Classic Quiche Lorraine

Name: Classic Quiche Lorraine
Prep time: 29 min
Cook time: 1 h 11 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 1 crust (about 8 oz) (225 g) refrigerated rolled pie crust (9-inch/23 cm), at cool room temperature, unrolled; 4 large (200 g) large eggs, at room temperature (about 50 g each out of shell); lightly beaten together in a small bowl, then divided as directed in the steps; 8 oz (225 g) thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces; 4 oz (about 1¼ cups) (115 g) Gruyère cheese, coarsely grated; 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, cold; ¾ cup (180 ml) whole milk, cold; ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt, fine; the bacon and cheese are salty, so don't add more; ¼ tsp (½ g) black pepper, freshly ground; ⅛ tsp (¼ g) whole nutmeg, freshly grated (a few passes on a rasp grater)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A true French-bistro quiche: a crisp, blind-baked butter crust filled with smoky bacon, nutty Gruyère and a silky, barely set cream-and-egg custard scented with nutmeg.

Prep: 29 min
Cook: 1 hr 11 min
Wait: 45 min
Total: 2 hr 25 min
Makes: 1 quiche (9-inch/23 cm), 8 slices

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the crust
1 crust (about 8 oz) (225 g) refrigerated rolled pie crust (9-inch/23 cm), at cool room temperature, unrolled
4 large (200 g) large eggs, at room temperature (about 50 g each out of shell); lightly beaten together in a small bowl, then divided as directed in the steps
For the filling
8 oz (225 g) thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces
4 oz (about 1¼ cups) (115 g) Gruyère cheese, coarsely grated
For the custard
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, cold
¾ cup (180 ml) whole milk, cold
½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt, fine; the bacon and cheese are salty, so don't add more
¼ tsp (0.5 g) black pepper, freshly ground
⅛ tsp (0.3 g) whole nutmeg, freshly grated (a few passes on a rasp grater)

Equipment (9)

9-inch (23 cm) deep-dish pie plate (about 1½-2 inches/4-5 cm deep) or 9-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom, 1½ inches deep
Rimmed baking sheet (half-sheet, 18×13 inch/46×33 cm)
Parchment paper
Pie weights or about 2 cups (400 g) dried beans or uncooked rice
Large skillet (10-12 inch/25-30 cm)
Box grater
Large mixing bowl or 4-cup (1 L) liquid measuring cup with a spout, plus a whisk
Pastry brush
Instant-read thermometer

Steps

Before you start

Take the refrigerated pie crust out of the fridge 10-15 minutes before you start so it unrolls without cracking.
Position an oven rack in the lower third and preheat to 400°F (200°C) while the crust chills. Put a rimmed baking sheet on the rack so it heats too.
Grate the Gruyère from a block yourself; pre-shredded cheese is coated with starch and melts less smoothly.
Plan for 30 minutes of resting after baking: the quiche slices cleanly only after the custard finishes setting.

1
Fit and chill crustOven 400°F / 205°C
- Unroll the pie crust and ease it into the 9-inch (23 cm) deep-dish pie plate without stretching it.
- Press it gently into the corners, trim the overhang to about ½ inch (1.25 cm), fold it under, and crimp the edge.
- Prick the bottom all over with a fork about 12 times.
- Freeze for 15 minutes while the oven preheats to 400°F (200°C) with a baking sheet inside.
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Ready when: Dough feels firm and cold to the touch
Tip: Stretching the dough into the pan is what makes crusts shrink; let it settle into the corners instead.
2
Blind bake with weightsOven 400°F / 205°C
- Line the chilled crust with a large sheet of parchment, pressing it into the corners and up the sides.
- Fill to the rim with pie weights or dried beans.
- Set the pie plate on the hot baking sheet and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes.
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Ready when: Edges are pale golden and look dry and set
Tip: Make sure the weights reach the top edge of the crust, or the sides will slump.
3
Finish and seal crustOven 400°F / 205°C
- Lift out the parchment and weights using the parchment edges.
- Meanwhile, lightly beat the 4 eggs in a small bowl.
- Brush a thin layer (about 1 tablespoon) of the beaten egg over the bottom and sides of the crust; keep the rest for the custard.
- Return to the oven for 6 minutes.
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Ready when: Bottom looks dry and lightly golden with no raw, shiny patches
Tip: Do this while the crust is hot; the egg sets instantly and seals any fork holes.
4
Cook the bacon
- Place the bacon pieces in a cold large skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring every minute or two, for 10-12 minutes.
- Transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate and blot well.
- Pour off the fat (save it for another use).
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Ready when: Pieces are golden brown and mostly crisp, with the fat fully rendered
Tip: Don't cook the bacon until brittle; it will crisp a little more in the oven.
5
Whisk the custard
- Add the heavy cream, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg to the remaining beaten eggs.
- Whisk for about 30 seconds until completely uniform, with no streaks of egg white.
- Transfer to a spouted measuring cup if you didn't mix it in one.
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Ready when: Custard is pale yellow, smooth and slightly frothy, with no visible egg streaks
Tip: Whisk gently rather than vigorously; too many bubbles can give the baked quiche a spongy texture. Grate the Gruyère during this step.
6
Assemble the quicheOven 350°F / 175°C
- Reduce the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Pull the oven rack with the baking sheet out part way and set the crust on it.
- Scatter the bacon, then the Gruyère, evenly across the bottom of the crust.
- Slowly pour in the custard until it reaches about ¼ inch (6 mm) below the rim; you may have a few spoonfuls left over.
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Ready when: Filling is level, with bacon and cheese evenly distributed and the custard just under the rim
Tip: Fill the crust while it sits on the oven rack so you don't have to carry a brimming pan and risk spills.
7
Bake until just setOven 350°F / 175°C
- Slide the rack in and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 35-40 minutes.
- If the crust edge browns too quickly, tent it with strips of foil after 25 minutes.
- Start checking at 35 minutes: the center should register about 170°F (77°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
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Ready when: Top is lightly golden and puffed at the edges; the center 2 inches (5 cm) jiggles slightly like gelatin when the pan is nudged, and a thin knife inserted in the center comes out clean
Tip: Don't bake until completely firm. Overbaked custard turns rubbery and weeps; carryover heat finishes the center.
8
Rest before slicing
- Transfer the quiche to a wire rack and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- The puffed filling will settle and the center will finish setting.
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Ready when: Filling is set throughout and the pan is warm, not hot, to the touch
Tip: Cutting too early causes the custard to run; the wait is what gives you neat slices.
9
Slice and serve
- Cut into 8 wedges with a sharp knife, wiping the blade between cuts.
- Serve warm or at room temperature, ideally with a simple green salad dressed with vinaigrette.

Good to know

Tips

Always blind bake and egg-seal the crust; this prevents a soggy bottom.
Keep the custard ratio in mind: roughly 1 egg per ½ cup (120 ml) of dairy gives a silky set that slices cleanly.
Blot the cooked bacon well; leftover grease can make the filling oily.
Pull the quiche when the center still wobbles slightly; it will set fully as it rests.

Make ahead

"Blind-bake the crust up to 1 day ahead and keep it covered at room temperature. Cook the bacon and grate the cheese up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. You can also bake the whole quiche a day ahead and reheat it."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours after baking. Refrigerator: cover and keep up to 3 days. Freezer: wrap slices tightly and freeze up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. To reheat, warm slices on a baking sheet in a 325°F (165°C) oven for 12-15 minutes (20 minutes for a whole quiche) until hot in the center and the crust re-crisps."

Substitutions

Gruyère cheese → Swiss, Emmental or Comté cheese. Same amount; Emmental is milder and Comté is slightly sweeter and nuttier.
thick-cut bacon → lardons or diced thick-cut pancetta or ham. Cook lardons/pancetta as directed; ham only needs 2-3 minutes in the skillet to dry out.
refrigerated rolled pie crust (9-inch/23 cm) → homemade single-crust pie dough (about 1¼ cups/155 g flour). Chill, blind bake the same way; the recipe is otherwise unchanged.
whole milk → additional heavy cream (¾ cup/180 ml). Makes a richer, softer-set custard; reduce bake time by about 3 minutes if the center is set earlier.