
Quiche Lorraine
Quiche Lorraine originated in Lorraine, in northeastern France, as a humble French savory tart: shortcrust pastry, cream, eggs, and bacon. Over time, it became a Sunday dish, a picnic food, and a family table favorite because it's served warm and still tastes good hours later. In this version, Chef Antoine takes care of two key points that make it infallible: a crunchy base made with sablage —sounds intimidating; it's just 3 steps to crumb together butter and flour— and a silky filling that sets without drying out. The touch of Gruyère doesn't overpower; it simply rounds out the cream and complements the smokiness of the bacon.
Prep
35 min
Cook
55 min
Total
90 min
Yield
6 servings
Origin
FR · Francia
Ingredients
- Wheat flour· plus a pinch for dusting the table200 g
- Salt· divided between the dough and the filling0.75 teaspoon
- Unsalted butter· cold, diced small100 g
- Purified water· add only as much as necessary to bind the dough60 ml
- Bacon· in strips or small cubes180 g
- Egg· large3 piece
- Heavy whipping cream· minimum 30% fat250 ml
- Whole milk· cold or at room temperature100 ml
- Nutmeg· freshly grated if possibleto taste
- Black pepper· freshly groundto taste
Method
- 01
Mix the wheat flour with 0.5 tsp of fine salt in a large bowl. Add the cold butter and rub with your fingertips until obtaining a sandy texture called sablage, with bits the size of lentils.
- 02
Add the ice water gradually, just until the dough comes together when pressed; you may not need all of it. Shape into a disk, wrap it, and refrigerate for 20 minutes, until firm but flexible.
- 03
Preheat the oven to 190 °C. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to achieve a circle of about 30 cm and place it in a 24 cm tart pan. Adjust the edges without stretching the dough and prick the base with a fork.
- 04
Cover the base with baking paper and baking weights. Bake for 15 minutes at 190 °C; remove the paper and weights, and bake for 8 more minutes, until the dough looks dry and just golden.
- 05
While the base is baking, cook the smoked bacon in a skillet over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until browned, crispy, and cooked through; if they are thick pieces, check for 63 °C in the center. Drain the excess fat.
- 06
Lower the oven to 180 °C. Distribute the browned bacon and grated Gruyère cheese over the precooked base, forming an even layer so that each slice has filling.
- 07
Beat the eggs with the heavy cream, whole milk, the remaining 0.25 tsp of fine salt, nutmeg, and black pepper for 1 minute, until the mixture is smooth and without streaks of egg.
- 08
Pour the egg and cream mixture over the bacon and Gruyère. Do it slowly to avoid displacing the filling and fill only until 3 or 4 mm from the edge.
- 09
Bake at 180 °C for 30 to 35 minutes, until the surface is slightly golden, the edges are firm, and the center gently wobbles; if using a thermometer, it should read 74 °C in the center.
- 10
Let the Quiche Lorraine rest for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting, so the filling finishes setting and the slices come out clean.
Chef tips
- Substitute Gruyère with Comté or Emmental if you want a similar French profile; avoid very moist cheeses as they will make the filling watery.
- Don’t skip the blind baking: if the base goes in raw with the cream, it will turn pale and soggy on the bottom.
- If the edges brown too quickly, cover them with a strip of aluminum foil during the last 15 minutes.
- Keep the quiche covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat at 160 °C for 12 to 15 minutes to regain the crunchy texture.
- For cleaner servings, wait for the indicated resting time: just out of the oven, the filling is still delicate.
Classifications
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