Using Frozen Peaches

• Use frozen peaches either directly from the freezer or partially thawed when making peach pie. Some recipes call for a short maceration of the peaches in sugar, spices and a thickening agent. Partially defrosted peaches develop a nicer syrup at this point; however, you can toss the spices and sugar with frozen peaches and produce the same results after cooking. Add twice as much of the thickener as called for in your recipe when using frozen peaches to ensure the pie develops thick juices by the time the crust is finished baking.

Baking From Frozen

• When cooking with frozen peaches, you must adjust your pie's cooking time to account for the peaches' temperature; it takes 75 to 90 minutes to cook a peach pie using frozen peaches. Cover the edges with foil for some of this time to prevent scorching on the crust. To ensure the crust becomes crisp and not soggy, slide a baking sheet underneath the pan in the last 30 minutes of cooking. If your recipe calls for a glaze on the upper crust, wait until the last 30 minutes of cooking to add the glaze so that it does not overbrown during the extended baking time.

Frozen Peach Pie Filling

• Save time and money by making several frozen peach pie fillings when peaches are in season and at their best. Mix all the ingredients for your pie filling, line the pie pans with heavy-duty aluminum foil topped with plastic wrap and fill the lined pans. Carefully cover the pie filling and freeze. Once frozen, securely wrap the plastic and aluminum foil layers, remove the filling from the pie pan and freeze the pie filling in the wrapping. When you are ready to make a peach pie, simply pop one of these frozen fillings into a pie crust, top with an additional crust and bake until the pie is browned and the filling is bubbling. For even more convenience, assemble and freeze an entire pie in its crust, wrapping it well once frozen solid. Thaw the pie in the refrigerator overnight before cooking and bake as usual.

Tips for Making Great Pies

• If making homemade pie crust dough, refrigerate it briefly before rolling it out to make it easier to manipulate. To save time, use a store-bought pie crust when making a peach pie. Make a good seal along the edges of the two crusts all the way around the pie to keep the juices in and prevent spills from the sides. Add nuts, candied ginger or other spices to your peach pie as desired to create a unique taste.