Should you freeze pastry lukewarm? If so, why?
I have a book about baking in general. In the chapter 'Preserving pastry in the freezer' is the following sentence (I translated it for practical reasons):
Pastry should be frozen as fresh as possible, don't let it cool completely and put it in the freezer lukewarm (at 35°C = 95°F).
There is no information why you shouldn't let it cool completely. It's the first time I've heard this (and it's a pretty famous and often used book here; it could be wrong though).
While I was searching on this site whether the question was already asked, I've found this question. The accepted answer claims the opposite.
So, I want to know if the claim in my book is correct and why or why not.
Best Answer
I think it's because freezing tend to dry things out. At lukewarm temperature, it's still 'steaming' a bit, which means evaporating liquid, so losing moist. If you can stop the drying out process at that point, the pastry won't be as dry as when you let it cool completely. Of course, a too high temperature can do harm to already frozen things, or would cause condensation in the package, so that there would be ice formed.
This could be the reason, and therefore, the statement can be true.
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How do you freeze pastry?
Cool your baked pastries completely and layer them between sheets of wax paper in an air-tight container before putting them in the freezer where they'll keep for up to two weeks. When you're ready to serve them, remove from the freezer and let them thaw in the fridge overnight.How long does frozen shortcrust pastry last in freezer?
Cooked Pastry Lasts \u2013 Although shortcrust pastry dough is only good in the freezer for around a month, cooked shortcrust pastry can be frozen for anywhere between 3-6 months. Therefore, if you want to freeze your pastry for a longer period of time, consider completing your recipe and cooking it in advance.Can you freeze yeast roll dough?
Yeasted bread dough can be frozen once it is shaped after the first rise. Making bread dough in advance and freezing it for later use saves time and space in the freezer\u2014a ball of dough takes up less room than a baked loaf.How do you freeze store bought rolls?
Rolls or buns: To freeze rolls or buns, transfer them to a zip-top freezer bag, press air out and seal tightly. Money saving tip: Fill your deep freezer with a few loaves of day-old bread. You'll pay next to nothing for it, and it will be ready for you when you need it.Cooking Pie from the Freezer
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Answer 2
It's a 'common' misconception that an item at some temperature will freeze faster than at some lower temperature. Physics does not allow for any doubt: an item at a lower temperature will freeze (arrive at an even lower temperature) faster than an item at a higher temperature (everything else being equal).
In short, unless the book gives a plausible explanation, it's incorrect.
Edit: The only explanation (that occurs to me) for placing the product into the freezer before it's properly cooled would be that it'll cool down faster, therefore remaining fresher. I'm not sure that would be noticeable. However, I'm guessing that doing that would create condensation and icing in the product and normally that would be considered a defect. So, I still think the reasoning in your book is incorrect.
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