Quiche Lorraine in the Air Fryer
Classic French quiche Lorraine with a crisp, blind-baked shortcrust base, fried bacon and gruyère in a soft egg custard with nutmeg. It's baked in a small tart tin directly in the air fryer basket until the filling has just set.
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Tart pan
- 2 Mixing bowls
- 1 Plastic wrap
- 1 Rolling pin
- 1 Parchment paper
- 1 Frying pan
- 1 Brush
- 1 Whisk
Ingredients
150 g plain flour
75 g butter cold, diced
1 pinch salt
1 egg yolk keep the white for brushing
2 tbsp water ice-cold
Filling
150 g bacon diced or in strips- 75 g gruyère grated
3 eggs
2.5 dl double cream
1 pinch nutmeg freshly grated- 1 pinch salt
1 pinch black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
Shortcrust pastry
- Mix the 150 g plain flour and 1 pinch salt in a mixing bowl.
- Rub the 75 g butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse sand. The butter should come straight from the fridge, so the base turns out short and crisp.
- Add the 1 egg yolk and 2 tbsp water, and quickly bring the dough together until it just holds. Knead it as little as possible, and save the egg white for later.
- Wrap the dough in cling film as a flat disc, and let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Filling
- Fry the 150 g bacon in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 5-6 minutes, until golden and crisp. Do this while the dough rests, and let the bacon drain on kitchen paper.
- Whisk the 3 eggs, 2.5 dl double cream, 1 pinch nutmeg, 1 pinch salt and 1 pinch black pepper together in a mixing bowl until the egg mixture is even. Don't whisk air into it, and keep it chilled until needed.
Blind baking in the air fryer
- Line a tart tin of about 20 cm with the dough: roll it out between two sheets of baking paper to about 3 mm thick, lay it in the tin, and press it firmly into the edge. Trim off any excess dough. The tin needs to fit in the basket with a little clearance all the way round.
- Preheat the air fryer to 180 °C.
- Prick the base with a fork, and place the tin in the fridge while the air fryer heats up.
- Lay a sheet of baking paper in the pastry case, and fill it with ceramic baking beans or dried beans so the edge doesn't collapse. Place the tin in the basket, and blind bake at 180 °C for 10 minutes.
- Carefully remove the baking paper and beans, and brush the base thinly with a little of the reserved egg white.
- Bake the base for a further 5 minutes at 180 °C, until dry and lightly golden. The egg white seals the base, so it stays crisp under the filling.
Baking in the air fryer
- Scatter the bacon and 75 g gruyère evenly over the pre-baked base.
- Fill the base with the egg mixture until it reaches about 0.5 cm below the rim. Do this while the tin is in the basket, so you don't have to move a full tin.
- Bake the quiche at 160 °C for 22 minutes, until the surface is golden and the egg mixture has just set. The centre can still wobble slightly when you gently shake the basket, as it will finish setting while it rests.
Serving
- Let the quiche cool in the tin for 10 minutes before slicing, so the filling sets and the pieces hold their shape.
- Serve the quiche warm or at room temperature, cut into 4 pieces, with a green salad on the side.
Notes
Tips for the best result:
Keep the butter and dough cold throughout, so the base turns out short and crisp. The blind baking and the thin brushing with egg white stop the base going soggy, so don't skip them. The egg mixture is only lightly salted, because the bacon and gruyère already add plenty of salt. If the top browns too much before the centre has set, lay a sheet of foil over the quiche and fold it snugly around the edge of the tin, so it can't blow up against the heating element. Serving size:
This recipe fits a tart tin of about 20 cm. If your air fryer only has room for a smaller tin, fill the egg mixture to just 0.5 cm below the rim, and check the quiche a few minutes before time. Variation:
The original quiche from Lorraine in north-eastern France is made without any cheese at all, so leave out the gruyère if you want the classic version. You can also use comté or emmental instead of gruyère, or replace some of the cream with crème fraîche for a tangier filling. Serving:
Serve the quiche warm or at room temperature with a green salad and a fresh vinaigrette to balance the rich filling. It's also great for brunch or cut into smaller pieces for a buffet.
Keep the butter and dough cold throughout, so the base turns out short and crisp. The blind baking and the thin brushing with egg white stop the base going soggy, so don't skip them. The egg mixture is only lightly salted, because the bacon and gruyère already add plenty of salt. If the top browns too much before the centre has set, lay a sheet of foil over the quiche and fold it snugly around the edge of the tin, so it can't blow up against the heating element. Serving size:
This recipe fits a tart tin of about 20 cm. If your air fryer only has room for a smaller tin, fill the egg mixture to just 0.5 cm below the rim, and check the quiche a few minutes before time. Variation:
The original quiche from Lorraine in north-eastern France is made without any cheese at all, so leave out the gruyère if you want the classic version. You can also use comté or emmental instead of gruyère, or replace some of the cream with crème fraîche for a tangier filling. Serving:
Serve the quiche warm or at room temperature with a green salad and a fresh vinaigrette to balance the rich filling. It's also great for brunch or cut into smaller pieces for a buffet.
Nutrition
Calories: 735kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 23gFat: 58gSaturated fat: 32gPolyunsaturated fat: 4gMonounsaturated fat: 18gTrans fat: 1gCholesterol: 350mgSodium: 650mgPotassium: 280mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1840IUCalcium: 270mgIron: 1.5mgNet carbohydrates: 30g
