Julia Child Quiche Lorraine Recipe

Silky custard. Crisp pastry. Smoky bacon in every bite. Julia Child Quiche Lorraine is the original, the one that launched a thousand imitations. And here’s the thing most people get wrong: authentic quiche Lorraine has no cheese.

That’s straight from Julia on pages 146-147 of Mastering the Art of French Cooking. “The classic quiche Lorraine contains heavy cream, eggs, and bacon, no cheese.” She also recommends blanching the bacon first to mellow its smoky salt. Most skip this. Don’t.

I make this when friends drop by unexpectedly. Salad, crusty bread, cold white wine. A complete meal in under an hour.

What is Quiche Lorraine? A savory tart from the Lorraine region of France. Bacon and a rich cream-and-egg custard baked in a flaky pastry shell until puffed and golden.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• The real thing. Cream, eggs, bacon. No cheese. Pure, silky, French.
• Practically foolproof. Julia’s words, not mine.
• Endlessly adaptable. Use it as a template for any quiche.
• Lunch, brunch, dinner, picnic. Good hot. Good cold. Good the next day.
• Impressive but effortless. Looks elegant. Takes 30 minutes of actual work.

The No-Cheese Question

Everyone adds cheese. Julia didn’t. Authentic Quiche Lorraine is cream, eggs, and bacon in a pastry shell. Period.

Want cheese? She covers that too. Quiche au Fromage is a different recipe. Swiss cheese goes in, bacon usually comes out. But don’t call it Lorraine.

Julia Child Quiche Lorraine Ingredients

From Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. 1, Pages 146-147. Serves 4-6.

For the Bacon:

• 4 oz bacon (6-8 slices), cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 quart water (for blanching)

For the Pastry:

• One 9-inch partially baked pastry shell (pâte brisée)

For the Custard:

• 3 eggs (or 2 eggs plus 2 yolks for richer texture)
• 1½ to 2 cups heavy cream (or half cream, half milk)
• ½ tsp salt
• Pinch of pepper
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 1-2 Tb butter, cut into small pieces

How To Make Julia Child Quiche Lorraine

Step 1: Blanch and Brown the Bacon

1. Blanch: Simmer bacon pieces in water for 5 minutes. This removes excess salt and smoke. Drain and rinse.
2. Dry thoroughly: Pat completely dry with paper towels.
3. Brown lightly: Sauté in a skillet until starting to crisp but not fully cooked. It finishes in the oven.

Step 2: Par-Bake the Shell

4. Prepare pastry: Line a 9-inch tart pan with pâte brisée. Chill 30 minutes.
5. Blind bake: Prick bottom, line with foil and pie weights. Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes. Remove weights, bake 5 more minutes until just starting to color.

Step 3: Prep the Custard

6. Preheat oven to 375°F.
7. Mix custard: Whisk eggs, cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until blended. Don’t overmix.

Step 4: Assemble and Bake

8. Add bacon: Press pieces into the bottom of the shell.
9. Pour custard: Gently pour over the bacon. Scatter butter pieces on top.
10. Bake 25-30 minutes: In upper third of oven until puffed, set at edges, slightly jiggly in center, and golden brown on top.
11. Rest 5-10 minutes: Let settle before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe Tips

• Blanch the bacon: Five minutes in simmering water mellows the smoke and salt. The custard tastes cleaner. Skip if you love intense bacon flavor.
• Par-bake the shell: Prevents a soggy bottom. Essential for any custard tart.
• Room temperature eggs: Blend more smoothly into cream.
• Don’t overfill: Leave ¼ inch below the rim. Custard puffs.
• Jiggly center is done: It sets as it cools. Overbaked quiche is rubbery.
• Rest before cutting: Slices cleaner after 5-10 minutes.

Recipe Variations

• Quiche au Fromage (Swiss Cheese): Add ½-1 cup grated Swiss to the custard. Omit bacon. Can use all milk instead of cream.
• Quiche au Roquefort: Blend Roquefort with cream cheese, butter, and cream. Strong and distinctive.
• Quiche à la Tomate Niçoise: Fresh tomatoes, anchovies, olives. Mediterranean twist.
• Quiche aux Fruits de Mer: Shrimp, crab, or lobster sautéed with shallots in butter, wine, and cream.
• Ham Instead of Bacon: Diced cooked ham, sautéed briefly in butter. No blanching needed.

Serving Suggestions

Julia’s perfect menu:

• Green salad with mustard vinaigrette
• Hot French bread
• Cold white wine (Chablis, Muscadet)
• Fresh fruit for dessert

Also works as:

• First course before dinner
• Picnic food (travels beautifully)
• Brunch centerpiece
• Mini quiches for hors d’oeuvres

Make-Ahead Options

• The shell: Blind bake hours or even a day ahead. Store at room temperature covered.
• The filling: Mix custard and refrigerate in its bowl. Stir before using.
• The assembled quiche: Bake, cool, refrigerate. Serve cold or rewarm at 325°F for 10 minutes. Note: reheated quiche won’t puff again.
• Freeze: Baked quiche freezes well wrapped. Thaw overnight in fridge, rewarm in low oven.

How To Store

• Refrigerator: Cover and store up to 3 days. Good cold straight from the fridge.
• Reheat: 325°F for 10-15 minutes until warmed through.
• Freezer: Up to 2 months. Thaw overnight before rewarming.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (1/6 of quiche):

• Calories: 380 kcal
• Protein: 10g
• Total Fat: 32g
• Saturated Fat: 17g
• Carbohydrates: 14g
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 2g
• Sodium: 480mg
• Cholesterol: 180mg

FAQs

Source: Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. 1 by Julia Child, Pages 146-147

– Claire