Can You Freeze Brie? Steps for Freezing Brie
You can freeze any food in the freezer, but, freezing dairy food is tricky and risky! Brie cheese freezing is nothing different. Keep reading to know how to freeze brie cheese with minimal changes in its texture.
If you are preparing any variety of pastry, it will always taste best with soft and creamy cheese, right? Well, I know you wish to eat a cheese and cream-loaded pastry right away! But, what if you have leftovers of cheese? Freeze it! If that’s what is popping into your head then we will give you the exact set of instructions you will need.
One thing you must understand is that when you freeze the cheese for a long in the freezer, you will notice a clear change in texture when you eat it. Thus, it is better to freeze brie cheese for short time and use it quickly before it dries out.
Can You Freeze Brie in the Freezer?
Yes, you can do that. Moreover, it is quite easy to freeze brie if you opt for the first method as discussed below. Thus, pick a method that suits your time and go ahead with freezing.
1. Freeze Whole Brie
For this method, you don’t need to do any preparations before the freezing. Grab your brie cheese block and pop it into an airtight bag. Squeeze out any excess air from the bag by gently pressing it. Then, drop the bag in the freezer and you are done. It can be thawed easily by removing the cheese from the freezer and keeping it in the fridge overnight.
2. Freeze Slices of Brie Cheese
In this method, you must cut thick slices of the cheese so that they are easy to grab later. Then, line the slices of brie on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Flash freezer brie slices for a couple of hours till they solidify.
Then, take aluminum foil and plastic wrap and wrap individually frozen brie wedges tightly. Make sure that each slice is securely wrapped. Pop these slices into an airtight bag or container and shift them to the freezer.
What is an easy way to store Brie Cheese?
An easy way to store brie cheese would be to wrap it entirely in parchment paper and freeze it. Although this method won’t give you great results it is better for short time. Moreover, if you wish to use brie cheese in recipes in the melted form then this method would suffice.
Since freezing any variety of cheese leads to maximum destruction of the texture, similar is the case with brie. One advantage of storing brie using this method is that you can freeze brie wedges and wheels as well.
Thus, take 2-3 parchment papers and wrap them tightly around your cheese. Drop the brie in an airtight bag or container and freeze it in the freezer.
Should you Freeze Brie Slices in the Freezer?
Yes, you can freeze brie cheese slices in the freezer. This is the method that is best suited for preventing any damage to the texture of the cheese. Thus, when you slice your brie and wrap individual pieces in baking paper, you are creating a protective film around the cheese.
This way you can protect your cheese from drying out and maintain 90% of its original texture. Thus, the sliced method of freezing is the best way to store brie.
How long should you Freeze Brie Cheese?
You can freeze brie cheese for as long as 6 months in the freezer. It will freeze well if you follow the method of freezing appropriately. However, if you simply throw it in your fridge, then it might lose its flavor after 1 week.
Thus, if you wish to have your brie cheese for a long duration, then freeze it well. You can wrap it tightly with proper parchment sheets and foils. If it stays in an airtight environment then it can surely last sufficiently long.
What happens after Freezing Brie Cheese?
Can you freeze brie without any loss of texture? Well, freezing brie cheese will lead to some texture changes. It’s an inevitable kind of thing if you freeze brie rapidly without following any proper procedure.
What will happen to your cheese after thawing relies on how you freeze it. You can freeze brie by the two methods discussed above and it will leave you with two different results. Brie will freeze appropriately if you follow the second method compared to the first one.
When you are freezing brie, you should wrap it tightly and secure it properly so that no trace of air can penetrate inside. If you do that you will notice that the brie will stay firm and there won’t be any noticeable spots of dryness in it.
However, on the other side, when you freeze cheese without proper protective films around it, it will get oxidized. You might also notice a clear change in the physical appearance, i.e., the texture of the brie.
How to Thaw Frozen Brie?
Frozen brie cheese is better used when you pop it directly into the pan for melting instead of using it as garnishing. To defrost brie cheese you can keep it in the fridge overnight or for a couple of hours.
Thawing can be avoided if you directly use frozen brie in your recipe. Thawed and frozen brie can be used in two types of recipes- either you can use them in soups and casseroles, or you can use them to prepare toast.
Tips to Store Brie
Do you wish to use brie frozen on your sandwiches or other recipes? I bet you don’t want to! So, here are our tips that you can use while storing brie.
1. Wrap the brie tightly in proportions according to your use. This way both defrosting and using brie become easy. If you store measured portions of brie in an appropriate container or bag, then you can easily remove the amount you need for your recipe.
2. Avoid using frozen cheese as a garnishing or topping. Instead, directly pop it into your recipes to give a perfect taste. Garnishing frozen brie would only provide you with an altered taste that no one would love to have.
3. If you have a small portion of brie left with you, then avoid freezing it. Instead, use it in other recipes quickly and freeze them. It is because freezing this extremely soft cheese is difficult and you should refrain from doing so.
4. If you are thinking of refreezing brie then drop your ideas right here. It can go all bad in the freezer if you try to refreeze brie. Thus, mark this clear that refreezing is not an option for brie.
You can now freeze brie cheese efficaciously with these tips and suggestions. However, if you avoid freezing one, it would be better. Since dairy products like cheese do not freeze well, brie isn’t an exception to this case. Thus, follow the above guide to freeze brie and use it in your recipes like puff pastry.