Can't get quiche right!

[StrawberrySanta]

I'm trying to make a good quiche/tart (what's the difference?) Maybe individual ones? Not sure! But anytime I make one they taste....meh?
The shortcrust pastry rises as it cooks and goes too thick. The filling rises so high during cooking then slumps down into a airy disappointment. Is my oven too hot? It also tastes so bland, I added black pepper to today's attempt and cheese.. please help! I want to make a good quiche or tart for a home made afternoon tea. Today I used pastry mix (just add water) . I did not blind bake (maybe I should?) The egg mix was 2 eggs and splash of double cream with black pepper and cheese. It tasted bland, I made 2 mini ones just to try, I managed half of one and binned the other.

Okay thanks I'll prick it loads of times then. Pastry coming on the shopping delivery tomorrow so will let you know how it goes 🤞

@LadyMonicaBaddingham

Definite 👍 to pricking the pastry and always blind baking the case first. Brush it with a little lightly beaten egg white after it has cooled ( chuck the extra yolk into the filling). Cube or crumble the cheese instead of grating it, that seems to help it not all sink in the custard and make the bottom soggy.

More salt than you think with eggs, I'm afraid - and try whisking in a little bit of mustard too.

What does the egg white do to the pastry surface? Would I do that over the base and sides?

Make the filling with eggs, a lot of cream, plenty of salt and pepper, and some (or a lot!) stronger cheese

OP it's not the cream that you need "a lot" of - if you think about it, eggs and cream are incredibly bland in flavour. What you've currently made is like a creamy, set scrambled eggs in a pastry case. That doesn't sound good does it?!!

What you need is plenty of tasty cheese (there have already been some really good suggestions) but then something else like roasted red peppers, sautéed leeks or bacon, some fresh herbs, and plenty of seasoning (and yes that does mean salt and not just black pepper). The eggs & cream will dilute all those flavours don't forget so don't be shy.

This recipe is really good, very tasty. (never tried linking before, hope it works!)

Brushing egg white over the baked pastry case seals it and stops it going soggy. In my experience it's really not necessary - just make sure you bake it blind first.

@Daisydoesnt

Make the filling with eggs, a lot of cream, plenty of salt and pepper, and some (or a lot!) stronger cheese

OP it's not the cream that you need "a lot" of - if you think about it, eggs and cream are incredibly bland in flavour. What you've currently made is like a creamy, set scrambled eggs in a pastry case. That doesn't sound good does it?!!

What you need is plenty of tasty cheese (there have already been some really good suggestions) but then something else like roasted red peppers, sautéed leeks or bacon, some fresh herbs, and plenty of seasoning (and yes that does mean salt and not just black pepper). The eggs & cream will dilute all those flavours don't forget so don't be shy.

Makes sense! My issue is that the egg usually goes airy and blech, I think maybe I'm overcooking in the past? I'll do mature chedder and caremelised onion this afternoon 🤞

My blind baked pastry is a bit ugly

It looks okay if I trim the edges! Will taste test later when it's cool

I don't blind bake my shortcrust pastry case for quiche, nor prick the base before baking, but I do thoroughly paint the base with a pastry brush and egg white and let it dry while I make the filling.

For a Quiche Lorraine style filling I use two eggs, double cream and strongly flavoured cheese. I gently fry finely chopped onion (do not brown this) and chopped bacon then spread it generously on the base.
Beat together the eggs, cream and grated cheese, stir in seasoning, (black pepper, a little salt, a little mustard powder) and one or two finely crushed garlic cloves. Carefully pour into the quiche case, and bake in a moderately hot oven. If the oven is too hot your filling will rise like a large dome, so adjust temperature accordingly.

Don't make your pastry too wet, or it will shrink and buckle.

Ohhhh yummy it looks good. Your thread has made me really fancy a quiche!

It’s got character!

You can trim the pastry before you cook it, that way it looks neater (if that matter to you). I use the trimmings to make a mini tart or quiche on the side with whatever fillings I have to hand.

Best quiche I've ever made!! I've got some spare pastry so I think I'll make another tomorrow using bacon

@Nnique

It’s got character!

You can trim the pastry before you cook it, that way it looks neater (if that matter to you). I use the trimmings to make a mini tart or quiche on the side with whatever fillings I have to hand.

I thought about trimming before cooking but thought the sides might sink down if I do that. That's happened in the past and I ended up with just a pastry base and no sides 😂 but maybe that's because I didn't chill it before cooking?

Oh I’m glad it turned out well!

Definitely needs a blind bake first

@StrawberrySanta if you fill it to the brim with pasta or beans or whatever you’re using for the blind baking, it stops it shrinking inwards (well it might still shrink a little but it won’t disappear. I’m not sure of the science of it but I expect the chilling helps with that too.

I'll defer to all the above advice about pastry!

What changed quiche for me, from being liked a baked frittata or omelette, was using more yolks and less whole eggs.

So, 2 eggs and 4 yolks and so on. Plus about a 50/50 ratio of whole cream to egg mixture. Makes it much more like a baked custard.

Now I want a spinach & feta one so bad.

I ended up making quiche last night because of this thread

Yes I'm having quiche tonight. The rule with blind baking is that if the filling has eggs it needs blind baking (eg quiche or custard tart) if it doesn't have eggs it doesn't need it (eg chicken pie or jam tarts)

The favourite in our house is chorizo and peppers, but I might go for a classic tonight.

I thought about trimming before cooking but thought the sides might sink down if I do that. That's happened in the past and I ended up with just a pastry base and no sidesbut maybe that's because I didn't chill it before cooking?

Yes, that's the most important effect of the chilling- it stops the pastry from shrinking. The other thing that helps to avoid shrinking is easing the pastry dough down the inside edges of the tin a bit before you trim.