Silky Quiche Lorraine

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A bistro-style quiche with smoky bacon, sweet softened shallots and nutty Gruyère suspended in a custard rich enough to set like satin instead of scrambling. The trick is a fully blind-baked, egg-washed shell and a low, slow bake — pull it while the center still trembles. Store-bought pie crust works beautifully here, so the whole thing is far easier than the $18 brunch-menu price suggests.

Ingredients

• 1 refrigerated or frozen 9-inch pie crust (deep dish preferred), thawed
• 1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp water, for sealing the shell

• 8 oz thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch lardons
• 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp dry white wine or water
• 5 oz Gruyère cheese, coarsely grated (about 1 1/2 packed cups)
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives, plus more for serving

• 3 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground white or black pepper
• 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper

Instructions

1. Fit the pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate or fluted tart pan, pressing it snugly into the corners without stretching it. Fold and crimp the edge so it sits slightly above the rim (the shell will shrink a little as it bakes). Prick the bottom all over with a fork, then freeze the shell for 20 minutes — a cold shell slumps far less.
2. Heat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the lower third. Line the frozen shell with a large piece of parchment or foil and fill it completely to the top with pie weights, dried beans, or rice, pushing them against the sides to support the walls.
3. Bake 20 minutes, then carefully lift out the weights and parchment. Return the shell to the oven and bake 8 to 12 minutes more, until the bottom looks dry, matte and pale gold. If the walls have slumped, gently press them back up with the back of a spoon while hot.
4. Brush the entire inside of the hot shell — bottom and sides — with a thin layer of the beaten egg. Return it to the oven for 2 minutes to set into a waterproof seal. This is the single best insurance against a soggy bottom. Set aside and reduce the oven to 325°F.
5. While the shell bakes, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat, stirring, for 8 to 10 minutes until browned but still slightly chewy, not brittle. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving about 1 tablespoon of fat in the pan.
6. Add the shallots to the pan with a pinch of salt and cook over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, until completely soft and just barely golden. Add the wine and scrape the pan until it evaporates, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
7. Whisk the eggs and yolks in a bowl just until uniform — stop before they get foamy, since air bubbles are what make quiche puff and crack. Whisk in the cream, milk, salt, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne. For the silkiest texture, pour the custard through a fine-mesh strainer into a spouted measuring cup.
8. Scatter the bacon, shallots, Gruyère and chives evenly over the bottom of the baked shell. Set the pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet, place it on the oven rack, and pour in the custard until it comes to about 1/4 inch below the rim of the crust. Filling on the rack means no sloshing on the way in.
9. Bake at 325°F for 40 to 50 minutes, until the edges are set and puffed slightly and the center 2 inches still wobble as one soft unit when you nudge the pan. An instant-read thermometer inserted 1 inch from the center should read 170 to 175°F. If the crust edge browns too fast, tent it with a ring of foil.
10. Cool on a rack for at least 45 minutes — the custard finishes setting as it cools and slicing hot will leave a weepy, loose center. Serve warm or at room temperature, showered with extra chives, alongside a sharply dressed green salad.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

More from Sprig Originals

One-Skillet Blackened Cajun Chicken Pasta

One-Pot Chicken Creole

Dark Roux Seafood Gumbo with Quick Shrimp Stock

Are you this recipe's original author or publisher? Report a problem