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Authentic French Quiche Lorraine

Quiche Lorraine as made in Lorraine with a rich custard and smoky lardons in a homemade shortbread crust
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Chill time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 40 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Breakfast, Dinner
Cuisine: French
Keyword: crème fraîche, eggs, lardons
Servings: 4

Ingredients

Shortbread crust – pâte brisée (see note 1)

  • 220 g (1½ cup) flour
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • 115 g (½ cup) cold butter
  • ½ egg yolk see note 2
  • 2 tbsp water

Filling

  • 150 g (5.3 oz) smoked lardons see note 3
  • 3 eggs
  • 250 g (8.8 oz) crème fraîche see note 4
  • ½ tsp salt
  • White or black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Prepare the pie dough: Mix flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut the butter into small cubes and add to the flour. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
  • In a small bowl, whisk half an egg yolk with 2 tbsp water. Gradually mix this mixture into the flour just until the dough comes together. You may not need all of the egg-water mix.
  • Form into a flattened ball, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes. The refrigerated dough will keep up to a week tightly wrapped. If the dough gets too hard in the fridge (butter solidifies), you’ll need to let it sit at room temperature until just workable before rolling out.
  • Blind bake the crust: Preheat the oven to 200 °C (392 °F) Roll out the chilled crust to fit your pie pan (I used a 25 cm/10 in ceramic pie pan). Lay the crust in the pie pan. Trim off any excess crust. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork in several spots to avoid puffing in the oven. Place pie weights (such as dried beans) on top of parchment paper in the crust. Bake at 200 °C for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and pie weights, then bake another 10 minutes.
  • Make the filling: Cook the lardons in a pan over medium heat until nicely browned but not crispy. Whisk together the eggs, crème fraîche, salt, and pepper.
  • Arrange the cooked lardons on the bottom of the pie crust, leaving the rendered fat in the pan. Pour the egg mixture over the lardons.
  • Bake in the oven at 200 °C (392 °F) for 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the center of the quiche is set.

Notes

  1. It is also possible to use a store-bought pie crust. In my experience, with a store-bought pâte brisée crust (usually thinner than homemade) and a metal pie tin, I did not need to blind bake the crust.
  2. To use an entire egg yolk, feel free to double the recipe and save half for another pie.
  3. Smoked lardons can be substituted with thick-cut American-style smoked bacon or pork belly cut into ¼-inch thick matchsticks.
  4. See the text of the post for crème fraîche substitutions.