“Does the bread freeze well?”
I really do not know because it has never lasted long enough to get into the freezer. If you put the bread in a air tight plastic container with a paper towel on the bottom and on the top then it will last about 6-7 days. At three days you recycle the bottom paper towel and replace it with the top one.
I decided it would be good for people to know the answer especially if they were buying a loaf (1kg/2lb) that contains 16-20 (1/2 inch / 1 cm) slices. I took a two slices of the first test batch and wrapped them in greaseproof paper and put them into a freezer bag on Saturday. On Tuesday I will take one out and defrost normally in the open air. The other I will try defrosting quickly in the microwave (1 min defrost, 20 sec wait, turn over and 1 min defrost). Talk to you in a couple of days…
I am back – to test the breads that were cooked on Thursday, frozen on Saturday, and today is Tuesday. We have three samples:
Not frozen – 5 days old
Frozen – defrosted at room temperature for 2 hours
Frozen – defrosted in the microwave on rapid defrost
Not frozen – 5 days old
Appearance – the edges tend get more heat and start to discolour and are a little dryer after a few days.
Taste – A little dry on the edges, but the centre was still moist.
Frozen – defrosted at room temperature for 2 hours
Appearance – The bread had a grey colour across the entire surface and again this is because the butter had hardened.
Taste – Actually very good and moist through out the slice, too bad about the appearance,
Frozen – defrosted in the microwave
Appearance: Well this was hands down the winner for appearance. The butter had melted and softened the bread and it was shinny with no apparent dryness.
Taste: Soft and moist and again the winner…. until the bread cooled off and then it was the hardest of the three test breads, like all breads that are refreshed in the microwave.
Conclusion:
If you don’t mind the dull appearance then freezing the bread will allow you to save it for a rainy day quite well. I would slice it and place greaseproof paper between the slices and try and get as much air out of the bag as you can. If you are in a rush, then you can defrost in the microwave because you are going to eat it fast before it cools off and hardens.
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