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Quiche Lorraine

Name: Quiche Lorraine
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 nine-inch pie crust, homemade or store-bought; 6 ounces thick-cut bacon (or lardons), cut into 1/2-inch pieces; 4 large eggs; 1-1/2 cups heavy cream; 1/2 cup whole milk; 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Quiche Lorraine is a custard tart from the Alsace-Lorraine region, and its success depends entirely on the egg-to-cream ratio. The standard is roughly three eggs per 240ml of heavy cream, producing a custard that sets firm enough to slice but trembles slightly when moved. More eggs and the texture goes rubbery; fewer and it won't hold. The shell must be blind-baked until fully cooked before the custard goes in. An unbaked or underbaked shell goes soggy from the bottom before the custard sets. Lardons, thick-cut smoked bacon, are rendered until the fat is soft but not crisp, then distributed across the shell. The custard is poured over and the quiche bakes at 160 degrees Celsius until just set at the center. The egg yolks in the custard provide both richness and color; the whites provide structure. A quiche that wobbles at the edges but is set in the center is a quiche that has been pulled at exactly the right moment. Leave it in longer and the texture suffers.

Prep: 25 min Cook: 45 min Total: 70 min Serves: 6

Ingredients

1 nine-inch pie crust, homemade or store-bought
6 ounces thick-cut bacon (or lardons), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 large eggs
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Fit the pie crust into a 9-inch tart pan or pie dish. Line with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Blind-bake for 15 minutes, then remove the weights and parchment. Bake 5 minutes more until the bottom is dry. Reduce oven to 350°F.
Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp but not brittle, about 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
Whisk together eggs, cream, milk, nutmeg, salt, and pepper until smooth.
Scatter the cooked bacon evenly over the bottom of the par-baked crust. Pour the custard over the top.
Bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes, until the edges are set and the center has only the slightest wobble when you gently shake the pan.
Let the quiche rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing. It continues to set as it cools and is actually better warm than screaming hot.

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