Air Fryer Quiche Lorraine
Quiche Lorraine is a classic dish made with a a buttery, flaky homemade pastry crust filled with rich custard, smoky bacon, and cheese, all baked to perfection in your air fryer.
Ingredients
For the Shortcrust Pastry
- 200 g plain white flour / all-purpose flour
- 5 g salt
- 100 g unsalted butter
- 60 ml cold water
For the Filling
- 150 g bacon (cut into cubes)
- 100 g gruyere cheese (grated)
- 50 g cheddar cheese (grated)
- 1 large egg
- 200 ml double cream - heavy cream
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
Instructions
Preparing the Crust
- Sift the flour into a large bowl and add the salt and diced butter.
- Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to blend the cold butter into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- Stir in the ice-cold water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together.
- Knead the dough briefly on a lightly floured surface.
- Form the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes.
Rolling and Pre Baking the Crust
- Take the pastry out of the fridge and leave it at room temperature for 10 minutes before rolling it out.
- Lightly flour a surface and roll the dough into a circle slightly larger than your air fryer-safe pie dish. I could easily fit a 20 cm (8") fluted tart pan in my air fryer.
- Gently press the dough into the dish, tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is completely smooth. Trim any excess.
- Use a fork to poke small holes in the crust to prevent puffing during baking.
- Place it in the freezer for at least 15 minutes (or fridge for 30 minutes). This process helps to reduce pastry shrinkage when cooking.
- Line the tart tin with parchment paper or tin foil, covering the edges to avoid them from burning.
- Set your air fryer to 180°C (356°F).
- Fill the pastry with dried chickpeas or pie weights to prevent the dough from rising and bake for about 10 minutes.
- Remove the chickpeas or pie weights and cook for another 4 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove the crust from the oven and let it cool down while preparing the filling.
Preparing the Filling and Baking Quiche Lorraine
- Cook the bacon pieces in 200℃ (392℉) for 8-10 minutes until crispy. You can also fry the bacon pieces in a pan until crispy, then drain on paper towels before crumbling.
- In a bowl, beat the eggs, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until fully combined.
- Spread the crispy bacon and grated cheese evenly on pie crust and pour the filling carefully into the crust.
- Alternatively, you can first spread the cheese on pie crust, pour the cream filling on cheese, and spread the bacon on top for making bacon pieces more visible.
- Set the air fryer to 320°F (160°C) and cook the quiche for 28-30 minutes, checking for doneness by inserting a knife in the center. If it comes out clean, the quiche is ready.
- Allow the quiche to sit for a few minutes before slicing to help the filling set.
Notes
- Blind baking (pre-baking) the pastry for 10-15 minutes before adding the filling helps to prevent soggy bottom crust.
- Use a foil collar around the crust edges if they brown too quickly.<
- Avoid overfilling the crust, as the mixture will puff slightly as it cooks.
- Stick to the recommended cream-to-egg ratio to avoid a runny filling.
- Experiment this quiche with different fillings like sautéed onions, mushrooms, or spinach for variety.