Can You Freeze Desserts?
Desserts, the word itself makes you drool, doesn’t it? They are the mainstay of any holiday outing, Thanksgiving, get-together, birthday, and many more such occasions. Whether you wish to make desserts on your own, or they are store-bought, desserts are a delicious indulgence for everyone.
However, you might always have leftover desserts or an excess of them after every such occasion. You would definitely not want to throw them away. But they have an expiry date. What can you do? Can you freeze desserts?
Yes, you can freeze desserts. From cookies to cupcakes, from pies to cheesecakes, from candies to fudgy nutella brownies, and from pudding to chocolate, you can freeze almost any dessert recipe. It is easy to freeze them.
Most cakes and pastries freeze well when prepared and wrapped appropriately. If you are freezing desserts, it not only preserves them for longer, but it also means you will have something sweet on hand for any celebration.
Freezing desserts does not alter their texture, and they maintain their flavor for up to three months if you freeze them properly. Though, the time in the freezer depends on the type of dessert you intend to freeze, freezing them is a good idea.
How Can You Freeze Desserts?
The very basic approach to freezing desserts includes an easy 3-step guide. Check out the list below to find out. Also, we have mentioned here how you can freeze different types of desserts.
- Wrap the desserts individually: It is essential to wrap the dessert pieces individually, either in plastic wrap or parchment. Pack the desserts carefully, because they are delicate, and they might break. Wrapping will also cross out air contact.
- Transfer them into airtight containers or ziplock bags: You can stack the individually packed desserts into airtight containers or ziplock bags. Whatever packaging you choose, make sure they are adequately sealed and there is no air inside.
- Put the packages in the freezer: Once, you have double-wrapped your desserts, put the packages into the freezer and let them freeze. If possible, let the dessert packages lay flat as this will protect the delicacy.
Baking And Freezing Cookies
If you are baking cookies, and you want to freeze them for later use, allow them to cool completely before freezing. If you skip the cooling process, it will ruin the texture of your cookies and might lead to freezer burns.
Arrange your cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet for cooling. You can also lay them on a tray. Transfer them to an airtight container and squeeze out the air before freezing. If your cookies are decorated, you need to wrap them individually. Freezing will increase the shelf life of cookies by up to 3 months.
Freezing Cheesecakes
Cheesecakes are one of those desserts that freeze well. You can either freeze the cheesecakes whole or in slices. However, cheesecakes contain toppings, such as raspberry or blueberry sauce. And it is not recommended to freeze them with cheesecakes.
You can freeze the toppings separately because freezing them together will ruin the texture and flavor of your cheesecakes. The dessert should be chilled overnight before being wrapped in plastic wraps. Then transfer them to airtight containers and freeze cheesecakes for up to 4 months.
Freeze Cakes And Cupcakes
Cakes and cupcakes are usually not served hot. However, if they are freshly baked, allow them to cool completely before wrapping them in plastic wraps. If you do not have plastic wrap, you can use aluminum foil as a substitute.
The next step is to transfer them to freezer bags that are sealed properly. Make sure to remove all the air from inside the bags. Frozen cakes and cupcakes will last for up to 2 months in the freezer. It is quite simple to freeze cakes and similar desserts.
Freeze All Kinds Of Pies
Pies made with baked fruit, custard, pumpkin, and pecans, all keep well in the freezer. However, when freezing a pie, you need to take a bit more care to preserve the delicious crust. The unbaked pie should be covered in several layers of plastic wrap.
Transfer the wrapped pies into tightly sealed freezer bags carefully and stack them in the freezer to freeze. The filling will not affect the pie crust, and will not alter the texture. Frozen pies will last in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Keeping Candies And Fudge In The Freezer
Freezing candies and fudge, such as oreo truffles and chocolate fudge is also possible. And freezing these delicacies in the freezer means you have a ready stock of desserts whenever the sweet craving hits, or maybe for picnics.
Candies and fudge are smaller desserts. So, it is advised that you arrange them in a single layer inside gallon-sized bags. Add a layer of paper towels on top and stack another layer of the desserts. Continue until your bag is filled. And they are ready to be stacked in the freezer.
Can You Freeze Cookie Dough?
Yes, you can freeze cookie dough. Freezing cookie dough is easy. They should be rolled into balls before covering them in plastic wraps. Transfer them into zip lock bags or containers, and they are ready to freeze. While, the dough will last 3 days in the refrigerator, freezing them increases its shelf-life by up to 3 months.
Can You Freeze Dessert Recipes With Frosting?
Yes, you can freeze desserts with frosting. Frosting such as buttercream can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months, while they last in the refrigerator for only a couple of weeks. However, freezing them in a proper airtight container is necessary.
Before freezing desserts with frosting, it is essential to let them cool in the refrigerator for a few hours. This way you can protect the texture and flavor of your frosted desserts. You can also freeze only the icing and frosting of your desserts.
Summing it up, you can freeze almost any dessert, and all of them freeze nicely. In fact, desserts are one of those food items that do not need strict freezing techniques. Now you know the thing about frozen desserts. Lastly, to keep desserts at their finest during freezing, all they have to do is adhere to the recommended procedures.