Quiche Lorraine with Almond Crust

January 31, 2021marissamakes

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour

Serves: 4-6 people

This gluten-free quiche with almond crust is buttery, creamy and indulgent. Filled with shallots, thick cut bacon, and gruyere, the tender filling pairs beautifully with the subtle sweetness of the almond crust. Perfect for an impressive but easy brunch, or breakfast.

Any time I go to the Bay Area to visit my parents, I’m faced with the challenge of baking for my mom, who is gluten free. I think that gluten-free baking can get a bit of a bad rep– I’ve found that the trick to making delicious gluten-free bakes, is to not treat it like a regular recipe. Gluten-free pie crusts an be delicious too, they just need a little extra TLC so they stay buttery and wonderful.

The right kind of flour

Whenever I bake gluten-free, I always use Bob’s Red Mill Super Fine Almond Flour. It has a great texture and taste, and works quite well for pie and galette crusts (this isn’t a sponsored post– I just love it!).

Make sure that you are using high quality almond flour, and that it is not almond meal, or coarse grind. If you can’t get your hands on super fine flour, you can pulse almond meal in a food processor a few times to make it a bit more fine-textured.

Fitting the mold

One struggle with gluten-free doughs, is that they are not as flexible as regular doughs, because they lack the strength that comes from, you guessed it, gluten formation. In this recipe, you simply have to press the dough into the pie plate, which eliminates the worry of cracking or tearing, and also makes it easier if your butter starts heating up as you work. This crust will hold some degree of crimping, but I don’t recommend making your design too intricate or tall, as it will be more likely to crumble off while baking.

You can make this crust by hand or in a food processor. If making by hand, rub the butter and almond flour between your fingers until the pieces resemble coarse sand, much like when making a regular flour pie crust. Because this dough doesn’t contain any gluten, you don’t need to worry about over working it.

To bake this gluten-free quiche, first blind bake the crust with weights, then bake for an additional 5 or so minutes without weights to dry out the base a little bit more. This will help to prevent a soggy bottom. Regardless of flour type, I like to bake my pie crusts at a higher temperature to start, as this also aids in getting that bottom nice and solid before adding any wet fillings.

The creamiest custard

One of my favorite parts about this quiche is how dang creamy it is! The heavy cream, combined with the cheese and egg makes an incredibly pillowy texture, that’s silky and rich, without feeling heavy. Whisk your eggs, then gently combine them with the cream and spices until uniformly mixed. It’s a simple custard, but so flavorful, and with the most delightful texture.

The perfect combo

I encourage you to give this recipe a try, whether you’re new to gluten-free baking, or an old pro. I promise you, this quiche is rich and decadent, and is full of flavor and wonderful buttery crust. Even if you just want to try something new, this quiche is an awesome place to start!

Be sure to leave a comment below, and tag me on instagram so I can see your quiches! I hope you love this brunch showstopper!

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Quiche Lorraine with Almond Crust

  • Prep time: 25 minutes
  • Cook time: 1 hour
  • Total time: 1 hour 25 minutes
  • Serves: 4-6 people

This gluten-free quiche is buttery, creamy and indulgent. Filled with shallots, thick cut bacon, and gruyere, the tender filling pairs beautifully with the subtle sweetness of the almond crust.

Ingredients

Almond Flour Pie Crust

  • 2 1/2 cups almond flour, super fine grind
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup butter, 1 stick, cold
  • 1 egg, large

Quiche Lorraine Filling

  • 1 recipe almond flour pie crust, blind baked according to recipe
  • 8 oz thick cut bacon, about 6 slices, diced
  • 1/2 cup shallot, diced
  • 4 eggs, large
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, optional, or to taste
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup gruyere , freshly shredded
  • 1/4 cup parmesan or sharp cheddar, freshly shredded
  • chopped parsley, for garnish

Method

Gluten-Free Pie Crust Method

  • 1)

    Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9″ deep dish pie pan, or grease well. You can also use a shallower pie pan or tart pan, but please note that you will have leftover custard filling.

  • 2)

    In a large bowl, mix the almond flour and sea salt.

  • 3)

    Add the cold, cubed butter to the bowl with the almond flour, and incorporate by rubbing between your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Add in the egg and mix with a spatula until fully incorporated. Alternatively, you can mix all ingredients in a food processor using short bursts until just incorporated.

  • 4)

    Form the dough into a ball and press evenly into the 9″ pie dish. Use your fingers to make sure it is evenly spread across the dish. Patch any holes, and crimp the edge of the crust. This will look beautiful, and help hold the custard filling.

  • 5)

    Line the dish with parchment paper or foil and fill with pie weights or dry beans to prevent puffing. Place the pie dish on a baking sheet to catch any leaking butter. Bake for 10-15 minutes until lightly golden. Carefully remove the pie weights, and bake for 5 minutes more. Remove from oven and set aside. Reduce oven heat to to 375 and proceed with the custard filling.

Custard Filling Method

  • 1)

    Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp, then set aside to drain on a paper towel lined plate. Reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the skillet.

  • 2)

    Sauté the shallots in the reserved bacon fat until translucent.

  • 3)

    Crumble the bacon and sprinkle the cooked onions into the base of the blind baked pie crust. Sprinkle with the shredded cheese.

  • 4)

    Whisk the eggs together, and combine with the heavy cream, nutmeg, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Lightly whisk to evenly mix, then pour over the fillings in the pie shell.

  • 5)

    Bake, still on a baking sheet, for 40-50 minutes, until the edges of the custard are fully set, and slightly golden on top. If the edges of the crust appear to be browning too quickly, cover with a pie crust shield or with foil.

  • 6)

    Remove to a wire rack, and let stand 5-10 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley, slice, and serve.

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