Please do not flame/mock/thrown scorn on me ... I do really need to know how far in advance I can make and freeze this!

[bytheMoonlight]

I am 27 weeks pregnant, due on Nov. 1st, possible ELCS due to high risk pregnancy.

9 days after I'm due I have dd's 3rd to organise and then christmas is just around the corner.

We will also be pretty cash strapped so planning ahead will help manage the budget better.

Before I get to be the size of an elephant(who I am trying to kid!) I am trying to organise as much as possible.

I want this pie for boxing day, so I can just take it straight out of the freezer into the oven - job done.

But how far in advance can I make it?

shameless bump

I know that one of you knows how long this could be frozen for!

How many stars on your freezer that tells you how long things can be kept in there but if you are like me I go with six months for everything [Deep freeze]. If is any help I made my Christmas pudding and mince pie filling last week and have the fruit for a dark cake soaking this weekend to be eaten in Nov at a wedding and am contemplating making the Christmas cake.
HTH

I would assemble it with very fresh ingredients and freeze it in its raw state. Fry off the onions but add the chicken raw. Cooked pastry IME never turns out very well after defrosting... not crisp at all. Defrost uncooked pie slowly overnight on the 25th and you should be able to bake it on Boxing Day for the time indicated in the recipe. 6 months in the freezer should be fine if it's all well wrapped to prevent drying out.

Didn't know that about the stars on the freezer, have just checked and the bottom three drawers are three stars.

I was going to make my christmas pudding and cake next month Buzzy, I have mincemeat from last year stashed in the back of a cupboard! I thought I was starting early, nice to know I'm not the only one

I agree about pastry Chil, would it be completly safe to freeze raw?

If you make pastry fresh all it is is lard, flour and water... nothing there that's going to spoil in a freezer. Frozen pastry probably shouldn't be defrosted and refrozen, however.

BTW I make 2 christmas puddings around October every other year. One we eat that Christmas, the other is wrapped up in baisin & greaseproof, placed in an airtight container and kept for the following Christmas.