Quiche Lorraine Recipe

A cheesy French classic with crisp shortcrust, smoky bacon, and a silky egg-and-cream custard.

Ingredients

• For the pastry
• 175g plain flour
• 85g cubed butter
• 2–3 tbsp cold water
• Or use 1 sheet ready-made shortcrust pastry
• For the filling
• 4 large eggs
• 125g bacon, cut into strips
• 90g finely chopped onion
• 100ml pouring cream
• 100ml milk
• 160g grated cheese (Cheddar, Gruyère or your favourite)
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Method

1. How To Make Shortcrust Pasty
2. Put the flour and salt in a large bowl and add the cubes of butter.
3. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with no large lumps of butter remaining. Try to work quickly to avoid the dough becoming greasy.
4. Using a table knife, stir in just enough cold water to bind the dough. Start with 1–2 tablespoons and add more only if needed. (Shorter pastry has a better texture but may be a bit crumbly to work with.)
5. Gently knead the pastry on a clean surface until it just comes together. Handle it as little as possible, just enough to form a smooth dough.
6. Wrap the dough in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes before using.
7. Making Quiche Lorraine
8. Fry the bacon until crispy. Remove and set aside leaving the fat residue in the pan.
9. Fry the onion in the remaining bacon fat until soft. Set aside and discard any leftover fat.
10. Add the eggs to a bowl and whisk.
11. Add the cream, milk, and grated cheese to the eggs and stir.
12. Stir in the cooked bacon and onion.
13. Season with salt and pepper.
14. Grate a little fresh nutmeg into the mixture and stir.
15. Grease a 9 inch (23cm) quiche dish with butter
16. Roll out the pastry to 3mm thickness and place it over the dish. (I use a rolling pin with 3mm spacers for even thickness.)
17. Carefully push the pastry into the quiche dish and mold into the dish.
18. Pierce the base with a fork to allow air to escape during baking.
19. Line the base with baking paper and fill with pie weights or uncooked rice to keep it flat.
20. Bake the pastry in a preheated oven at 180℃ for 30 minutes.
21. Remove the weights and paper, then reduce the oven to 160℃.
22. Pour the egg mixture into the pre-baked base and bake for 35–40 minutes, or until set.
23. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving.