Classic Quiche Lorraine
A buttery, flaky shell filled with a silky custard of eggs, cream, bacon, and Gruyère. Equally good warm from the oven or at room temperature.
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cupsall-purpose flour
- ½ tspsalt(for the crust)
- ½ cupunsalted butter(cold, cut into small cubes)
- 3 tbspice water(plus more as needed)
- 6 slicesbacon(thick-cut, cut into lardons)
- 1 smallyellow onion(finely diced)
- 4large eggs
- 1 ¼ cupsheavy cream
- ¼ tspblack pepper(freshly ground)
- ¼ tspground nutmeg
- 1 cupGruyère cheese(freshly grated)
Method
- 01
Whisk together the 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour and ½ tsp salt in a large bowl. Add the ½ cup cold butter cubes and work them in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.
- 02
Drizzle in the 3 tbsp ice water one tablespoon at a time, stirring with a fork after each addition, until the dough just holds together when pinched. Do not overwork it.
- 03
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, press into a flat disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- 04
Preheat the oven to 375 °F (190 °C). Roll the chilled dough into a 12-inch circle and fit it into a 9-inch pie dish or tart pan. Trim the overhang to about 0.5 inch and fold it under to form a thick edge; crimp as desired.
- 05
Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Blind-bake for 15 minutes, then remove the weights and parchment and bake for another 5 minutes until the bottom looks dry and just barely golden. Set aside.
- 06
Cook the 6 slices bacon in a skillet over medium heat until the fat has rendered and the lardons are crisp, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving about 1 tbsp of fat in the pan.
- 07
Add the 1 small yellow onion to the same skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- 08
Whisk together the 4 large eggs and 1 ¼ cups heavy cream in a bowl until smooth. Season with the ¼ tsp black pepper and ¼ tsp ground nutmeg.
- 09
Scatter the cooked bacon and softened onion evenly over the blind-baked crust. Sprinkle the 1 cup Gruyère cheese on top.
- 10
Pour the egg and cream custard slowly over the filling, letting it settle between the bacon and onion.
- 11
Bake at 375 °F for 30–35 minutes, until the custard is just set at the edges but has a very slight wobble in the center — it will firm up as it cools.
- 12
Let the quiche rest on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Adapted from public domain & community sources