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Your thoughts (and tips, and advice) on freezing homemade brioche hamburger buns?

I'm going to use the "Tartine Bread" cookbook recipe - a fairly standard artisanal roll. Should I shape and let rise and then freeze, to bake on the "day of"? Or should I bake the rolls and then freeze?
I will not have time on Independence Day to do anything more than bake, if that's the better alternative. Thank you, everyone. ;o)

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9 Comments

Diana P. June 23, 2016
I freeze ours fully baked, and sliced in half. They thaw very quickly and taste great toasted. It's a perfect solution for a quick weekday burger and in fact I'm craving a burger right now!
 
ktr June 22, 2016
I haven't made that recipe, but in the past I have baked up a pile of buns and then wrapped them individually, tossed them in freezer bags and froze them. Then I simply pulled the number I wanted out in the morning and they were ready to go by dinner. We like them best toasted after they thawed out. And if they aren't completely thawed, putting them in the toaster not only toasts them, but it helps the middle thaw out quickly.
 
AntoniaJames June 22, 2016
Thanks, ktr. Good advice. ;o)
 
Nancy June 22, 2016
I have done both (frozen the already-baked rolls and the shaped dough for later baking) and both are good.
Latter is slightly tastier, if you have the time and patience for it.
But if you have a packed schedule, it's easier and nearly as good just to pull the baked rolls from the freezer.
A few tips:
*let defrost in fridge or room temp, don't do that in oven or MW.
*if you're going to use for rolls for burgers, slice before freezing.
*if you're going to use the rolls for burgers, a little toasting on the grill is nice just before serving.
 
AntoniaJames June 22, 2016
Great tips, Nancy. Thank you so much! ;o)
 
ChefJune June 22, 2016
Most of the time, I would say bake fresh. However... I have definitely had great luck with homemade brioche frozen and then thawed and used a la minute. My prime reason for not baking on the day is the potential for the temperature to be WAAAAY high, and why would you want to turn on the oven if you could avoid that? Second, is that I like to "toast" the buns on the grill before service, so that eliminates any possibility of a "previously frozen" flavor. I say make and bake 'em now. You will thank me later. :D
 
AntoniaJames June 22, 2016
Thanks, ChefJune. I'm a stone's throw from the San Francisco Bay, where we wear sweaters to our block parties in July and parkas at the ballpark . . . . so baking is usually not a problem. That said, I'd most likely be baking early in the morning anyway, when it is always cool, regardless of what the afternoon brings. Now I'm tempted to try both ways, to do a comparison! ;o)
 
HalfPint June 22, 2016
I always go to my bread bible, The Fresh Loaf. http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/21270/refrigeratingfreezing-brioche-dough
 
AntoniaJames June 22, 2016
Excellent. Thank you, as always, HP. ;o)
 
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