SC - Bread Soup Bowls

[Decker, Terry D.]

> I need 100+ individual bread bowls. To save money for our Barony, I'll be
> making them from scratch. I plan to raise the dough and then freeze them.
> What's the best way to do this?
> 
Warning:  Edible bread doughs will leak if you put a lot of liquid in them.
If they are dried out (4 days old like trenchers) they will absorb more
liquid, but they will still leak.  Put the bread bowl inside a regular bowl.
That's more fun than soup dribbling off the table.

To freeze the dough:  Make your dough, let it go through the first rise,
punch it down, shape your loaf, lightly flour it, wrap it in wax paper, then
wrap the wax paper package in aluminum foil or a plastic bag.  Freeze
immediately.  The dough keeps for several months.

To bake:  Remove from the freezer, unwrap, place in greased tin or on
greased baking sheet, let thaw and rise until doubled, bake normally.

The light flouring and wax paper help keep the dough from sticking to it's
wrappings.

You may wish to increase the yeast to improve the rising action.  Doubling
is about maximum to avoid an overpowering yeast flavor.  Average bread
recipes tend to use too much yeast anyway.

> Should I raise the dough, once, divide and freeze? Twice and freeze?
> Twice,
> bake for 5-X minutes, and then freeze?
> 
You can bake the bread and freeze it.  If you do, let the bread cool down
after baking (overnight might be advisable).  When it's cold, seal it in a
plastic bag and freeze.

To thaw:  Remove from the freezer and the plastic bag.  Wrap in a towel and
let stand on the counter for 3 to 4 hours or bake the bread in a 300 degree
F oven for about 15 minutes (I'm assuming 1 pound boules, larger loaves
require longer in the oven).

> (I have the counter space to raise the dough a second time on the day of
> the
> event, but I'm not sure if yeast survives freezing?) 
> 
Yeast survives freezing quite nicely, but recovers slowly as it thaws.
Yeast dies around 140 degrees F.

> Anyone who's done this successfully and would care to share your secrets,
> I'm
> very eager to learn! <grin>
> 
> Yours gratefully,
> Rosalyn MacGregor
> (Pattie Rayl)
> 
For what you are attempting, I like freezing the dough and thawing and
baking it on site, given enough oven and counter space.  I use the technique
when I know I can not make and store the bread fresh (the 200 loaves for
First Ansteorra/Calontir InterKingdom comes to mind).  Dropping fresh, warm
bread on the table at a feast is always fun.

Be careful about choosing your recipe.  Some doughs do not take kindly to
freezing.  As you are talking of bread bowls, I'm assuming a dough of flour,
water, yeast and salt, and, perhaps, a little shortening.  These doughs do
well in the freezing process.

I recommend preparing some dough and freezing it for several days, just to
learn what the process is like.  That way you will know what to expect when
the hurley-burley of setting up for a feast surrounds you.  You might also
test the differences between freezing dough and freezing bread.  And try out
your soup in the bowls to see how badly they will leak.

If you have any more questions, ask.  Now I need to go make some chocolate
dipped cherry-almond biscotti for an author's signing party this afternoon.
And yes, I'll post the recipe when I have it worked out.

Bon Chance 

Bear
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