How to make a creamy, soft quiche

HeidiHeidi

Hoping someone out there has the secret!

I make quite a few quiches (well, bakes really, as they don't have a crust on as I'm trying to stay very-low-carb at the moment)

Anyway, I use eggs and cream, and a mixture of ingredients for filling.

No matter how I whip/beat the eggy mixture, and no matter how much (or little) cream I use, they all cook up beautifully light and fluffy looking - and then settle into a firm, fairly solid, state.

I've had quiches out, where the filling is almost like a mousse.

Does anyone out there know how to make a quiche that doesn't very quickly resemble a (softish) lump of stone

(I'm hoping to make one this evening so am hoping for some swift replies )

Ta in advance!

MissFlitworth

I don't make quiche very often so this is just me pondering - do you beat the whites seperately? If I wanted a mousse textured quiche I'd beat the whites into soft peaks and then fold the yolks & other ingredients gently into the whites, kind of like how you'd make a souffle. Kind of like this souffle actually


I don't think I'd add cream, could be wrong but I think that might not help with the 'soft stone'/stodge texture when it's cooled down.

HeidiHeidi

Thanks for the reply.

I met you half way - I whipped the whites and folded in the yolks and then a bit of cream (since the recipe includes it).

I must say as it was going into the oven it looked much more the thing - very fluffy and airy.

It'll be interesting to see what it's like when it comes back out!

HeidiHeidi

OK, I can report that that method was NOT a success!

It's by no means inedible, but it's very dry and crumbly. Not unpleasant, but not a moussy quiche texture either, by a long shot!

I've just looked up a Delia recipe for quiche - on the basis that I bet hers are never dry and crumbly, or rock-like! - and she has exactly the same proportion of ingredients for the filling - eggs, cream and whatever else you're putting in it.

I remain mystified

Any further wisdom out there???

highly1111

This is how I do it - we all really like it here. I always get really good compliments on it whenever I do it for a party/get together too. Obviously you can change the fillings.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/quichelorraine_71987

Minder

Couple of questions for the OP. Do you keep your eggs in the fridge? What temperature is the oven.

dipdip

Any chance you are overcooking the eggs?

MissFlitworth

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

OK, I can report that that method was NOT a success!

It's by no means inedible, but it's very dry and crumbly. Not unpleasant, but not a moussy quiche texture either, by a long shot!

Yack! Sorry!

ElleEm

I would wonder are you using too much eggs or not enough cream/ milk. I haven't made quiche in ages, but I remember when they were too solid, I started adding more milk to the mixture and they became lighter.

HeidiHeidi

Minder wrote: »

Couple of questions for the OP. Do you keep your eggs in the fridge? What temperature is the oven.

Eggs kept in the fridge. Oven 180 (electric)

highly1111 wrote: »

This is how I do it - we all really like it here. I always get really good compliments on it whenever I do it for a party/get together too. Obviously you can change the fillings.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/quichelorraine_71987

That too has similar proportions of eggs to milk/cream.

dipdip wrote: »

Any chance you are overcooking the eggs?

I'm going by the recipe - 25 minutes at 180, cooking till almost set (it keeps cooking after you take it out)

ElleEm wrote: »

I would wonder are you using too much eggs or not enough cream/ milk. I haven't made quiche in ages, but I remember when they were too solid, I started adding more milk to the mixture and they became lighter.

This might be the thing to do - I didn't use all the cream in the recipe cos it seemed like an awful lot - might up it the next time and see what happens.

Thanks everyone for the ideas and suggestions - I'll get there eventually!

Animord

I think that an ordinary quiche is fairly solid when cold, they do all puff up and then settle after cooking.

For an ordinary, everyday quiche I would just use milk, no cream. Even half fat milk which might give you a lighter quiche.

Have you got a fan oven?

Animord

Does this one looking like what you are looking for?

HeidiHeidi

Animord wrote: »

I think that an ordinary quiche is fairly solid when cold, they do all puff up and then settle after cooking.

For an ordinary, everyday quiche I would just use milk, no cream. Even half fat milk which might give you a lighter quiche.

Have you got a fan oven?

yep,electric fan oven. its not necessarily lighter im looking for,but smooth and creamy.....

Animord wrote: »

Does this one looking like what you are looking for?

cam't open that till later,phone not playing today!

thanks again for the replies! apoogies fpr appalling typing!

duploelabs

Sounds like you're overcooking it. Make sure your eggs are tempered before working with them (at room temperature) . Also cook by sight not by time. When your quiche has the tiniest wobble in the centre then whip it out as it will continue to cook as it cools

Animord

Some recipes will state whether the temperature required is for a fan oven or an ordinary one. If it doesn't then assume it is for an ordinary oven and turn the heat down usually between 10 and 20 degrees.

Almost all ovens are inaccurate anyway so get yourself a cheapo oven thermometer and check what temperature it actually is. A fan oven cooks quicker because of how the heat circulates.

I would also say you may be over cooking it.

I never keep eggs in the fridge, there really is no need.

HeidiHeidi

Animord wrote: »

Does this one looking like what you are looking for?

That's exactly what I'm after!

Maybe I am overcooking them... although I really didn't think so.

I'll also make sure the eggs are at room temp - I keep them in the fridge as there's a lot of glasss in my kitchen and it faces east and south - not a problem at this time of year, but during the summer it's a right little hotspot.

I'll keep trying, and if I succeed I'll post a pic of my success.

Thanks again for all the advice!!

HeidiHeidi

OK, thanks again to everyone for the info before.

I got a present yesterday of 8 or 9 eggs laid yesterday morning by hens that I'd say have a far nicer life than me - very exciting!

So I'm going to try to concentrate all the advice - mainly the oven temp - given to me and make a GORGEOUS quiche.... wish me luck!!

If you had a fan oven, what temp would you set on the knob - 160ish? I don't want to undercook the thing either, I have a bit of a horror of undercooked eggs!

muckety

Just one point on the eggs-in-fridge debate! We have our own hens and keep the eggs in the fridge as a fertilized egg kept in a warm kitchen can be a bad idea! However, they are usually taken out an hour or so before being used.

duploelabs

muckety wrote: »

Just one point on the eggs-in-fridge debate! We have our own hens and keep the eggs in the fridge as a fertilized egg kept in a warm kitchen can be a bad idea! However, they are usually taken out an hour or so before being used.

It's not the hot or cold which makes eggs go bad, it's the change in temperature from either