Let me introduce you to the gloriously delicious French Beer Quiche with an All Butter Crust!

We are taking your everyday quiche recipe to a WHOLE NEW LEVEL today.  I have been wanting to share this recipe with you for some time now, but I had to make some tweaks first before it was ready.  I learned this recipe from my one of my teachers at The French Pastry School who is a master French baker and nothing short of a Jedi Knight of breads and pastries.   When I took one bite of this quiche several years ago, I think I made a deep moaning noise that I’m sure could be heard in the other classroom!  I’m vocal when I like something, hehe.

I had to make some alterations to the recipe because it was so rich and buttery and cheesy, that I wanted to scale back on the calories, yet still maintain the lusciousness and beautiful beer aroma and flavor.  I also changed the type of cheese in the recipe just because I wanted to try another flavor, and also because French cheeses can be quite pricey!  So how exactly do you add BEER to a quiche recipe without making it soggy?

It’s simple.  You concentrate the beer in a saucepan until almost all the liquid has evaporated.  Better yet…simmer sweet carrots and onions in butter first, then add the beer until you have created the most unbelievable aroma wafting through your kitchen.  Oh God, if I could make a candle out of that smell!!

HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT ALL BUTTER PIE CRUST

I love testing different recipes for pie crusts.  The all butter crust that serves as the crisp base of this recipe for quiche has a few key components that really help you to create a perfect pie crust every time.  For this crust, I used butter as the only fat, and I added one egg white to help with binding.  A touch of vodka in place of some of the water helps create steam and flaky layers.  You can absolutely make pie crust by hand by rubbing your fingers through the butter and flour until tiny crumbs form.  But I find the fastest and easiest way to make pie crust is with a food processor.  A food processor can be pulsed only until all the ingredients start to come together in tiny pieces, keeping you from overworking the dough and making it tough.  It takes just seconds to bring the dough together.

I mix the vodka and water together and place them in the freezer to get as cold as possible.  Cut the butter into small pieces and place them in the freezer too for 10-15 minutes before mixing.  Pulse the flour and butter together until it forms the small crumbs you see above.  Then add the vodka/water mixture along with the egg white and pulse until it just starts to form a ball but isn’t totally formed.

Form them together with your hands and split into two equal disks and cover with plastic wrap in the fridge for one hour.  You can freeze one for future use.

An hour will give your crust time to rest and get nice and cold again.  Roll it out between sheets of plastic wrap.  When it’s the size of the circle that you want, remove one side of the plastic wrap and invert onto a pie dish.

While your pie crust is resting in the fridge, sauté an onion and diced carrots over medium heat.  When they are softened, add the beer and simmer for about 30 minutes or until almost all the liquid has evaporated.

It will smell incredible and will look like the mixture below!

You don’t have to worry about making fancy edges to the top of the crust.  When baked, the quiche will have a nice flat top popping up above the filling.  To fill your quiche, layer in the carrot, onion mixture, then the fontina cheese, the egg batter, then top with slices of black forest ham (which is totally optional).

The slices are a bit thinner because the quiche is rich and doesn’t need to be in giant pieces.

I would love to hear from you if you give this recipe a try!  Comment below 🙂

Bon Appetit Ya’ll,

Leslie O.

Print

FRENCH BEER QUICHE W/ ALL BUTTER CRUST

Beer is the secret ingredient infused inside this buttery and delicious quiche!

Course Baking

Cuisine French

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

Pie Crust

• 2 cups all purpose flour 280 grams
• 2 grams sticks butter cold and cubed (454 )
• 3/4 tsp . salt 6 grams
• 2 Tbsp . vodka
• 2 Tbsp . water
• 1 egg white

For the quiche filling

• 2 Tbsp . butter
• 1 oz bottle beer I used Corona but any lighter beer will do, 12
• half of 1 large onion diced
• 1 carrot finely diced
• 4 eggs
• 1 3/4 cup milk 400 grams
• 1/4 cup heavy cream 52 grams
• 3/4 tsp . salt 7 grams
• 1 cup heaping fontina cheese shredded (100 grams)
• 2 slices black forest ham diced in small pieces

Instructions

For the Pie Crust

1. Cut the butter into small pieces and place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
2. Mix the vodka and water together and place in the freezer too. you can also place the food processor bowl or mixing bowl in the freezer or fridge to stay cold.
3. Add the butter, flour, and salt to the food processor or mixing bowl. Pulse until small pieces form. If doing by hand, press the butter and flour together between your fingers.
4. Pulse in the egg white and vodka/water mixture until it just starts to form a ball. Place the dough onto your counter, cut in half, and wrap the two pieces in plastic wrap. Freeze one disc for future use. Refrigerate one piece for at least one hour.
5. The dough can be made in advance and placed in the fridge for up to two days, or in the freezer for one month.

For the filling

1. Over medium heat in a medium saucepan, sauté the onions and carrots in 2 Tbsp. butter until softened, about 8-10 minutes. Add the beer and simmer until almost all of the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. Whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, salt and pepper.
4. Roll out your pie crust in between sheets of plastic wrap for easy rolling to the size of your pie shell. Remove one side of the plastic wrap and invert onto your pie shell. If your shell is too warm and tears apart, pop the crust in the pie shell inside the freezer for 10 minutes to firm it back up. The plastic wrap will remove easily without tearing this way.
5. Layer the carrot and onion mixture on the bottom of the shell first, then add the cheese, then the egg mixture. Top with sliced ham.
6. Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the quiche is set in the center. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
7. Serve immediately.

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