Flash Freezing - how to freeze homemade gf bread
It’s no secret that artisan gluten free bread is more expensive than regular wheat bread, learn how to make it last longer with flash freezing.
What is flash freezing?
It’s very simple. You slice, briefly freeze slices uncovered, store frozen slices together. By giving them a quick freeze individually the slices remain separate when stored in a freezer bag rather than one brick of frozen bread. This makes it easier to grab a slice as needed.
Step 1 - Make sure it’s cool
If your bread is still warm (sometimes I deliver them so fresh from the oven they’re still cooling as you take them home)
Wait for the loaf to cool completely before cutting
If your bread is completely cool
Use a very sharp bread knife to slice the loaf into roughly 20 slices or however thin or thick you’d like the slices to be
Step 2 - Lay them out & freeze briefly
To lay them out you can use an oven tray, a serving platter, a large plate - whatever fits in your freezer. Freeze them for about 2 hours or until frozen solid before moving onto the next stage. Here are a few tips:
If you’re short on freezer space you can layer the slices on each other, just make sure to use baking paper in between the layers so they don’t stick to each other
If you’re worried about freezer-burn (the rough icicles that attach themselves to uncovered food surfaces in the freezer) don’t be - the bread slices won’t be in the freezer long enough during this stage to get burned, this is why it’s called “flash” freezing
Step 3 - Pack it up
After about 2 hours, or when the bread slices are frozen solid, pack them into a freezer-safe bag or container. I like the silicone Stasher bags in the 1/2 gallon size.
Now you can pull fresh bread slices out from the freezer as you need them, without them sticking together and causing you grief in the crucial moment you want some toast.
If you’ve frozen the loaf on the first day (the day it was baked) you can also defrost the slices for sandwiches. I recommend defrosting for sandwiches gently in the microwave but you can also defrost them on the counter overnight if you prefer.
Get in contact
Any questions? I’m happy to answer them click here to email me.
If you have some flash freezing success - share it to Instagram! Tag me sylvia_reallygoodglutenfree so I can see it ;)