How Can I Make and Store Christmas Pies Without Them Getting Soggy?

[ChefPaulaB]

I have some questions on making my pies for Christmas Day. I want to make a mixed berry and an apple. I won't have time to make them tomorrow, and I don't want to have to make them Christmas day, so I wanted to make them today. But I am not sure how it will work. I thought about making them and freezing them and then baking them Christmas morning, but I want to make them in my stones, so I can't take them directly from the freezer to the oven and you don't want to let them thaw because they will become soggy (right?). And I don't want to make them up today and just let them sit in the fridge because they'll become soggy (right?). So, in your professional opinion, can I make and bake them today and have them still be fresh enough for Christmas dinner? What would you do? (Besides getting up at 5:00 am Christmas morning to make them, 'cause I'm not going to do that). Anyway, would appreciate any advice that you could give me, thanks! Or, what if I make them up with Parchment Paper in the Deep Dish Pie Plate, and then freeze them, and then take them out of the stone and put keep in the freezer until Christmas morning and then take it out of the freezer and off the parchment and onto the stone and bake.... what do you think about that? Would that work? Please help!!! Just can't decide what to do!

 

[Teresa Lynn]

pssssttt, there are some AWESOME frozen pies you can buy at the grocery store
can't remember the name but we love the one called razzledazzle berry

 

[raebates]

I find that uncut fruit pies are just fine after a couple of days. It's only after they're cut that they tend to get soggy. You should be just fine baking them today and serving them on Thursday.

 

[ChefPaulaB]

pssssttt, there are some AWESOME frozen pies you can buy at the grocery store
can't remember the name but we love the one called razzledazzle berry

I know, but I really wanted to show off my newly acquired pie baking skills... since I got my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer (I call him Max) for my birthday and found a fabulous recipe for crust, my husband now says that I make the best pies he's ever had sing::blushing. So, I really want to make them for Christmas for his family. Plus, I want to show off the stones! Whenever I make anything with PC and take it they usually end up wanting to buy some. And it is Christmas and all, have to go the extra mile and go homemade!

 

[ChefPaulaB]

I find that uncut fruit pies are just fine after a couple of days. It's only after they're cut that they tend to get soggy. You should be just fine baking them today and serving them on Thursday.

That's what I was thinking, but needed more opinions, thanks.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I agree with Rae, too.

(just in case you were looking for more than one other opinion)

 

[ChefPaulaB]

I agree with Rae, too.

(just in case you were looking for more than one other opinion)

Oh, the more opinions the better! Thanks! :balloon: I'm quite insecure about making these decisions on my own. My DH is now saying that I should make the crust up today and just do the filling on Christmas morning, because "you just dump the berries and sugar in the crust, right?" Duh! Not quite! But he is a man! I think that I'm going to do the whole thing and bake it and save it for Christmas day..... I think

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Oh, the more opinions the better! Thanks! :balloon: I'm quite insecure about making these decisions on my own. My DH is now saying that I should make the crust up today and just do the filling on Christmas morning, because "you just dump the berries and sugar in the crust, right?" Duh! Not quite! But he is a man! I think that I'm going to do the whole thing and bake it and save it for Christmas day..... I think

I like berry pies better if they've sat for a while. If you cut them while they are even just a little bit warm, they can be too runny and collapse. I like berry pies when they are firmer.

 

[raebates]

Don't refrigerate the pies. That can make them soggy.

 

[Teresa Lynn]

well since i am making coconut cream pies and chocolate ones for christmas Eve care to share your crust recipe

 

[ChefPaulaB]

well since i am making coconut cream pies and chocolate ones for christmas Eve care to share your crust recipe

Sure... I got it from Finecooking.com , then even had a video showing how to do it exactly... any way, here it is...

Butter Pie Crust

8 oz. (1 cup) cold unsalted butter
9 oz. (2 cups) all-purpose unbleached flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup cold water

Cut the batter into 1/2 inch cubes. Dump the flour, sugar and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl, if mixing the dough by hand). Mix for a second or two to blend he dry ingredients. Add the butter and then, running the mixer on low (or by hand with 2 knives or a pastry cutter), work the mixture until it's crumbly and the largest pieces of butter are no bigger than a pea (about 1/4 inch).
The butter should remain cold and firm. To test it, pick up some butter and pinch it between the thumbs and forefingers of both hands to form a little cube. If the butter holds together as a cube and your fingers are not greasy, then the butter is still cold enough. If your fingers look greasy, put the bowl in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up the butter before adding the water.
As the mixer turns on low (or tossing with a fork if mixing by hand), sprinkle the cold water evenly over the flour and butter. Work the dough until it just pulls together as a shaggy mass.
To roll out the dough for a double-crust pie:
Cut the dough in half and pat each piece into a thick flattened ball. Lightly flour your work surface and tap one of the dough balls down with four or five taps of the rolling pin. Begin rolling from the center of your dough outward. Stop the pressure 1/4 inch from the edge of the dough. Lift the dough and turn by a quarter and repeat the rolling until the dough is at least 12 inches in diameter. Be sure to re-flour the work surface if your dough is sticking.
Using a pot lid or a circle of cardboard as a template, trim the dough to form a 12" round (this should give you a 1 1/2" margin all around your 9" pie pan). Fold the dough in half, slide the outspread fingers of both hands under the dough, and gently lift it and transfer it to the pie pan. Unfold and ease the dough round into the bottom of the pie pan without stretching it. Roll out the other dough ball and cut a second 12" round to be used as the top crust.

There you go... it is sooooo good! Hope you like it.

 

[Teresa Lynn]

thanks!!
i went and bought 2 pyrex pie plated this week after my kids told someone i never make their favorite cream pies anymore When i got stoneware i threw the glass ones away and since the stones aren't broiler safe i quit making pies and never gave it another thought obviously, they did but instead of telling me they told other people

 

[ChefPaulaB]

thanks!!
i went and bought 2 pyrex pie plated this week after my kids told someone i never make their favorite cream pies anymore When i got stoneware i threw the glass ones away and since the stones aren't broiler safe i quit making pies and never gave it another thought obviously, they did but instead of telling me they told other people

Aren't kids wonderful! Good luck with your pies!

 

[pamperedval]

I agree with what the other ladies said - go ahead and bake today and just set them aside without cutting into them and they should be fine.

But just for future reference - if you ever want to have a fruit pie made-ahead you should bake it first and then freeze it. I tried doing a cherry pie the other way around and it was so runny when it thawed that it never firmed up from baking...

All this talk of pie is making me hungry! Merry Christmas everyone!

 

[ChefPaulaB]

I agree with what the other ladies said - go ahead and bake today and just set them aside without cutting into them and they should be fine.

But just for future reference - if you ever want to have a fruit pie made-ahead you should bake it first and then freeze it. I tried doing a cherry pie the other way around and it was so runny when it thawed that it never firmed up from baking...

All this talk of pie is making me hungry! Merry Christmas everyone!

I don't know about berry pies, but last fall I made up about 6 apple pies and froze them, and then when I wanted them I just pulled them out of the freezer and baked them (I think I just added an extra half hour) and they were great. But that would be a lot different than the berry pie probably. I think the main thing is to not thaw it before you bake it and to let it cool completely before you cut into it (I've learned that the hard way).
But, yeah, I think that I'm going to go ahead and make and bake them today and they will be fine, and if not, too bad. I'm getting really tired of stressing over this Christmas. We're having Christmas Eve issues for times... my sister's live-in fiance didn't request the day off from work so they aren't coming until 4:00 (we usually start at noon). And my 20 year old DS is having issues coordinating with his girlfriends plans (the Princess doesn't want to give up any of her 3 places she usually goes), and it's becoming so stressful that I just give up. I'm making my pies today, we are going to my parents at noon as usual and I'm going to take multiple bottles of wine and I'm going to have a very merry Christmas and when the rest show up they'll be there and we'll figure it all out then! I'm just sad about my son... I am really having problems letting go, I want him there for the whole thing, not just show up, grab their gifts and go on to the next thing! Anyway, I still have my 4 and 6 year olds, but I want them all there! Anyway, sorry, way off the pie thing, just needed to vent a little. Thanks ladies & Merry Christmas!

 

[candiejayne]

For thanksgiving every year, my mom bakes her apple pies on Tuesday, then lets the sit on the counter until Thursday, I'd make them now!