Classic French savory tart (Print View)

Flaky tart with creamy custard, cheese, and bacon or veggies, ideal for brunch or light meals.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pastry

01 - 1 sheet ready-made shortcrust pastry (approximately 8.8 oz)

→ Filling

02 - 4 large eggs
03 - 0.85 cup heavy cream
04 - 0.42 cup whole milk
05 - 5.3 oz Gruyère cheese, grated
06 - 3.5 oz smoked bacon lardons (omit for vegetarian)
07 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
08 - 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives (optional)
09 - 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
10 - 1/2 tsp salt
11 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

# Step-by-Step Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F.
02 - Roll out pastry and line a 9-inch tart tin. Trim edges and prick base with a fork. Chill for 10 minutes.
03 - Line pastry with baking paper, fill with baking beans, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove paper and beans, then bake for another 5 minutes until golden.
04 - Cook bacon lardons in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels. In the same pan, sauté onions until soft, about 3 minutes.
05 - In a large bowl, whisk eggs, heavy cream, milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until combined.
06 - Spread cooked bacon, sautéed onions, and half the grated cheese evenly over the pastry base. Pour in egg mixture. Top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with chives if using.
07 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until filling is set and golden.
08 - Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It looks fancy enough to serve guests but comes together with almost no fuss if you use ready-made pastry.
  • One quiche feeds six people and tastes equally good warm from the oven or cold the next day at your desk.
  • The custard-to-filling ratio is perfect, which I learned only after ruining several with too much egg or not enough cream.
02 -
  • Blind baking the pastry matters more than you think—skip it and you'll end up with a soggy bottom that no amount of baking can fix, which I learned the hard way.
  • Watch the quiche in those final minutes; the difference between perfectly set and slightly overcooked is about three minutes, and you want that gentle jiggle in the center.
  • Room temperature eggs and cream mix together more smoothly than cold ones, and the difference shows in the final texture.
03 -
  • Taste the custard mixture before pouring it into the pastry and adjust seasoning if needed—this one small step changes everything.
  • Keep the oven door closed during baking; opening it drops the temperature and can cause the filling to deflate.

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