Freezer to Retarder to Oven Dough

Abstract

A frozen dough comprising flour, a high yeast level comprising one or more yeast with activity covering temperature range of 33-140° F., emulsifiers, dough conditioners, stabilizers, sugar, lipid source and optionally supplemental gluten such that the frozen dough does not require a conventional proofing (proofer) step prior to freezing or prior to baking. When the frozen dough is thawed in a retarder at 33-42° F. for at least 12 hours, or at an elevated temperature of between 43-85° F. for at least 1 hour, and then baked, the baked products have good appearance, taste and texture, and a specific volume of at least 4 cc/gram.

1 . A frozen dough comprising flour and yeast, sweetener component, lipid source in the range of 0.5 to 2.5 wt %, emulsifier component in the range of 0.2 to 1.6 wt %, dough conditioner in the range of 0.4 to 0.9 and stabilizer component in the range of 0.2 to 0.8 wt %, wherein the total gluten in the dough is between 14 wt % to 19 wt %, wherein the yeast is present in an amount equivalent to 10 to 15 wt % compressed yeast, wherein the dough is substantially free of chemical leavening, wherein the dough is not subjected to a conventional proofing step prior to freezing and wherein, upon baking without a conventional proofing step, a baked product having a specific volume of at least 4.9 cc/gram is formed. 
     
     
         2 . The dough of  claim 1 , wherein said yeast is present in an amount equivalent to 0 to 12 wt % compressed yeast. 
     
     
         3 . The dough of  claim 1 , further comprising supplemental gluten. 
     
     
         4 . The dough of  claim 1  wherein said dough comprises high-gluten flour. 
     
     
         5 . The dough of  claim 1 , wherein the dough comprises bread flour. 
     
     
         6 . The dough of  claim 1  wherein the flour comprises high gluten flour, the sweetener component is in the range of 1.8 to 3.2 wt % and the lipid source is in the range of 1 to 2 wt %. 
     
     
         7 . The dough of  claim 3 , further comprising supplemental gluten in the range of 0.1 to 7 wt %. 
     
     
         8 . The dough of  claim 1 , wherein the yeast is selected from the group consisting of baker's yeast, cold tolerance yeast and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The dough of  claim 8 , wherein the cold tolerance yeast is active at temperatures between 33° F. and 60° F. 
     
     
         10 . The dough of  claim 1 , wherein the flour is made from one or more grains selected from the group consisting of corn, oats, wheat, barley and rye. 
     
     
         11 . The dough of  claim 10 , further comprising whole grain particles and/or whole or crushed seeds. 
     
     
         12 . The dough of  claim 11 , wherein the seeds are selected from the group consisting of caraway, sunflower, sesame and flax. 
     
     
         13 . The dough of  claim 1 , wherein the frozen dough upon baking without a conventional proofing step produces a baked product having a specific volume of at least 6 cc/g. 
     
     
         14 . The dough of  claim 1 , wherein the frozen dough upon baking without a conventional proofing step produces a baked product having a specific volume of at least 6.9 cc/g. 
     
     
         15 . The dough of  claim 1 , wherein the sweeteners are present from 0.7 to 4.5 wt %. 
     
     
         16 . A method of preparing a baked product which has a specific volume of at least 4.9 cc/gram comprising the steps of:
 providing a frozen dough comprising flour, yeast, sweetener component in the range of 0.7 to 4.5 wt %, lipid source in the range of 0.5 to 2.5 wt %, wherein the total gluten content in the dough is between 14 to 19%, wherein the yeast is present in an amount equivalent to 10 to 15 weight percent compressed yeast, wherein the dough is substantially free of chemical leavening and wherein the dough is not subjected to a conventional proofing step prior to freezing;   placing the dough, without a conventional proofing step, in a retarder at a temperature of between 33° F. to 42° F. for a period of 12 to 48 hours; and   removing the dough from the retarder and transferring to an oven for baking.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising the step of placing the dough at ambient temperature for a period of up to 2 hours after removing from the retarder and before transferring to an oven for baking. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the dough is placed at ambient temperature for about 30 minutes. 
     
     
         19 . A baked product which has a specific volume of at least 6 cc/g, which is prepared by the method of  claim 16 . 
     
     
         20 . The baked product of  claim 19 , wherein the baked product is free of chemical leavening.