I'm reading "from a configuration" as in "from a configuration right after installing" so this sounds pretty close:
I use a bash script to set up some general items after installing (I usually run a live usb so every boot is like a fresh install), the script copies config files to $HOME & /etc & other places (software repos, etc), installs a few programs (pre-downloaded .deb's or could apt-get update && apt-get install ...
) and log out & log in (easiest way to "reset" desktop settings).
You can do that by adding the script & files to another drive, another partition, even online somewhere, or if you've got a live .iso extracted in a writable filesystem (some liveusb creators do that) copy them to a new dir. Or if going to burn to a cd/dvd could use a program to edit the iso & add files, or genisoimage.