<p>My sister and BIL are hosting TG this year. They want guests to arrive by noon. We live just over an hour away. Usually I like to serve the pie the same day I make it, but I’m not sure that will work this year. Can I bake it the night before? I’m making apple with crumb topping, pumpkin pecan and a pumpkin cheese cake (that of course I will bake the day before). Last year, I had people to help me in the morning, this year just me. Not sure how early I want to wake up to do this. My main concern is the crust being stale.</p>
<p>I always bake them the night before and they are fine. I personally think the pumpkin tastes better if it sets in the fridge overnight.</p>
<p>I usually bake my pies the day before, but this year, I am going to bite the bullet and put them in the oven the day of TG. I really prefer the fresh crust.
I am baking an apple and a pecan pie. I agree with having the pumpkin setting up before hand.</p>
<p>bethievt - I am baking apple pies for a TG dinner. I haven’t done it in a while, but did give it a trial run yesterday. It was very good, except I thought the crust could be better. Do you have a good pie crust recipe? I will make the crust, cut up apples and mix with lime juice the night before, then put everything together the morning of.</p>
<p>I almost always end up baking the Thanksgiving pies the night before and they are fine. Sometimes I just make the crusts ahead and put in the fridge overnight which works, too.</p>
<p>These all sound so yummy. I am definitely the slacker mom here. My question is: when to buy the pies?</p>
<p>Happy Thanksgiving everyone.</p>
<p>For 2 generous 9" crusts</p>
<p>Cut 1 1/2 c shortening into 3 c flour. add beaten egg and 1 tsp vinegar, toss lightly. Add 4-6 T ice cold water, toss lightly. then I scoop it up in my hand and put it on wax paper and use the paper to gather it into a ball. Refrigerate for–at least an hour or 2. I roll it out between 2 sheets of floured wax paper. The key is handling the dough as little as possible.</p>
<p>This is the one I used and the crust wasn’t as flaky as I would have liked.
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, chilled and diced
1/2 cup ice water</p>
<p>It said to refrige it for 4 hours.</p>
<p>This is the recipe I use for my pie crusts, and they always turn out very flaky:</p>
<p>[Cook’s</a> Illustrated’s Foolproof Pie Dough | Serious Eats : Recipes](<a href=“http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2007/11/cooks-illustrated-foolproof-pie-dough-recipe.html]Cook’s”>Cook's Illustrated's Foolproof Pie Dough Recipe)</p>
<p>Although some folks report that they did not have much success with the crust.</p>
<p>I always substitute half the water with vodka.
This works with virtually every pie crust recipe and is reason enough to keep plenty of vodka in the house during the holidays. At least that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.</p>
<p>musicamusica</p>
<p>have you tried the vodka in a recipe that uses vinegar?</p>
<p>No…but I imagine that the vinegar is added for the same reason that vodka is used. It evaporates quickly and lightens the crust. I have never used an egg in a pie crust—I think it is too much of a binder. I really like the old standby—the classic Crisco recipe (with the vodka sub!!) <a href=“http://www.crisco.com/Recipes/Details.aspx?recipeID=1242[/url]”>www.crisco.com/Recipes/Details.aspx?recipeID=1242</a></p>
<p>I use Crisco too.</p>
<p>Bethie, as far as your original Q goes: can you bring your fully assembled fruit pie and put it in the oven at the BIL’s house? That way, it will be as fresh as they get! I would not worry about pecan or pumpkin pies - IMO, they are usually better the next day.</p>
<p>BB–that’s an interesting thought, but I think that the apple pie I make takes some time for the filling to set so it’s not “runny”, as in, the slice keeping its shape. And they have just one small oven, that might be in use.</p>
<p>I think I’ll make the pumpkin pecan the night before and refrigerate it overnight along with the pumpkin cheesecake and wake up early to make the apple pie first thing. I also have to prep a brussels sprouts recipe that involves a lot of slicing, but those I’ll saute at my sister’s house.</p>
<p>For the cooled cheesecake and pumpkin pie, should I put plastic wrap over them for their time in the refrigerator?</p>
<p>I always bake my pies the day before and keep them in a pie basket in a cool room. The main issue is keeping the cats out of the room!!</p>
<p>I would make the cheesecake the day before and wrap it in plastic wrap. Because the apple will really not be as good made a day ahead, you should make the pumpkin Thanksgiving morning as well since it is so easy. You can even whip up the filling the night before if you want. Make the crust the day ahead and roll it out that morning, or even line the pans the night before.</p>
<p>That’s what I was thinking too. I knew I’d make the crusts the day before. I guess I can get the pumpkin pecan into the oven first, then do the apple and then prep the brussels sprouts.</p>
<p>I’m a make and bake them on Wednesday night person. I put the crust together in the morning before I go to the office and stick the dough ball in the fridge so it’s ready when i get home form work on Wednesday. For fruit pies I just put them on the back of the oven while everything else is being prepared and there is enough heat to ‘warm’ the pie without having to put into a hot oven.</p>
<p>No question, I always make my pies the day before. I have zero time on Thanksgiving day for pie making. Plus, my oven is filled with more important things!</p>
<p>I found a great recipe for an apple pie a few weeks ago when I was putting up some applesauce and my guys were clamoring for a pie. This recipe is really different because you make a sugar and butter sauce that you then pour over the apples. The only changes I made were to add apple pie spices and to mix the apples in the sauce and then dump the whole thing into the prepared bottom crust.</p>
<p>[Apple</a> Pie by Grandma Ople Recipe - Allrecipes.com](<a href=“http://allrecipes.com/recipe/apple-pie-by-grandma-ople/]Apple”>Apple Pie by Grandma Ople Recipe)</p>
<p>I have to confess that I don’t make my own crust. Trader Joe’s makes as good a pie crust as I’ve ever tasted.</p>