The first method, freezing the dough directly after its first fermentation, involves freezing the dough without dividing it. While this method has minimal impact on bread quality, it offers limited improvement in production efficiency and is therefore not commonly used.
The second method, freezing the divided dough, involves dividing the dough into smaller balls after the first fermentation, rounding them, and then freezing them. This method uses smaller dough balls, resulting in shorter freezing and thawing times, saving time while maintaining bread quality, making it a commonly used method.
The third method, freezing the shaped dough, allows for immediate second fermentation and baking after thawing, resulting in higher production efficiency, but a slight decrease in bread quality. Many large factories use this method for producing semi-finished dough.
The fourth method, final fermentation freezing, involves allowing the shaped dough to undergo a full final fermentation (second fermentation) before freezing. This means the dough can be baked immediately after thawing, offering higher efficiency than the previous four methods, but often encountering quality issues. It is generally only used for high-fat and high-sugar Danish and brioche doughs.
The pre-baked freezing method involves baking the fully fermented dough until the proteins just harden, then freezing this semi-cooked dough. When ready to eat, simply thaw and bake until fully cooked. Bread made from this semi-finished product can no longer be considered freshly baked bread; commercially available pizza crusts are made using this method.
The finished product freezing method, in other words, involves freezing baked bread for storage. Simply thaw before eating, or you can refrozen it to give it a second life. This method is the most convenient, but unless you're making it at home, nobody wants to buy this type of bread from a bakery.
