Container for refrigerated dough and method of forming a refrigerated dough product

A method of forming a refrigerated dough good comprising:

• forming a dough adapted for refrigerated storage comprising flour, sugar, shortening, salt, between about 1.0 and about 3.0 weight percent leavener, and between about 27 and about 36 weight percent water, the balance comprising conventional ingredients;
• positioning a quantity of the dough in a container adapted for withstanding a vacuum;
• drawing a vacuum on the container at a vacuum sufficient to proof the dough without the addition of heat;
• sealing the container for an amount of time sufficient to expand the dough to substantially fill the volume of the container;
• and
• developing the dough by lowering the temperature of the dough to a temperature which inhibits microbial growth, and maintaining the container sealed at the selected temperature for an amount of time sufficient for the internal pressure in the container to reach equilibrium.

A method of accelerating the preparation of refrigerated dough comprising the steps of:

• providing a dough composition adapted for use as a refrigerated dough having between about 27 and 36 weight percent water, and between about 1.0 and 3.0 weight percent leavener;
• placing a quantity of dough in a container capable of withstanding a vacuum environment and being hermetically sealed;
• drawing a vacuum on the dough;
• sealing the dough in a container at a vacuum sufficient to cause the leaveners to expand the volume of the dough without requiring the use of heat;
• and
• developing the dough by lowering the dough temperature enough to inhibit microbial growth, and maintaining the hermetic seal on the container for a time sufficient for the container pressure to reach a selected equilibrium value.