“Classic” Quiche Lorraine

We need to clarify what quiche Lorraine is not, and that is American. While delicious, US-American quiches are deeper, denser, and cheesier than their French counterparts. They’re more like breakfast sandwich-inspired pies! Classic French quiches, however, are shallow tarts filled with soft custards of eggs and dairy products.

Neither is vegan by default! Quiche Lorraine in particular also includes bacon. But once I had an egg-free omelet base (from developing my kuku sabzi recipe), a well-tested seitan bacon recipe, and a reliable dairy-free butter and heavy whipping cream, I had to attempt this dish.

"Classic" - but vegan! - Quiche Lorraine

Note that I retained the traditional characteristics of quiche Lorraine. Source a tart pan with a removable bottom, and expect a jiggly filling even when done. Moreover, save my recommended dairy-free cheese for other applications; it has no place here!

Thank you, Julia Child, for popularizing quiche in the USA. Though I will never know your thoughts on veganism, I think you’d look forward to this dinner. Bon appétit!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gTzOrS63Kk

Cooking Method: Baking, Blending, Food Processing, Freezing, Mixing, Pressing, Shaping

Cuisine: French

Category: Savory Meals

Description

Before proceeding, prepare 12-16 strips of Two-Day Seitan Bacon.

Note that I retained the traditional characteristics of quiche Lorraine. Source a tart pan with a removable bottom, and expect a jiggly filling even when done. Moreover, save my recommended dairy-free cheese for other applications; it has no place here!

makes 1 quiche

Ingredients

Pâte Brisée (“Broken Pastry”, AKA Shortcrust)

1 ½ cup (360 mL/180 g) all-purpose flour
½ tsp (2.5 mL) kosher salt (or about half as much table salt; Omit if “butter” is salted.)
½ cup (120 mL/113 g) dairy-free butter (I recommend 1 stick Country Crock Homestyle, unsalted.)
3 Tbsp (45 mL/g) ice water

Filling

1 ¼ cups (300 mL/285 g) dairy-free heavy whipping cream (I recommend Country Crock Homestyle.)
6 oz (170 g) silken/Japanese tofu (This variety is shelf-stable and vacuum-packed, usually stocked in the international aisle.)
2 ½ Tbsp (37.5 mL/35 g) neutral-flavored oil (avocado, canola, corn)
2 Tbsp (30 mL/15 g) chickpea flour
¼ tsp (1.25 mL) kosher salt (or about half as much table salt)
⅛ tsp (0.63 mL) kala namak/Indian black salt
1/16 tsp (a pinch) ground black pepper
1/16 tsp (a pinch) ground nutmeg
12-16 strips Two-Day Seitan Bacon, cooked (linked under Description above, and Instructions below)

Finishing

1 Tbsp (15 mL/14 g) dairy-free butter

Instructions

1
Prepare 12-16 strips Two-Day Seitan Bacon before proceeding. On baking day, keep “butter” and water chilled, but bring all other cold ingredients to room temperature. Make refrigerator space for Step 5.

Pâte Brisée

2
Measure flour and salt (if using) into a food processor, then pulse twice to combine.
3
Cube ½ cup (120 mL/113 g) cold “butter”. Add to food processor, then pulse repeatedly until mixture resembles uniformly damp sand.
4
Run motor continuously and slowly pour ice water down shaft. Stop both actions as soon as a ball of dough forms.
I personally don't wash my food processor for Step 9. Once a ball of dough forms, little should be stuck to your bowl.
5
Sandwich dough between 2, 14x14-in/36x36-cm pieces of parchment, then roll into a circle 4 in/10 cm wider than tart pan bottom. Lay paper-sandwiched dough flat in refrigerator 30 min to 1 hr.
Tart pans vary slightly in size, so I cannot tell you exactly how wide to roll your dough.
6
Meanwhile, check that oven racks are in middle and bottom positions, then preheat oven to 400°F/205°C.
7
Remove dough from refrigerator. Peel off top layer of parchment, then center tart pan directly on dough and flip. Carefully guide and press dough against bottom; fold in excess and press against sides.
To confirm, the sides of this crust are double the thickness of its bottom.
8
Set crust on a baking sheet. Using a fork, dock bottom. Gently snug an oversized piece of foil on top, then evenly apply pie weights (or dried beans designated as pie weights). Bake on bottom rack 25-30 min.
Use the shorter time for a tart pan that’s wider than 9 in/23 cm; longer, narrower. The wider the tart pan, the thinner the dough, the shorter it will need to blind bake!

Filling & Finishing

9
Meanwhile, measure all but “bacon” and 1 Tbsp (15 mL/14 g) “butter” into food processor. Blend briefly, until smooth. Detach blade, then crumble and stir in “bacon”.
10
Remove crust from oven and reduce temperature to 375°F/190°C. Lift foil and hot weights off crust, then pour in and level filling.
11
Dice and equally distribute 1 Tbsp (15 mL/14 g) “butter” on top of quiche, then bake on middle rack about 45 min, until filling has puffed, “butter” topping has been absorbed, and a knife inserted into the center pulls out clean.
As for classic quiche Lorraine, this filling will be jiggly - even when done! Adhere to other cues in this step.
12
Cool 15 min before slicing. Bon appétit!

Note

This is just one of many things you can make with my seitan bacon! Others include, but are by no means limited to, vegan split pea and 15-bean soups.

Read why I recommend Country Crock Homestyle Dairy-Free Butter and Heavy Whipping Cream. And if you can't find them, checkout my collection of reverse-engineered products!

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