French Cuisine
Light Quiche Lorraine
Quiche Lorraine is an iconic open savory tart from the French region of Lorraine, reimagined here in a lighter version that preserves its classic character while being gentler on the palate. A crisp, buttery shortcrust pastry shell holds a delicate, cloud-like custard filling. Instead of heavy pork belly, lean smoked bacon is lightly crisped, imparting a deep savory aroma without turning greasy. Rich Swiss Gruyère melts throughout the custard, forming a beautiful, bubbly golden top that yields a smooth, souffle-like bite.
Dishday
Recipe overview
- Total time
- 65 min
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cooking
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Cuisine
- French Cuisine
Nutrition
per serving
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Carbs
- 25 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
Step by step
Method
- 01
Make the dough
Make the dough: rub cold butter into flour and a pinch of salt until fine crumbs form. Add ice water and quickly gather into a smooth ball. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
- 02
Dice the bacon into small pieces
Dice the bacon into small pieces. Sauté in a dry skillet over medium heat for 4–5 minutes until the fat renders and the bacon turns lightly crisp; drain on paper towels.
- 03
Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F)
Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Roll out the chilled dough, transfer to a tart pan making high edges, and prick the bottom. Line with paper and weights, bake for 15 minutes, remove weights, and bake 5 minutes more.
- 04
Whisk the eggs, cream, milk, salt, pepper, and freshly grated…
Whisk the eggs, cream, milk, salt, pepper, and freshly grated nutmeg together in a deep bowl until completely uniform. Finely grate the cheese.
- 05
Distribute the crisped bacon and most of the cheese evenly ac…
Distribute the crisped bacon and most of the cheese evenly across the bottom of the par-baked pastry shell. Carefully pour the egg mixture over the top.
- 06
Reduce oven to 180°C (350°F)
Reduce oven to 180°C (350°F). Bake the quiche for 35–40 minutes until the center is set and the top boasts a gorgeous golden-brown finish.
Dishday
Useful advice
Cooking tip
Always par-bake (blind bake) your pastry shell before adding the liquid filling. This seals the dough, ensuring the bottom of the tart stays wonderfully crisp rather than soggy.
How to serve
Let the quiche rest for 10–15 minutes after baking so the custard can set completely, making it easy to slice cleanly. Serve warm or cold with a side of crisp dressed greens.
How to store
Keep the baked quiche in the refrigerator wrapped tightly in plastic for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 160°C (320°F) oven for 10 minutes to crisp up the pastry crust.
Note
To lighten the filling, part of the heavy cream is substituted with low-fat milk and lean bacon is preferred. Gruyère or Emmental cheese works beautifully.
