Mary Berry's Quiche Lorraine, the classic French recipe made easily with a few simple ingredients. The pastry is made from scratch with just butter and flour, and the filling is rich and hearty. The perfect brunch or starter for every occasion, this quiche is absolutely delicious.
Simplicity is the best way to describe this classic quiche recipe. But it's this very simplicity that brings out the best flavours to create a unique dish that can be enjoyed as part of an everyday meal or a fancy one on a special occasion.
Bacon, cheese and cheese - 3 basic ingredients that are simply a match made in heaven. You really don't need much else if you are after a delicacy. Forget about expensive meals at a rather posh French restaurant, this homemade quiche is as good as it gets.
I have made countless quiches over the years, from Asparagus, Mushroom and Leek Quiche, to Ham, Cheese and Potato Quiche, or a Crustless Broccoli and Cheese Quiche, which are some of my favourite recipes. But this quiche lorraine really tops the charts.
I never bother with ready-made pastries, they are always too breakable, not enough flavour, and lacking the texture I am after. Then for the filling itself, eggs and cream/milk are the only ingredients needed. So, let's see how to make it!
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Ingredients needed to make Mary Berry's Quiche Lorraine
- plain flour - to make the crust, no need for self-raising flour
- butter - cold from the fridge
- cold water - to make the pastry
- onion - I used yellow onion, red or shallots also ok
- bacon - I used bacon rashes, but bacon lardons also ok
- gruyere cheese - or any other hard cheese you have
- vegetable oil - olive oil also ok
- eggs - at room temperature
- single cream - to make the filling
- salt & black pepper
Step-by-step photos and instructions
The pastry
To make the pastry, we only need 2 ingredients: butter and flour. Water is the binding ingredient, I used 2 tablespoons, but depending on the flour, you can use more or less.
- sift the flour, and add it to a bowl
- add the flour, and use your fingertips to rub them together until it resembles breadcrumbs
- add the cold water and knead gently into a dough
- cover it with clingfilm, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes
- roll the pastry and arrange it onto a quiche tin
- use a fork to prick it into a few places
- cover the dough with non-stick paper, and fill the tin with dry pulses or baking beans
- bake in the preheated oven at 220 degrees (430 Fahrenheit) for 10 minutes, then remove the paper and pulses, and bake for a further 10 minutes until golden
The filling
Once the pastry is ready, we can start adding the filling. I had the bacon baked, but you can also fry it.
- cut the bacon into small pieces, and add it to the pastry
- heat up the oil in a frying pan, add the chopped onion with a pinch of salt, and fry until golden
- add the fried onion to the bacon, making sure any oil stays in the pan
- top with grated cheese
- in a jug, beat the eggs, pour over the cream, and beat together
- season with ground black pepper, and pour it over the filling
- bake for 25 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) until golden and set
Expert tips
I cannot believe I have not made this quiche before myself. It's the very best and I had way too many slices of it. It's just perfect if you fancy a nice brunch, or a lunch on its own with a nice salad on the side. Or just munch from it whenever you feel peckish.
I must say I personally think the quiche is best served cold, rather than hot/warm. The flavours come through even better, and the quiche does not feel heavy or too rich.
Just leave it to cool down at room temperature, otherwise, if chilled in the fridge, the pastry will become too hard, since it's all buttery. It can last well for a few days, that's it if it's not eaten up by then. Do give it a try, you will love it!
Recipe FAQs
The pastry must be blind baked before adding the filling, as otherwise it does have time to bake while the filling is baking.
The quiche goes really well with any green salad, couscous, bulgur wheat, rice or a nice potato salad.
Other quiche recipes
If you’ve tried my MARY BERRY'S QUICHE LORRAINE or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m getting up to.
Mary Berry's Quiche Lorraine
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 175 g plain flour
- 85 g butter
- 2 tablespoon cold water
For the filling
- 1 onion
- 6 rashes of bacon
- 125 g grated gruyere cheese (or any other hard cheese you have)
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 250 ml single cream
- a pinch of salt
- a pinch of ground black pepper
Instructions
- To make the pastry, cut the butter into cubes, sift the flour into a large bowl, and use your fingertips to rub the flour and butter together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add the water and knead gently into a dough.
- Cover the dough with clingfilm, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- When the pastry is chilled, use a rolling pin to roll it, arrange it over a quiche/flan tin, and use a fork to prick it in a few places.
- Cover the tin with non-stick paper, and fill it with dry pulses or baking beans.
- Bake in the preheated oven at 220 degrees Celsius (430 Fahrenheit) for 10 minutes, then remove the paper and dry pulses, and bake again for a further 10 minutes until golden.
- To make the filling, peel and chop the onion.
- Heat up the oil on a low heat, add the onion with a pinch of salt, and fry until golden.
- Add the onion to the pastry, scattering it well over the bottom of the pasty.
- Add the cooked bacon chopped into pieces and the grated cheese.
- In a jug, beat the eggs, add the cream, and mix well.
- Pour the mixture over the pastry.
- Decrease the oven temperature to 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit).
- Bake for 25 minutes until the quiche is golden and set.
Notes
- Click on the US Customary link (underneath the ingredient list) to see the measurements displayed in cups and ounces.
- The servings can be adjusted by clicking the number next to Servings.
Pat Arthurs
Very nice would cook again maybe a little more cheese
Daniela Apostol
I love cheese too, the cheesier, the better!