I make braided yeast bread with almonds, raisins and candied cherries to give to friends and family every Christmas. Freezing the dough is an exciting idea so that I won't be frantically making dough the few days before Christmas. Make dough, rise, punch down, knead in nuts and fruit, braid, second rise, bake. Should I freeze the bread before or after the second rise? As always, thanks for all the advice and ideas you provide! Edie, I'd get it to the point where you've braided it, and it's risen a bit - not a lot, just gotten a start. Freeze. When ready to bake, thaw in the fridge overnight, then give yourself enough time for it to have a good, long rise at room temperature before baking. Good luck - PJH

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