosted cakes in the refrigerator. Angel food cake will keep up to six months, but use other types of cakes within two to three months.

Pies. Freeze pastry or crumb pie crusts for six to eight months. Add the filling and bake the pies while the crust is still frozen, or bake unfilled crusts at 475° until light brown. Filled pies can be frozen baked or unbaked. Pre-baked fruit, mince, or nut pies will keep in the freezer for three to four months. Prepare and bake as usual. Cool and place pies in the freezer until frozen; then wrap tightly in freezer proof bags or containers. To use, thaw at room temperature for 15 minutes before reheating at 350°F for 30 minutes.

To freeze unbaked fruit, mince, or nut pies, steam or blanch and cool light colored fruits before adding to filling. Add one tablespoon of extra flour or tapioca, or ½ tablespoon of cornstarch to the filling during preparation if freezing unbaked pies. Do not cut steam vents in the top crust until pies are ready to bake. Freeze the assembled pies before wrapping for storage.

When ready to bake, cut vent holes and place on a cookie sheet in a 450°F oven for 20 minutes; then reduce the heat to 375°F and bake until the top crust is brown. Unbaked pumpkin pie can be assembled in the usual way, frozen, then wrapped and placed in the freezer up to four to five weeks.

Cookies. Freeze baked cookies for six months. For best quality, place freezer paper between the layers of cookies in an airtight container. Thaw cookies for 15 to 20 minutes in their wrapping.

Cookie dough can be frozen for six months in a roll, in bulk, or as drop cookies. Freeze individual dropped cookie dough before packaging for storage. Bake rolled refrigerator cookies, drop, or shaped cookies without thawing at 400°F for approximately 10 minutes. Bulk dough should be thawed in the refrigerator, until soft enough to form and bake as usual.

Return to the main Franklin County page
		University of Missouri Extension Franklin County Site maintained by: Billie Jo Brenner, brennerbj@missouri.edu Last revised: 07/02/08