Summary: Shortcrust pastry tart with smoked bacon and a creamy egg custard. Ready in 90 minutes, serves 6.
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Category: Appetizers, French Cuisine
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Quick overview
- Dish: Quiche Lorraine
- Category: Appetizers, French Cuisine
- Cuisine: French
- Main ingredient: All-purpose flour, 9 oz (for the pastry)
- Guide: 12 Most Famous French Dishes
- Total time: 90 minutes (30 min prep + 60 min cooking)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Servings: 6 (Portion weight: 6 oz)
- Key technique: Blind baking, custard setting
- Preparation types: Baking
- Dietary info & allergens: Contains gluten, dairy, eggs
- Suitable for: Lunch, brunch, light dinner, picnic
- Nutritional values (per serving): 420 kcal, Protein: 18 g, Fat: 28 g, Carbs: 26 g
- Storage: 3 days in fridge, 2 months in freezer
- Pairing: White wine, cider, sparkling water
- In short: A classic French tart – smoky bacon, creamy custard, crisp pastry.
- Last updated: 24. 9. 2026
WAGUU says: “The custard should be just set. If it wobbles, it is perfect.”
Key facts
| Prep time: | 30 minutes (plus 30 min chilling) |
| Cooking time: | 60 minutes |
| Temperature: | 350 °F (oven) |
| Servings: | 6 |
At a glance
A classic French tart from Lorraine – crisp shortcrust pastry, smoky bacon, and a creamy egg custard. Simple, honest, and deeply satisfying.
Ingredients
Base servings: 6 • Portion weight: 6 oz
| Ingredient | Amount | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 9 oz | For the pastry |
| Unsalted butter | 4.5 oz | Cold, cubed |
| Ice-cold water | 2 fl oz | For the pastry |
| Dry-cured bacon | 7 oz | Cut into lardons |
| Eggs | 3 pieces | Large, free-range |
| Heavy cream | 7 fl oz | Fresh |
| Whole milk | 3.5 fl oz | Fresh |
| Fresh nutmeg | 1 pinch | Grated |
| Fine sea salt | 1 tsp | To taste |
| Black peppercorns | 1 tsp | Freshly ground |
Why you will love this recipe
- Simple ingredients: Flour, butter, eggs, cream, bacon. Nothing exotic.
- Versatile: Serve warm or at room temperature. Perfect for lunch, brunch, or a picnic.
- Make-ahead: The pastry can be made ahead and chilled. The quiche can be baked ahead and reheated.
Why it works: Blind baking the pastry ensures a crisp base. The custard is made with a mix of cream and milk, which gives a rich but not heavy texture. The bacon provides salt and smoke, so no additional seasoning is needed.
Recipe overview
Prep: 30 min | Cook: 60 min | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 6 | Type: Appetizer | Origin: French
Detailed method
Total progress: 0 % done
Phase 1: Making the pastry – 15 min
Equipment: Mixing bowl, pastry blender
1. Put the flour and cold butter in a mixing bowl. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the ice-cold water and bring the dough together. Shape into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
VKB: The dough is smooth and holds together. It is cool to the touch.
Before you continue:
Handle the pastry as little as possible. Overworking it makes it tough. Keep everything cold.
Phase 2: Blind baking – 25 min
Equipment: Tart pan, baking beans, oven
2. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface. Line a 9-inch tart pan with the pastry. Prick the base with a fork. Line with parchment paper and fill with baking beans. Blind bake at 350 °F for 15 minutes. Remove the beans and paper and bake for a further 5 minutes until the base is dry.
VKB: The pastry is golden and dry. It no longer looks raw.
Before you continue:
Do not skip the blind baking. It prevents the dreaded soggy bottom.
Phase 3: Cooking the bacon – 10 min
Equipment: Skillet
3. Fry the bacon lardons in a dry skillet until golden and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
VKB: The bacon is crisp and golden. It has released its fat.
Before you continue:
Drain the bacon well. Excess fat makes the custard greasy.
Phase 4: Making the custard – 5 min
Equipment: Mixing bowl, whisk
4. Whisk the eggs, cream, milk, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in a bowl until smooth. Do not over-whisk. You do not want too much air in the custard.
VKB: The custard is smooth and pale yellow. No streaks of egg remain.
Before you continue:
Do not over-whisk. Too much air makes the custard puff up and then collapse.
Phase 5: Assembling and baking – 35 min
Equipment: Oven, tart pan
5. Scatter the bacon over the pastry base. Pour the custard over the bacon. Bake at 350 °F for 25–30 minutes until the custard is just set. It should wobble slightly in the center.
VKB: The custard is golden and just set. It wobbles slightly in the center.
Before you continue:
Do not overbake. Overbaked custard becomes rubbery. Remove from the oven when it still wobbles.
Phase 6: Resting and serving – 15 min
Equipment: Cooling rack
6. Let the quiche rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature with a green salad.
VKB: The custard is set but still creamy. The pastry is crisp.
Required equipment
| Equipment | Ideal size | Alternative | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tart pan | 9-inch, loose-bottomed | Pie dish | Thin pan burns the pastry |
| Baking beans | Any size | Dried beans or rice | No beans means the pastry puffs up |
| Mixing bowl | Large | Any bowl | Small bowl overcrowds the flour |
Shopping list
Nutritional profile
Values per 1 serving (without side dish). Calculated from average nutritional values of ingredients.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per 1 serving | Per 6 servings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 233 kcal | 420 kcal | 2520 kcal |
| Fat | 15.6 g | 28 g | 168 g |
| of which saturated | 7.8 g | 14 g | 84 g |
| Carbohydrates | 14.4 g | 26 g | 156 g |
| of which sugars | 1.7 g | 3 g | 18 g |
| Protein | 10 g | 18 g | 108 g |
| Salt | 0.7 g | 1.3 g | 7.8 g |
Reference intake of an average adult (8400 kJ / 2000 kcal).
WAGUU Pro level
- Pro standard: Verified recipe with precise ratios and visual control points.
- Tip 1: Use cold butter and ice-cold water for the pastry. Warm ingredients make tough pastry.
- Tip 2: Blind bake the pastry properly. It prevents the soggy bottom.
- Tip 3: Do not over-whisk the custard. Too much air makes it puff and collapse.
- Tip 4: Remove the quiche from the oven when it still wobbles in the center. It will set as it cools.
Scientific background
The custard sets because the egg proteins coagulate when heated. The cream and milk add richness and prevent the custard from becoming rubbery. The bacon provides salt and smoke, which season the custard from within.
Fine Dining – Professional techniques
- Plate composition: Cut a neat slice and serve on a warm plate with a small green salad.
- Texture contrast: Add a handful of toasted walnuts for crunch.
- Temperature contrast: Serve with a spoonful of cold crème fraîche.
- Aromatic additions: Grate a little lemon zest over the salad.
Sensory radar
- Appearance: Golden pastry, pale yellow custard, flecks of bacon.
- Aroma: Butter, bacon, nutmeg.
- Taste: Savory, rich, with the smoke of the bacon.
- Texture: Crisp pastry, creamy custard.
Pairing
- Wine: Dry white wine – Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc.
- Beer: A light lager or wheat beer.
- Non-alcoholic: Sparkling water with a slice of lemon.
Different variations
- Quiche aux Poireaux: Replace the bacon with slowly cooked leeks.
- Quiche with cheese: Add Gruyère or Comté to the custard.
Allergens and dietary information
Contains: Gluten, dairy, eggs • Gluten: Contains gluten • Not suitable for: Gluten-free, lactose-free, egg-free
Suitable for
Lunch, brunch, light dinner, picnic
Substitution catalogue
- Bacon: Pancetta or smoked ham
- Heavy cream: Crème fraîche or half-and-half
- Fresh nutmeg: Ground nutmeg
FAQ
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes. The pastry can be made ahead and chilled. The quiche can be baked ahead and reheated gently.
Why is my quiche watery?
The custard may not have set properly, or the bacon was not drained well. Blind bake the pastry and drain the bacon.
Can I use store-bought pastry?
Yes. Use good-quality shortcrust pastry. It saves time and works well.
Can I freeze quiche?
Yes. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently.
WAGUU Petr advises: Cooking for 6 or more?
6–8 people: Make two quiches. 10+ people: Make three quiches in different flavors. Serve at room temperature.
Serving suggestion
Storage and reheating
Fridge: 3 days • Freezer: 2 months • Reheating: Gently in the oven at 325 °F for 10 minutes.
Author: WAGUU Petr & Team • Published: 25 Sep 2026
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Most common mistakes
- Not blind baking the pastry – It prevents the soggy bottom. Do not skip this step.
- Over-whisking the custard – Too much air makes it puff up and then collapse.
- Overbaking the custard – It becomes rubbery. Remove when it still wobbles.
- Not draining the bacon – Excess fat makes the custard greasy.