Quiche Lorraine
Crisp shortcrust pastry filled with a silky egg custard, smoky lardons and sweet caramelised onions. The custard sets to that perfect wobbly texture, creamy in the middle and just firm enough to slice. French comfort food that works for lunch, dinner, or a picnic!
Ingredients
For the pastry (pâte brisée)
- 250 gr plain flour
- 125 gr unsalted butter cold, cut into small cubes
- 1 pinch salt
- 50 ml water add gradually
- 1 egg yolk =20 g
For the filling
- 200 gr vegetarian lardons smoked versions work best
- 2 onions
- 25 gr unsalted butter for frying
- 4 eggs
- 200 ml crème fraîche
- 200 ml whole milk
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- salt and black pepper
- 50 gr Gruyère cheese optional, grated
Equipment
- baking beans optional
Instructions
1. Blind bake the shell
- Make and blind bake your shortcrust pastry shell following the pâte brisée recipe, until pale golden and dry. Brush the hot base with a little beaten egg (taken from your filling eggs) to seal it and set aside.
2. Caramelise the onions
- Melt the butter in a frying pan over low heat. Add the sliced onions and cook gently, stirring now and then, for about 20 minutes until soft, golden and sweet. Don't rush them on high heat or they'll catch and turn bitter.
3. Add the (vegetarian) lardons
- Add the (vegetarian) lardons to the pan and cook for another few minutes, just to warm through and colour lightly. Take off the heat and leave to cool slightly.
4. Make the custard
- Whisk together the eggs, crème fraîche, and milk. Season with salt, pepper, and a good grating of nutmeg. The mixture should be smooth but not frothy.
5. Assemble and bake
- Preheat the oven to 160°C fan / 180°C conventional. Scatter the cooled onions and lardons over the base of the shell, along with the Gruyère if using. Pour the custard in to just below the rim.
6. Bake
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the custard is set around the edge but still has a slight wobble in the centre. Don't let it puff or brown too much. Rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Blind bake the shell first, this is the fix for a soggy bottom. Brushing the hot base with beaten egg seals it further.
- Low and slow for the custard. A steady 160°C fan sets the custard silky. Too hot and it puffs, cracks, and goes grainy.
- Take it out when the centre still wobbles slightly. It finishes setting as it cools, so a firm custard in the oven is overdone.
- Cool the filling before it goes in or else the hot onions and lardons will start to scramble the eggs.
- Leave out the onions for a more authentic Lorraine, or add Gruyère if you're in the cheese camp. Both are your call!
- Make ahead: Keeps 3 days in the fridge and reheats well at 180°C for 15 to 20 minutes. It also freezes for a couple of months.