Easy Freezing

• Pastry and bread making requires many steps, and figuring out when exactly you should freeze the dough can seem tricky. In reality, it's pretty flexible and depends on your needs. For ease of use on baking day, your standard yeast dough -- with or without eggs in the mix -- should be shaped and prepped all the way through the final rise until it's ready to go in the oven. Stick the entire baking sheet in the freezer, and when the loaves are frozen solid, remove them from the baking sheet and wrap in plastic wrap or an airtight container until ready to use.

Freezing Option 2

• If you will have more time on baking day, if you have less room in your freezer or if you just want to create a base dough for various uses, the dough can be frozen just after the first kneading. Break the dough into single recipe rounds and freeze on a baking sheet. Once solid, they can be moved to an airtight container and removed one at a time for your baking needs.

Thawing Methods

• To thaw, place the pre-made loaf back on a baking sheet and move it to the refrigerator. They will be thawed and ready to go in 12 to 15 hours, so it's good to remember to take it out the night before. For unproofed dough, remove what you plan on using and thaw to room temperature. Yeast begins to grow again slowly at 55 degrees and quickly at 78 degrees, so once these temperatures are achieved it will begin proofing as normal.

Baking Bread

• Pre-proofed dough can be baked straight from the fridge. An extra 5 minutes should be added to the bake time from the unrefrigerated recipe. Small things like breadsticks or small pastries can be baked straight from the freezer. Add an extra 10 to 15 minutes to the bake time and let them sit out while the oven is preheating.