Quiche Lorraine (Bacon and Swiss) Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between quiche and quiche Lorraine? ›

To be considered Quiche Lorraine, the quiche must be made with eggs, heavy cream, bacon, and Swiss cheese. Any quiche that strays from this formula with the omission of bacon or the addition of other ingredients such as ham, sausage, vegetables, etc. is considered quiche, not Quiche Lorraine.

And yes, as you'll see, you should always prebake quiche crust to avoid a gummy pastry. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Roll out your homemade or purchased refrigerated dough into a 12-inch circle.

Heavy Cream and Milk – For the best tasting quiche, use a combination of whole milk and heavy cream. (Or simply use half-and-half.) Using just heavy cream produces an overly thick filling.

The first quiche to come to the attention of the American public was the quiche Lorraine in the 1950s. Craig Claiborne, who started as food editor of The Times in 1957, created this classic recipe with bacon, onion and cheese to fill a pie dish. If you use a tart pan, expect to have extra custard.

Cheese: Add Swiss, Gruyère, feta, goat, Parmesan, cheddar, mozzarella, or jack cheese to a quiche. Whether you choose grated, crumbled, or shredded cheese, the ingredient will contribute salty flavor and a creamy texture to a standard quiche recipe.

Is quiche healthy? Quiche is bad news when it comes to a healthy diet. It's usually made with cheese and cream in the filling as well as butter in the pastry case, so it's often high in saturated fat and calories. Ingredients like bacon will add salt and more saturated fat.

BAKE in center of 375°F oven until center is almost set but jiggles slightly when dish is gently shaken and knife inserted near center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes.

Air bubbles can also lead to cracks, and cracks inevitably lead to leaks. Therefore, for a level, leak-proof crust, a perforated crust is key. If, however, the recipe you're working with has a particularly liquidy filling, poking the bottom isn't a necessary step.

Quiche Ratio: 1 large egg to 1/2 cup of dairy

You'll need to increase the amount of eggs and milk based on the size of your quiche, so knowing the basic ratio makes it really easy to scale up or down. For a standard 9-inch quiche: Use 3 large eggs (6 ounces) 1 1/2 cups of whole milk or cream (12 ounces)

Excess moisture is one reason why quiches collapse in a watery pool on your plate. Vegetables and meats like ham give off tremendous amounts of water when they're cooked. Therefore, if you're using vegetables in your quiche, it's imperative that you cook them first.

Can I use 2% milk instead of heavy cream for quiche? ›

For gluten-free crust, try making a sweet potato crust. The Custard: For your custard to set properly in the oven, use this easy ratio: 1 part dairy to 2 parts eggs. Classic custards use heavy cream, but 2% milk contains a fraction of the saturated fat and is still plenty rich.

Central to the Quiche Lorraine's appeal is the delicate balance of flavors. The creamy custard base, crafted from eggs and cream, provides a velvety backdrop to the savory bacon and cheese. Each bite offers a harmonious symphony of tastes that dance on the taste buds, leaving a lasting impression.

Quiche Lorraine has origins beginning in the rural Lorraine region of France. While it's considered a French dish, it developed during a time when the Lorraine Region was under German rule. Even the word Quiche comes from the German word kuchen, meaning cake.

Originally, it was a savory pie consisting of an egg and cream custard with bacon or salmon. The French word for cake is "quiche," which might have influenced the name. The dish as we know it today originated in the Lorraine region of France in the 1800s. It consists of eggs and cream or milk in a pastry crust.

Origins: A Slice of History

The Quiche Lorraine traces its roots back to the picturesque region of Lorraine in northeastern France. Historians believe that the dish has humble beginnings, originating as a simple and hearty meal prepared by farmers.

Standard quiches can consist of any kind of fillings you like: ham, veggies, sausages, you name it. But a quiche Lorraine must have (and only have) eggs, heavy cream, bacon, and Swiss cheese.

To serve cold: This product is ready to eat. However, for best results we recommend that you re-heat it first and allow to cool for before serving.