Having a batch of quiche crust in the freezer has become a game-changer in my kitchen, especially concerning impromptu gatherings with family and friends. It all started with a desire to always have a homemade dish to share, no matter the occasion. With a trusty recipe for quiche crust, I began making extra batches to store in the freezer. The process became second nature, and so I always have pre-made crusts ready for whenever the need arose. Whenever I receive a last-minute invitation or want to bring a homemade dish to a gathering, all I have to do was pull a quiche crust from the freezer, fill it with my favorite ingredients, and bake it to golden perfection. The result? A delicious and impressive dish that never fails to impress. It’s a simple yet effective way to ensure that I can share homemade goodness with the ones I love, no matter the occasion.
Why make this quiche crust
A quiche crust is your basic pie crust made with shortcrust pastry. I like to use an egg in my quiche crust. This adds stability and a nice crumbly texture along with the flakiness of the pie crust. The word ‘short’ comes from the word ‘shortcrust’ and refers to the flaky and crumbly texture of the pastry. A perfect crust must be such that while it works as a vessel for your quiche, you should be able to cut into it without much effort. When cut it should not break into crumbs but rather hold the slice. You can make this crust in the food processor, as I am doing today, or by hand as I have shown in the pie crust by hand recipe.
Ingredients and substitutes
Butter – I like using all butter for that superior butter flavor. But, you can also use half vegetable shortening. My mom used half high-fat vegetable shortening. Make sure to chill the shortening for at least an hour before you use it. Flour – Use a good unbleached all-purpose flour. Do not use self-rising or bread flour. We want a flaky pie crust that does not rise or become chewy. Salt – Don’t forget to add salt to your pie crust. It brings out the flavor. My mom would also add a teaspoon of sugar in her pie crust. We loved her pies and quiches. Egg – I use one egg for stability and crumbly texture. And yet, you can certainly omit the egg if you prefer to use all water. Water – You want chilled water from the fridge. You can add ice to your water to chill it. But, do not add ice directly to the dough; it will eventually make the dough soggy. Also, do not use milk because the milk solids will burn and give a very dark crust.
Step-by-step: Easy quiche crust
Quiche dough
In a food processor add the flour, salt, chilled cubed butter (and vegetable shortening) Pulse for 30 seconds until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumb consistency.Pro tip – You can also do this in a bowl using a pastry blender or fork, (I prefer my fingertips) to cut the butter (and vegetable shortening) into the flour. It’s should look like a crumbly flour-butter mixture. Combine the egg with cold water and add it to the mixture. Pulse or combine for 30 seconds more.Pro tip – The mixture will still be crumbly but when squished with your fingers it will shape into a dough. So, don’t over mix or pulse too much.
Pour the mixture onto a work surface. Bring all the crumbs together and shape it into a ball. Then flatten into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 20 to 30 minutes or until firm enough to roll.Pro tip – If you flatten it into a larger disc, it will chill faster and you will have to wait for much less time.
Roll the quiche crust
Once firm enough to roll – roll the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Star with a tapping motion, then roll from the center out.Pro tip – If the dough cracks too much, means it’s too cold. Let it rest at room temperature for 5 to 7 minutes. Use your quiche pan as a guide to know how big you need it. When you reach the desired size, transfer the dough without cracking. Gently fit it to the pie pan, especially in the bottom edges.Pro tip – To transfer the dough without cracking too much, I like to roll the dough onto my rolling pin then unroll it over the pan. Remove the excess dough and neaten the edges. When using a quiche or tart pan, I like to roll my rolling pin over the tart to cut off the excess around the edges. Then neaten the edges by running your thumb along the edges. If using a pie pan, fold the edges under and crimp the edge by forming a V shape with your thumb and index finger. Chill the quiche crust in the fridge for 15 minutes up to 48 hours.Pro tip – If you are leaving the crust for a long time, make sure to wrap in plastic so it does not dry out.
Bake the quiche crust
Preheat the oven at 400°F / 200°C / Gas Mark 6.Pro tip – It is essential that the oven is heated to the optimal temperature. Otherwise, the crust can shrink when baking. Dock the chilled pastry all over with a fork to prevent the pastry from puffing up. Line the pie with parchment paper. Then, fill the center with pie weights or baking beans (dry beans)Pro tip – This is called blind baking the crust. We do this so that the pastry will be partially cooked before we add the filling. Bake for 15 minutes – then, remove the pie weights and parchment paper. Add the filling to the pre-baked crust and bake it further for as long and necessary – until the filling is cooked. Depending on the recipe you will need to reduce oven temperature to 350°F/ 177°C/ Gas mark 4Pro tip – Most quiche filling will include a dry filling mixture with a custard-based liquid mixture. When baking if the edges of the crust get too dark, tent the edges with aluminum foil or a pie shield to prevent it from becoming too dark.Pro tip – Make sure your cover just the edges of the tart. Otherwise, you will not have a nice color on the quiche.
What pan do you use for quiche?
You can make quiche in a quiche pan, pie pan or tart pan with a removable bottom. Most of my pies are made in tart pans. The advantage of the tart pan with removable bottom is that you can take it with you over to friends and family. And yet, when I make quiche for home, I like to use my stoneware pie pan. The advantage of stoneware is that it gives a lovely crisp crust that does not get soggy as it cools down. And, the quiche or pie also stays warm longer.
Tips – Secrets to a perfect crust
Fat – you will see a big difference in the quality of your crust based on the fat you use. You can use all-butter or 50% butter + 50% shortening. Do not use margarine or such as they are high in moisture and low in fat. Avoid the fat/butter from melting into your flour. I usually place my bowl with the flour and chilled butter into the fridge for at least half an hour before I start to work it into the dough. Those of you living in a hot and humid climate can avoid touching the dough too much with your hands by rolling the pastry between two parchment papers. Secondly, my secret to making a good pie or quiche crust is to chill everything I use in the fridge for an hour. I measure my ingredients and leave them in the fridge. Including, flour, butter, and water. That way, when I am ready to make the crust, it takes me just 5 minutes using a food processor or 10 minutes by hand. A good guide to use is a 3:2:1 part ratio which means 3 parts of flour to 2 parts of fat to 1 part of water (and egg). With that basic formula, you can make a couple of pies at the same time. It has helped me many times because I do sometimes bake 6 quiches all at once. The amount of egg and water in your dough plays a very important role in the final texture. Too much will make your crust very wet and too little will make it very crumbly. Crumbly is good, and yet you still want to be able to hold a slice of quiche. Also, use chilled iced water to maintain the temperature of the dough. Chill the quiche crust for at least 15 to 30 minutes before you bake. This will prevent the sides from shrinking. Soggy pastry – sometimes, when the pie filling is too liquid it can soak into the bottom crust making it soggy. One way to avoid it is to brush the bottom pre-baked quiche crust with egg whites. This essentially creates a seal between the crust and the filling. Let the pre-baked crust cool for 5 minutes before you add in the filling. This will prevent the liquid from being absorbed into the crust. And if your filling is very liquid, brush the pastry with egg white, before adding the filling. This creates a seal between the filling and crust.
Frequently asked questions
Creative ways to use quiche crusts
Mini Tartlets: Use the quiche crust to create mini tartlets. Press the dough into small tartlet pans or muffin tins, fill them with your choice of savory or sweet fillings like cheese, vegetables, or fruit, and bake them until golden and cooked through. Savory Pie Crust: Turn the quiche crust into a standalone savory pie by using it as the base for fillings like chicken pot pie, shepherd’s pie, or vegetable pie. Simply line a pie dish with the quiche crust, add your filling, and bake it until the crust is golden and the filling is cooked. Quiche Cups: Make individual quiche cups by pressing the quiche crust into muffin tins and filling them with a quiche mixture of eggs, cream, and various ingredients like cheese, bacon, or vegetables. Bake until the crust is golden and the filling is set for delicious bite-sized quiches. Sweet Tart Shell: Convert the quiche crust into a sweet tart shell for desserts. Simply add sugar or other sweeteners to the crust dough, press it into a tart pan, and bake until golden. Fill it with your favorite sweet fillings like fruit compote, custard, chocolate ganache, or whipped cream. Galette Crust: Use the quiche crust as the base for a rustic galette. Roll out the crust dough into a circle, fill it with a sweet or savory filling of your choice (such as vegetables, cheese, or fruit), fold over the edges, and bake until the crust is golden and the filling is cooked.
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