The Perfect Quiche

• 1 unbaked Flaky Pie Crust or All Butter Pie Crust*
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup whole milk*
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or heavy whipping cream*
• 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper*
• up to 1 cup shredded or crumbled cheese (see recipe note)
• up to 2 cups add-ins (see recipe note)
• optional toppings for serving: extra cheese, chopped herbs, hollandaise sauce, & freshly ground pepper to taste

METHOD:

1. Pie crust: I like to make sure my pie dough is prepared before I begin the quiche. Make pie dough the night before because it needs to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before rolling out and blind baking (next step).
2. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Partially blind bake your pie crust. Follow blind baking instructions through step 9 in your 9-inch pie dish. Step 4 is optional, though that step guarantees thick pie crust edges. The crust can still be warm when you pour in the filling. (You can partially pre-bake the crust up to 3 days ahead of time. Cover cooled crust tightly and refrigerate until ready to fill.)
3. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (177°C).
4. In a large bowl with a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, salt, and pepper together on high speed until completely combined, about 1 minute. Whisk in add-ins.
5. Bake the quiche until the centre is just about set, about 45-55 minutes. Don’t over-bake. Use a pie crust shield to prevent the pie crust edges from over-browning. Allow to cool for 15 minutes. Top with optional toppings before slicing and serving, if desired. Or you can cool the quiche completely before serving– it’s fantastic at room temperature!
6. This quiche makes great leftovers! Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

NOTES:

• Make ahead & Freezing Instructions: The pie dough can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can pre-bake the crust ahead of time too. See the end of step 2. To freeze, cool baked quiche completely, then cover tightly with a couple of sheets of aluminium foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or on the counter, then bake at 350°F (177°C) for 20-25 minutes.
• Pie Crust: Both linked pie crust recipes make 2 crusts. You only need 1 crust for this pie, so freeze the 2nd half for another use.
• Mini Quiche: Here is my mini quiche recipe and instructions.
• Whole Milk & Heavy Cream: Use this combination for best taste. If desired, use 1 cup of half-and-half instead.
• Cheese: Some favourites include feta cheese, goat cheese, white cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, and gruyere.
• Add-Ins: Add up to 2 cups add-ins including vegetables and meat/seafood. Most quiche add-ins should be pre-cooked and can still be warm when mixing into the egg filling. Pat dry prior to mixing in. See blog post for more information.
• Added Salt: Reduce or leave out salt if your add-ins and cheese are particularly salty. For example, in the 3 recipes listed in the next note, I don’t even add salt!
• Quiche Recipes: Leave out added salt, then whisk in these ingredients in step 4. Crab, Old Bay, & Gruyere: 1 and 1/2 cups fresh jumbo lump crabmeat (it’s sold as “fresh” but it is always pre-cooked), 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese, 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning, and a dash of hot sauce. Bacon, White Cheddar, & Scallion: 6-8 cooked and crumbled bacon slices, 1 cup white cheddar cheese, and 3 Tablespoons chopped scallion. Ham, Spinach, & Feta: 1 cup cooked and cubed ham, 3 cups chopped fresh spinach (sauté for a few minutes with a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat), and 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese.