# Baking quiche



## esquared (Oct 14, 2011)

I make at least a quiche or three a week. I use 6 eggs, a cup and a half of cream along with a cup, a quarter of cheese, about two cups of spinach and a half pound of bacon. I bake at 375 for 35-45 minutes. At the 45 minute mark the quiche looks perfect on the top but there is a area in the center that needs about another 15-50 minutes to solidify. My question is would it cook within the 45 minutes if I cooked it in a water bath? My oven is on the money for the temp but with quiche it never cooks according to the recipe time line in Phoenix. I think I am also going to cut out a little of the cream and add another egg to cut the richness of it down a little bit next time. I wash the spinach the night before so it is dry and I get as much grease off the bacon as I can.


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## siduri (Aug 13, 2006)

I used to do lots of quiche - never did spinach but maybe the spinach is adding too much water,.  Are you squeezing it and sauteeing it first? 

I definitely don;t see how you could put quiche in a water bath - the crust would not have the same quality, and one of the appeals of quiche is the contrast between the crispness of the crust and the creaminess of the filling.

I cook them until they're done inside, never mind the time.  The top may get a little more brown, which i think is appealing, if it doesn't go towatrds the dark shade of brown, but if you like it to be pale, put a sheet of foil LOOSELY over the top, just a flat sheet, not bent around it or you'll make steam, and it will reflect some of the heat.  Or put it closer to the bottom of the oven. 

Have you ever tried like artichokes or onions or belgian endive, sauteed, with egg and cream or milk and gruyere, or have you tried blue cheese and walnuts with the egg and milk?  These were always very popular when  i used to make a ton of quiches as appetizers for a large party. I find spinach too mild for my taste.


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## esquared (Oct 14, 2011)

The one I made today was crustless for a family member that can't eat anything with flour in it. I am not cooking the spinach at all before putting it all together. This was at the 45 minute mark and it was really browned by the time it came out but it never tastes burnt. Just wondering if there was a way to cook it faster and a little lighter color.


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## esquared (Oct 14, 2011)

This is one from a few days ago that took the same time to cook. At 35 minutes I put foil over it but it still browned and this is it after 65 minutes when the center was cooked. The previous post the quiche was cooked in a glass pan and this on in a foil pan. The taste is good but just looking to cook a little faster with a lighter color.


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

esquared,

  I think I know what you're after. I also think the quiche you posted looks fantastic. Your formula is really rich. The fat is going to inhibit the push in the pour.

I would try one, eliminating the cream and go with half and half. This should cut down on the cooking time. The foil idea is a good retardant for browning. I use foil with the center cut out like a big donut.

Just some thoughts.

As for oven temp, we also have to be aware of recovery time when opening the door. This is where most problems occur.

panini


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## tasquah (Sep 23, 2011)

Great looking quiches Esquared, If I was you I wouldnt sweat the time it takes to cook them, some just take longer than others to cook. (Thomas Keller cooks his for a hour and a half at 325F.)

A couple things you can do is like Panini said change your milk ratio, you can change to half and half or half milk , half cream. Also you can pre-whip the eggs so there slightly thickened and lighter in color before you add them to the milk. What that does is denature the eggs and give it a head start. Some people also add a couple of teaspoons of flour to the mix. If your cooking on a deadline and want it ready at a specific time, just start it a half hour earlier (or more ), quiches arent really eaten pipping hot from the oven.

I have some extra puff pastry dough in the fridge and was thinking of making a Smoked Bacon and Apple Quiche this weekend.

Here is a Bacon & Cheese Quiche with a Puff Pastry Crust i made a few weeks ago.


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## amk4 (Sep 14, 2011)

Hi, I just posted a question in the equipment forum. I am wondering what type of pan did you use? Was it a springform? I recently used a non-stick tart pan, with a removable bottom and the crust upon pre-baking folded onto the bottom crust. Any suggestions to avoid this from happening next time? Your quiche does look wonderful. Thanks!


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## esquared (Oct 14, 2011)

That looks good as well, I will have to do that one myself.



tasquah said:


> Great looking quiches Esquared, If I was you I wouldnt sweat the time it takes to cook them, some just take longer than others to cook. (Thomas Keller cooks his for a hour and a half at 325F.)
> 
> A couple things you can do is like Panini said change your milk ratio, you can change to half and half or half milk , half cream. Also you can pre-whip the eggs so there slightly thickened and lighter in color before you add them to the milk. What that does is denature the eggs and give it a head start. Some people also add a couple of teaspoons of flour to the mix. If your cooking on a deadline and want it ready at a specific time, just start it a half hour earlier (or more ), quiches arent really eaten pipping hot from the oven.
> 
> ...


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## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

Removeable bottoms work best, but I always add an "insurance paper".

A disc of silicone paper directly on the bottom, and the dough on top of that, proceed as per normal.

When done, set the pan on a tin can, and let the other half of the removable pan drop down.  Slide the quiche onto a cooling grid, and then pull out the steel bottom.  Use this to slide inbetween the crust and the paper and slide the "naked" quiche back onto the cooling grid.

I only do 4" individual ones now, but for about 10 years, I did multiple 10" ones every day.  Spinach and pepper is one of my favorites,  sweat an nion or two, add in the spinach, cook until wilted and the water has evaporated, add in garlic if desired. Remove, add in a bit more oil and saute off a diced red or orange sweet pepper.  Throw back in the spinach, sweat a bit more, and put into your quiche shell.

I find full (33%) cream waaaay to rich, but use coffee cream(10%)  I like a bit worcestershire and nutmeg in my filling....


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## esquared (Oct 14, 2011)

Looks like I am going to be making a few more soon, thanks for the help.


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## tasquah (Sep 23, 2011)

Quote:


amk4 said:


> Hi, I just posted a question in the equipment forum. I am wondering what type of pan did you use? Was it a springform? I recently used a non-stick tart pan, with a removable bottom and the crust upon pre-baking folded onto the bottom crust. Any suggestions to avoid this from happening next time? Your quiche does look wonderful. Thanks!


This is the pan we used at school and I have the same kind at home. We didn't even use the removable part just used what you see. He is rubbing butter with his thumb into all the nooks and cranny's . You loosely put the dough into the pan then in the 2nd photo you kind of pull a part of the dough towards you and allow the dough to kind of roll into the corner instead of pushing it there making it thinner , which is what I think is what you did to your dough. Its kind of hard to see in this last photo but we kind of leave a bit of extra dough near the top and after you trim the edge you push it back up . Also because you roll the dough into the corner you can add a tiny bit more there to reinforce it with out making the dough thin there. You really didn't say but when you pre-baked the shell did you add rice or beans on the top ? IE: cover the dough with parchment paper and then fill the inside of the shell with beans or rice while it pre-baked?.


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## amk4 (Sep 14, 2011)

Thanks so much for all of your good tips. I did use the weights and all of that..... am thinking you are on the money with the fact that i did not pad the top of the sides. looking forward to making quiche again and giving it a go... have a pate brisse in the freezer. i was concerned that the non-stick pans that i purchased were the problem. Thanks again!


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

AMK4,

  Think the question one needs to ask before baking is, do I want the crust to be a part of overall taste or just a vessel to get it to the plate.

I prefer to do a short blind bake very thin on the sides. I like the crust to be uniform and the same thickness on the sides as on the bottom. This

way every bite is the same. I usually shy away from the quiche where one bite is all filling and the next is all crust. 1 other old poof tip, if you are using fresh onions

in your mix, shock them first with some type of acid. Cut them and put them in a little sieve. Then give them a little bath in a water and vinegar solution.This will

neuturalize them and not over power your other ingredients. You guests tummy will also agree.

just thoughts,

pan


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## esquared (Oct 14, 2011)

Made it again today and cut out a half cup of cream and it cooked in 50 minutes.


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