Easy Bacon, Cheese and Spinach Quiche Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is milk better than heavy cream in quiche? ›

Heavy Cream and Milk – For the best tasting quiche, use a combination of whole milk and heavy cream. (Or simply use half-and-half.) Using just heavy cream produces an overly thick filling. Whole milk is great, but a combo of heavy cream and milk is better.

You need a par-baked or fully baked crust if you're making quiche, no-bake pie, custard pie, cream pie, pudding pie, or simply want an extra-crisp pie crust. If you're making a pie that doesn't require a baked filling, you still need a baked crust.

But it's possible to make quiche without heavy cream — you could try a sour cream substitute for the cream, although keep in mind that sour cream also is high in calories, at 455 per cup, and contains almost 45 grams of fat per cup as per the USDA.

The best quiche ratio is 1 large egg to 1/2 cup of dairy. The ratio of the fat content from the dairy and the protein from the eggs determine the custard's final texture.

Wet pie fillings + raw dough are a tricky combination. If the bottom crust doesn't set before the filling soaks in, it's going to be gummy. A metal pie pan placed on a preheated surface will set the bottom crust quickest; once cooked, the liquids from the filling above won't soak in, and as a result: no soggy bottom.

The fat melts when heated in the oven, and unless there is a filling to prop up the sides of the pie crust, it can slump. Another issue is billowing air pockets in the center. If you don't blind bake with weights, or poke holes into the bottom of the crust, the bottom of the crust can puff up.

Cook the Veggies First

"Vegetables will take longer to cook than your egg custard, so always sauté onions, steam broccoli, etc. before you add them to your egg mixture to ensure every bite of quiche will be perfectly cooked," says Kristin Beringson, executive chef at Henley in Nashville.

Figuring out your proportions couldn't be simpler – for each egg you use, you need half a cup of milk. Too little dairy, and your quiche will be dry instead of creamy. Too much, and it won't set properly.

While it is not as traditional for quiches such as quiche Lorraine, you can use milk instead of heavy cream for quiche. While the results are not *as* rich as if heavy cream is used, I find that by the time you factor in the cheese and eggs, the quiche is not at all lacking in indulgence.

What is a substitute for half-and-half in quiche? ›

If it's heavy cream that's in your fridge, for 1 cup half-and-half, substitute ¾ cup milk plus ¼ cup heavy cream. If your household is more of a low-fat milk kind of place, adjust the ratio to account for the missing fat: 2/3 cup low-fat milk plus 1/3 cup heavy cream.

And yes, as you'll see, you should always prebake quiche crust to avoid a gummy pastry. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Roll out your homemade or purchased refrigerated dough into a 12-inch circle.

Some people like to paint the surface of the pastry base with lightly beaten egg white after the beans have been removed and before returning the dish to the oven as the egg white cooks onto the surface of the pastry and can act as a slight sealant to help to keep the pastry crisp.

Why is my spinach quiche watery? If you've ever cooked a big bag of spinach, you know that it wilts down to practically nothing! That's because spinach is mostly water. Let the spinach thaw overnight in the fridge or use the defrost setting on your microwave to speed things up.

Heavy cream provides more fat, richness, and thickness. Milk is lower in fat and calories. Use heavy cream when you specifically need those properties whipped cream, frosting. Milk works for some cooking/baking uses.

Bake for 45-50 minutes until the quiche is cooked through and just slightly wobbly in the very center. Is milk better than heavy cream in quiche? Whole milk creates a nice texture to your quiche, but doing a combination of heavy cream and milk increases the fat content and creates a slightly richer texture.

Milk can dilute the flavor of scrambled eggs, but adding crème fraîche or heavy whipping cream can bring out the depth of flavor you're trying to achieve.