Quiche Lorraine
A blind-baked pastry case filled with bacon and egg custard.
Lorraine, France · Firm, Creamy · A project · Researched
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 55 min
- Serves
- 6
Allow extra time: 10 minutes cooling.
23 cm loose-bottomed tart tin · Baking paper and baking beans · Frying pan · Mixing jug · Baking tray · Oven gloves · Food thermometer
Ingredients
- 250 g ready-made shortcrust pastry
- 150 g bacon lardons
- 3 large eggs
- 200 ml double cream
- 100 ml milk
- A pinch of nutmeg and black pepper
- Flour, for rolling
Method
Line and chill
Heat the oven to 190°C / 375°F. Roll pastry to about 3 mm on a floured surface. Line the tart tin without stretching, trim, and chill while the oven heats.
Look for: The pastry reaches all corners without thin gaps.
Blind-bake
Line with baking paper and baking beans. Bake 15 minutes, remove paper and beans, then bake 5–8 minutes more.
Look for: The base looks dry and lightly golden.
Cook the bacon
Fry lardons over moderate heat until cooked and lightly browned, about 5–7 minutes. Drain off excess fat. Lower the oven to 170°C / 340°F.
Look for: No raw bacon remains.
Fill the shell
Beat eggs, cream, milk, nutmeg and pepper. Set the case on a baking tray, scatter the bacon over the base, and pour in the custard. Filling it on the tray saves carrying a brimming tart to the oven.
Look for: The filling sits just below the pastry rim.
Bake and rest
Bake 30–35 minutes, until the centre reaches 71°C / 160°F and barely trembles without liquid waves. Cool 10 minutes before removing from the tin.
Look for: A cut slice holds its custard.
Equipment & heat
Equipment & heat
Temperatures below are for a conventional oven; reduce by 20°C / 35°F for fan cooking. Preheat first. Hob type only matters when heating the filling or water: induction needs a compatible pot, gas flames must stay under the base, and electric rings retain heat after switching off.
Nonstick: A nonstick pan suits the bacon. Follow the tart tin’s temperature rating.
Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting
A soggy base needs a thorough blind bake. A cracked or grainy filling has baked too hot or too long.
About this version
About this version
This version uses cream, milk and bacon without cheese. Cheese and onion appear in many household variants.
Unless stated otherwise, use large chicken eggs, approximately 60 g in the shell, refrigerated. Timings are starting points: use the visual checkpoints and any stated temperature check.
Sources
This guide was written from the references below. Egg Atlas has not kitchen-tested it.
Illustrations by Egg Atlas. They show the method; they are not photographs of a tested result.