Apple crisp - assemble or bake the day before?

[Anonymous]

Trying to reduce my Thursday load. Can I fully bake apple crisp the day before, or would you just assemble it?

I just don't want to have to deal with peeling 20 apples on Thanksgiving...

[Anonymous]

I make an apple crisp where the apples are par-cooked in caramel sauce before topping with the crumble. That works well to do in advance, I also make the topping in advance but top and bake day of.
If your apples are raw and tossed with sugar and spices, I would not do it the day before because it would get too soupy with all the juices as well as discolor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I make an apple crisp where the apples are par-cooked in caramel sauce before topping with the crumble. That works well to do in advance, I also make the topping in advance but top and bake day of.
If your apples are raw and tossed with sugar and spices, I would not do it the day before because it would get too soupy with all the juices as well as discolor.

+1 This. Make the topping in advance. Chop the apples in advance if you must and squeeze some lemon juice over them so they don't brown too badly (they'll be baked anyway, so it's not that big a deal). Then just assemble and toss in the oven the day of. It's fast.

[Anonymous]

The apple slices may turn brown even if you put lemon juice on them. I'd fully bake it and reheat on Thanksgiving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The apple slices may turn brown even if you put lemon juice on them. I'd fully bake it and reheat on Thanksgiving.

Yes, but there's crisp on top of it so it won't look ugly even if the apples are brown and it will still taste good. I get what you are saying, and I agree it's better to do day of, but on Thanksgiving, sometimes you make shortcuts to get everything done.

[Anonymous]

I'd parcook the apples the day before, without the topping. Make the topping ahead but store it separately.

Day of - add the topping to the apples and bake.

[Anonymous]

I have sent apple slices for DD's lunch and sometimes she won't eat the whole lot. I will often find it in its Ziploc bag the following morning, not perfect like when you fresh cut it, but only a tiny bit off color. And that's without the lemon juice. I say prep the apples the day before, add lemon juice, store it in a Ziploc bag squeezing out as much air as you can, and you will be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Trying to reduce my Thursday load. Can I fully bake apple crisp the day before, or would you just assemble it?

I just don't want to have to deal with peeling 20 apples on Thanksgiving...

Yes, those and pies are better when made in advance and allowed to "set" so they are firm and serve better.

[Anonymous]

Would make it the day before and then when the main meal cooking is done, turn the oven off and put the apple crisp in the oven to warm up while you eat.

[Anonymous]

I make my apple pie on Thanksgiving morning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Would make it the day before and then when the main meal cooking is done, turn the oven off and put the apple crisp in the oven to warm up while you eat.

Yes -- cover with foil and warm for 30 minutes in oven set at 350.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Would make it the day before and then when the main meal cooking is done, turn the oven off and put the apple crisp in the oven to warm up while you eat.

I wouldn’t cook it the day before. The name of the dessert is Apple crisp and the topping gets soggy after a few hours. But parcooking the apples as others have suggested gets you most of the way there in terms of prep work.