Homemade quiche crust, or masa para quiche, is a classic shortcrust, known in pastry as pâte brisée, made by rubbing flour with butter, an egg yolk, and salt, binding it with warm water, chilling it, and blind baking it before adding the filling. It takes 50 minutes of preparation, including chilling, and about 30 minutes of baking with the filling, and serves 4.
A good crust is the secret of every quiche or savory tart, and this quick, simple recipe gives a crisp, crumbly base that holds creamy fillings without going soggy.
How to Make Quiche Crust?
The flour, butter, yolk, and salt are mixed into a sandy texture, then bound with a little warm water just until smooth. The dough is chilled, rolled to 5 mm, fitted into a buttered pan, chilled again, pricked, and blind baked for 10 minutes before the filling goes in.
Nutritional Information
Each serving of quiche crust contains approximately 345 kcal, 5 g of protein, 23 g of fat (14 g of saturated fat), 110 mg of cholesterol, 31 g of carbohydrates, 1 g of sugars, 1 g of fiber, and 300 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.
Homemade Quiche Crust Recipe
Preparation: 50 minutes (including chilling)
Cooking: 30 minutes with the filling
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 200 g (1⅔ cups) of all purpose flour
- 100 g (7 tablespoons) of butter, at room temperature
- 50 ml (3½ tablespoons) of warm water
- 1 egg yolk
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, sift the flour and add the butter, egg yolk, and salt. Mix with your hands or an electric mixer on low speed until sandy, then add the warm water little by little and knead just until combined and the dough no longer sticks to your hands.
- Shape the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F) for at least 10 minutes. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about 5 mm thick.
- Roll the dough around the rolling pin and lay it gently over a buttered quiche pan. Press it into the base and sides, trim the edges, and chill for 10 minutes. Prick the base all over with a fork and bake for 10 minutes.
- Fill with your chosen filling, such as mushrooms, cheese, chicken, or corn, and bake again for another 15 to 20 minutes. Serve hot, in slices, on its own or with a fresh salad.
Additional Tips
Do not overwork the dough
Once the water is added, knead as little as possible. The goal is to keep small pieces of butter coated in flour, which is what makes the crust crumbly.
Use pie weights
For the blind bake, cover the crust with parchment paper weighed down with dried beans or rice. It keeps steam from puffing up the base.
Make it ahead
Freeze the rolled dough, or even the lined pan, wrapped well for up to 1 month. Thaw completely before baking.
| Original ingredient | Substitute | Ratio | Flavor note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Egg yolk | 1 extra tablespoon of water or milk | 1:1 | Slightly less rich |
| Butter | Cold lard | 1:1 | Flakier, savory |
| All purpose flour | Half whole wheat flour | 100 g + 100 g | Nuttier, more fiber |
| Warm water | Cold water | 1:1 | Flakier crust |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What does quiche mean?
The word quiche comes from the Lorraine dialect word küche, from the region on the border between France and Germany, which in turn comes from the German kuchen, meaning cake.
2. Can I freeze the dough before using it?
Yes, freeze it rolled out or already in the pan, well wrapped in plastic, for up to 1 month. Thaw it completely before baking.
3. What if I do not have an egg yolk?
Replace it with an extra tablespoon of water or a splash of milk. The texture will be slightly less rich but it still works well.
4. Do I need to bake it before adding the filling?
Yes, blind baking keeps the base from turning soggy with liquid fillings such as eggs and cream.
History of Quiche
Quiche comes from Lorraine, in northeastern France, a border region long shared with Germany. The original sixteenth century quiche Lorraine was made with bread dough, which was later replaced by shortcrust as French pastry was refined.
What Is Pâte Brisée?
Pâte brisée, or broken dough, is the classic French shortcrust used for savory tarts. It is less sweet and less delicate than sweet pastry, and its crumbly, sturdy texture holds wet fillings well.
Did You Know?
Quiche fillings are endlessly variable. The classic quiche Lorraine uses bacon, eggs, and cream, while in Chile versions with corn, spinach, mushrooms, or seafood are popular.
How to adapt this recipe to a vegan or vegetarian version?
How to adapt this recipe to a gluten-free version?
How to adapt this recipe to a keto (ketogenic) version?
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