English muffins are a delicious baked product typically served for breakfast. You can keep them for several days at room temperature by keeping them in a plastic bag, but then they can start to mold. Those who want to keep them longer can freeze them instead. Well-frozen English scones can last for months in the freezer. All you have to do is wrap fresh scones well, put them in the freezer and defrost them when you want to eat them.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Prepare the English Muffins to Freeze Them
Step 1. Cut the scones before storing them
Cut the scones with a serrated knife before freezing them. They are usually sold partially cut, but it is important to finish cutting them with a knife. This will allow you to detach the two slices even when they are frozen.
Cutting them before freezing is more practical to use, but this does not affect the freezing process in any way
Step 2. Try stuffing them before freezing them
If you plan to use scones to make sandwiches, you can add the topping before proceeding with freezing. Many people use English scones to make sandwiches filled with eggs and cheese. Scramble the eggs, then use them to fill the bread with a slice of cheese. Freezing ready-made sandwiches is very practical, as all you have to do is reheat them when you intend to serve them.
- The scones can be filled with various ingredients. For example, many people like to use eggs with bacon or other types of meats.
- However, certain ingredients should not be frozen. For example, some vegetables, such as lettuce, do not keep the right texture after freezing.
- Also, creamy products such as butter, cream cheese, and fruit preserves should not be added before freezing the scones. You have to spread them on muffins after toasting them.
Step 3. Wrap the muffins individually in freezer-safe plastic wrap
The scones can be individually wrapped so that once frozen, you can remove one at a time from the bag. Wrap each individual muffin in cling film, wax paper, or freezer-safe paper. This will ensure that they do not stick together, not to mention that you will better protect them from a possible freeze burn.
- It is not necessary to wrap each half alone. Instead, it's best to keep them together in the same bag. Separating them is easy: just stick the tip of a butter knife between them.
- This step is important for those who intend to freeze stuffed scones. In this way the sandwiches will be able to remain intact in the freezer.
Step 4. Put the scones in a plastic bag
You can put them back in the original bag or use a new airtight one. The advantage of using an airtight bag is that, compared to the original packaging, it allows you to prevent freezing burns much better. However, using the original bag will not waste any other plastic bags.
- Make sure you remove as much air from the bag as possible before closing it. Will you use the original one? Close it tightly with a clothespin or tie it at the top.
- Mark the storage date on the bag. This way you will know how long you have frozen them.
Part 2 of 3: Freezing English Muffins Properly
Step 1. Freeze the English scones as soon as possible
To best preserve the flavor and texture of the scones you buy, freeze them as soon as you get home. Freezing a stale or not very fresh muffin does not improve the condition of the product.
Don't freeze them if you plan to eat them within a day or two
Step 2. Place the scones in a place that has a low and stable temperature
Storing the scones depends on the quality of the freezer and where they are placed in it. If you store them in the door (an area subject to continual freezing and thawing), they are likely to suffer freeze burns first. Instead, the risk is less on the back of the freezer, where the temperature remains constant.
- The central rear area is the area that has the lowest and most stable temperature in the entire freezer.
- Freeze burns occur when food water evaporates and is then frozen again. When food is stored in the freezer door, this phenomenon will occur earlier, as it will be subjected to repeated freezing and thawing.
Step 3. Keep the scones in the freezer for up to six months
As with almost all types of bread, scones can be kept in the freezer for a long time. Although they can be stored for up to six months, it is best to use them within a few months. Freeze burns may develop later and absorb the flavor of other foods in the freezer.
Give priority to frozen scones in older times. Consuming the least fresh products first allows you to rotate the contents of the freezer and reduces the likelihood that the food will suffer cold burns
Step 4. Eat ready-made sandwiches within a month
Stuffed scones can usually be stored for up to a month. It is possible to keep them for less time due to the ingredients used for the filling: in addition to introducing humidity, they have different freezing times.
Step 5. Look for any signs of cold burns and discolouration
English scones may no longer be good if ice forms inside the plastic bag. This is a clear sign of cold burn.
- You should also examine the scones themselves to determine if they have any discolouration. Particularly white areas have usually been hit by a cold burn, so they won't taste good.
- Also examine the state of the topping of the sandwiches you have frozen. Is it discolored or has it dried out? Then it is possible that she was subjected to a cold burn.
Part 3 of 3: Using Frozen English Muffins
Step 1. Toast or bake the scones without defrosting them
One of the reasons why it is practical to keep them in the freezer is that they can be placed directly in the toaster or oven. They are therefore perfect for a quick snack and can be stored for a long time without the fear of them going bad.
- The scones can be reheated in a toaster, electric oven or regular oven.
- You can also let them thaw before using them, even if they tend to get soggy. The ideal would be to heat them in a toaster or oven, rather than eating them without reheating them.
Step 2. Set the defrost function of the toaster or electric oven, if available
Some appliances have a configuration specially designed for frozen foods. This function simply involves adding time to the toasting process, so that the scones become hot inside and toasted outside.
Step 3. Frozen muffins should be toasted or heated longer than non-frozen ones
Frozen scones take a little longer to cook or toast than those that haven't been frozen. However, in terms of time, the difference is usually less than one minute.
- Do you have doubts about the duration of cooking? Calculate it based on your experience with this type of product. You can then add an extra minute or two if the scones are not completely cooked.
- Toasting a simple frozen muffin usually takes about 3-4 minutes depending on the toaster used.
- If you want to reheat a simple scone in the oven, set it to 150 ° C and bake it for 15 minutes. A sandwich takes twice as long to heat up evenly.
Step 4. Wrap the scones in kitchen paper before putting them in the microwave
Wrapping a frozen muffin with kitchen paper allows you to preserve an adequate level of humidity. This is especially important if you are reheating a stuffed sandwich, as the paper helps to keep it intact and to avoid dirtying the microwave.
Step 5. Garnish the muffin
Once the muffin is toasted, you can use it as you wish. Eat it alone, butter it or accompany it with other toppings. Here are some of the most used for English scones:
- Jam or jam;
- Dried fruit butters;
- Pizza sauce and cheese;
- Sliced;
- Tomato or avocado.
