Apple pie-apalooza time saving tips?

The Pound Ridge Lobsterfest is fast approaching and my annual pie baking extravaganza is taking place in a couple weeks. My friend Jennifer & I bake close to 30 pies.

We are trying to find some time-saving solutions. I seem to remember reading about slicing the apples the day before making pie. Anyone have any experience on whether and/or how this will work? We will be rounding up helpers to peel and slice, but if we can do all the hard labor the day before, imagine the possibilities!

Posted by: mrslarkin
May 3, 2012

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16 Comments

16 Comments

mrslarkin May 18, 2012

Thanks, all, for your generous advice. Here's a pic of the fruits of our labor. We made 27 pies. Can't wait to have my lobstah tomorrow.

SKK May 18, 2012

They are beautiful! When this is over will you share with us what time saving tips worked best for you? Enjoy your lobstah!

SKK May 18, 2012

By the way, I love slogan on the flyer for your lobster festival "40 years of eating well and doing good"! What a great toast for a birthday celebration.

mrslarkin May 18, 2012

SKK, the best time savers by far were our 2 friends who volunteered to do all the peeling and slicing. 2 people peeling/slicing (Patti and Sue) and 2 people assembling and baking (Jennifer and I) worked really well for us, Also, being able to bake 5 pies at once was huge (thanks to Jennifer's 2 ovens.)

We only had one day to get it all done, so weren't able to try the freezing method. But I'm definitely gonna try that out!

I, too, love the "eat well do good" slogan. It's very catchy!

SKK May 19, 2012

Thank you mrslarkin - it is about friends and community!

Pegeen May 7, 2012

p.s. Can I order a lobster here from you?! What a great fund-raiser!

Pegeen May 7, 2012

My sis-in-law makes about 2 million apple pies a year for her family and friends. She swears by one of these drill-type peeler & corers although hers is older and clamps onto the counter edge rather than using a suction base (http://bit.ly/KUsIK2). You can find them for less at Walmart, Sears, Target, etc. It was invented by a guy who was mechanically handy and tired of watching his wife peel and core apples. My S-I-L happens to rely on a "twice-baked" apple pie recipe so the thin, uniform slices this produces are preferable for her recipe. But I know some people don't like these gadgets because the apple slices aren't chunky and rustic. These gizmos work for potatoes too (perfect for Pommes Anna).

mrslarkin May 7, 2012

Pegeen, that is a cool tool. I wish I was friends with your SIL!

I'm pretty sure they don't ship the lobsters. :( But if you're in the area, come over!

Shuna L. May 7, 2012

I have been known to peel, halve and core my apples 4 days in advance and slice the day of. If you have a lot of freezer space you can also pre-make the entire pie, freeze them and bake them the day of. (Although I think apple pies are easiest to slice at least 6 hours after they've been baked.)

I can slice 2 apples per minute with a peeler that looks like this: http://www.jbprince.com/garde-manger/vegetable-peelereuropean-styl.asp They don't usually cost more than a few dollars each at Sur La Table or restaurant supply places.

I wish I could help-- that sounds like a lot of fun!

mrslarkin May 7, 2012

Thanks, Shuna.I've got a few of those kuhn-rikon y-peelers. They are awesome.

What do you do with your prepped apples? I'm guessing stick them in acidulated water in the fridge?

LobsterFest is so much fun. Take the day off and come up! :) Here's the info: http://poundridgecommunitychurch.org/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/LobsterFest_Flyer_2012_v6_PDF.11565006.pdf "Eat well. Do good."

mrslarkin May 7, 2012

Thanks for all your tips, guys! Heading over to plan with Jennifer.

Devangi R. May 4, 2012

30 pies - bravo to both you! I can only dream..

SKK May 4, 2012

My sister-in-law also freezes the prepared apples - her method is to put saran wrap in the size pie plate she will be baking in, wrap the apples. When frozen she takes the apples out of the tin for space saving. She also makes her peach pies this way, They are both delicious!

lapadia May 4, 2012

I know people who freeze the prepared apples in pie tins and they say it works wonderfully. They do peaches that way, too. WOW...that is a lot of pies to bake! :)

inpatskitchen May 4, 2012

Here's an interesting article you may want to take a look at (and maybe test first)..I like the part at the bottom that says to freeze the apples in the pie tins.
http://www.ehow.com/how_6140630_preserve-apples-apple-pie.html

Bevi May 3, 2012

Do any of your friends own that apple peeler gadget thingy, and an apple slicer? Both those tools would make the prep go flying!

http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/oxo-good-grips-apple-corer-slicer?ID=19812&cm_mmc=Google_Feed_pla_pe-_-adtype-pla-_-target-19586772875-_-kw-&gclid=CK3w97jT5a8CFUIQNAodzVq32w

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