My staff and I’ve frozen our justifiable share of truffles and have made sufficient errors to know what actually works. Let’s study the best way to freeze truffles in order that they style the freshest and that you simply’re the one one who is aware of the cake was beforehand frozen!
I initially revealed this tutorial in 2019 and have since added new pictures, a video tutorial, and extra success suggestions.
Making truffles prematurely and freezing them is an effective way to get forward and have much less to do on the day of a celebration or celebration. At this time I’m sharing my tried and true methodology for freezing truffles.
I’ve tried many methods through the years, and the best way I’m exhibiting you at the moment is one of the simplest ways to make sure the cake tastes recent and scrumptious after freezing and thawing. Earlier than we get into the nitty-gritty, let me inform you…
My #1 Tip for Freezing Truffles
My number-one tip for the best-tasting outcomes is to freeze the cake layers earlier than frosting, and make the frosting recent the day you propose to assemble and serve the cake.
You can freeze a cake with frosting, however the texture is simply by no means fairly the identical after thawing. Plus, a very adorned cake will contract and increase in the course of the freezing/thawing course of, ruining a few of your arduous work. That’s why I like to recommend freezing the cake by itself, after which making frosting (recent frosting actually does style greatest!) and assembling the cake after it’s been thawed.
That stated, it’s high quality to freeze leftover frosted cake. It’s simply left over and doesn’t must impress anybody! And clearly, ice cream cake is an exception to this rule as effectively.
Methods to Freeze Truffles
First, right here’s a full video tutorial so you’ll be able to perceive the strategy:
The cake pictured right here is my vanilla cake, however you may as well freeze one thing with add-ins, equivalent to carrot cake, or this darkish chocolate peanut butter cake (which has chocolate chips within the cake batter).
STEP 1: Bake and funky your cake(s). It’s necessary to ensure the truffles are fully cool earlier than you wrap them to freeze. In any other case, the steam from the cooling cake will condense on the within of the wrapping, leaving you with a really soggy cake after thawing. Let’s keep away from that!
In the event you’re making a layer cake and the layers require leveling, degree them off now earlier than you freeze them. (Study extra about the best way to degree truffles on this tutorial on Methods to Assemble a Layer Cake.)
STEP 2: Wrap every cake layer individually in a layer of plastic wrap. I like to make use of Glad Press & Seal to wrap truffles for freezing. I’m not working with this model, however that is really the very best product I’ve tried for wrapping truffles.
STEP 3: Write the kind of cake and use-by date on a big piece of aluminum foil. For greatest style and texture, don’t freeze truffles for longer than 3 months. You may stretch it to 4 or 5 months, however the sooner you serve it, the brisker it tastes. I write on the aluminum foil earlier than wrapping the cake simply in case the ink seeps by means of. (It has earlier than!)
STEP 4: Wrap every cake layer in a layer of aluminum foil.
The double layer of wrapping is vital to preserving taste and texture.
The primary layer retains the cake tight and recent and the aluminum foil ensures no condensation will seep in. That is additionally how I wrap banana bread and different fast breads, too. Double layer = most freshness and no freezer burn.
You may place your labeled, double-wrapped truffles within the freezer now, however for even extra safety, place them inside an hermetic freezer-safe container.
STEP 5: Place the cake(s) in a freezer-safe container. Or in the event you don’t have a large enough container, wrap in one other layer of aluminum foil. After all make sure that the foil with the date on it’s what’s on the surface.
Be at liberty to stack the individually wrapped cake layers on high of each other if that works greatest in your freezer house:
STEP 6: Freeze for as much as 3 months. Once more, I like to recommend writing the “use by” date on high of the foil, 3 months from now.
Keep in mind, the earlier you thaw and benefit from the cake, the brisker it would style.
You need to use this similar freezing methodology for spherical or sheet truffles, any dimension or form. Bundt truffles and loaf truffles, too! For cheesecake directions, see “Methods to Freeze Cheesecake” in my traditional cheesecake recipe.
Methods to Thaw Frozen Cake
To thaw the truffles, switch them from the freezer to the fridge a day prematurely to provide them time to thaw. Or you’ll be able to thaw them at room temperature for a number of hours.
Both method, go away them of their wrappings to thaw, to forestall condensation from forming and making the truffles soggy.
The period of time it takes to thaw is dependent upon the dimensions of your cake, however you’ll want to enable not less than 8 hours to thaw within the fridge.
As soon as they’ve thawed, you’ll be able to merely unwrap the layers and proceed along with your cake recipe‘s instructions for frosting, assembling, and adorning.
For greatest style and texture, don’t freeze truffles for longer than 3 months. You may stretch it to 4 or 5 months, however the sooner you serve it, the brisker it tastes.
You may freeze nearly any cake after they’ve cooled fully. Mega-flavorful truffles equivalent to banana cake, chocolate cake, carrot cake, and pumpkin cake freeze and thaw superbly when wrapped in a pair layers, as detailed above. I discover their taste is even higher after the freezing/thawing course of! Bundt truffles and pound cake freeze splendidly as effectively, simply make sure that they’re fully cooled and wrapped tightly earlier than freezing.
Delicate truffles like angel meals cake, vertical cake, and pavlova don’t maintain up effectively within the freezer as a result of their texture tends to undergo. It’s greatest to get pleasure from these recent.
The period of time it takes to thaw is dependent upon the dimensions of your cake, however you’ll want to enable not less than 8 hours to thaw within the fridge. Or you’ll be able to thaw cake at room temperature for a number of hours.
How about cookies? See my publish on Methods to Freeze Cookie Dough for extra. Since you ought to ALWAYS have chocolate chip cookies on the prepared 🙂
Description
Use this video tutorial and step-by-step information to freeze your truffles in order that they style as recent as attainable.
- Bake and fully cool a cake/cake layers. These step-by-step pictures present spherical truffles, however you’ll be able to freeze sq., rectangle, Bundt truffles, and so on. See my 10 greatest Cake Baking Ideas for greatest practices on baking and cooling truffles.
- As soon as the cake(s) cools fully, wrap it in Press & Seal. That is the very best product for wrapping truffles. Skinny plastic/saran wrap is extremely clingy and irritating. Common plastic wrap positively works, however Press & Seal is a lot simpler to make use of and I’ve actually discovered that it retains my meals brisker. (Not working with this model, simply actually find it irresistible.)
- Write the kind of cake and use-by date on a big piece of aluminum foil. I write on the aluminum foil earlier than wrapping the cake simply in case the ink seeps by means of. It has earlier than!
- Wrap the cake within the aluminum foil.
- Place the cake(s) in a freezer-safe container. Or in the event you don’t have a large enough container, wrap in one other layer of aluminum foil. (Ensure that the foil with the date on it’s what’s on the surface.)
- Freeze for as much as 3 months. For greatest style and texture, don’t freeze truffles for longer than 3 months. You may stretch it to 4 or 5 months, however the sooner you serve it, the brisker it tastes.
- When able to thaw: Switch the wrapped truffles from the freezer to the fridge someday earlier than adorning/serving. Take them out of the freezer container to thaw, however go away them wrapped in Press & Seal/aluminum foil. The truffles take not less than 8 hours to thaw fully within the fridge. Be sure you’re thawing the truffles whereas they’re nonetheless within the wrapping. Condensation varieties as meals thaw. This fashion the condensation will kind on the wrapping, not the cake.
- Assemble, beautify, and serve cake.
Notes
- Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): Press & Seal | Aluminum Foil | Freezer-Protected Container
- Don’t Freeze Adorned Cake: For greatest style and texture, assemble and beautify the cake as near serving as attainable. A totally adorned cake will contract and increase in the course of the freezing/thawing course of, ruining a few of your arduous work. You may make the frosting forward of time and refrigerate it for 1 day, however recent frosting actually does style greatest.
