burnt tops on quiches

[mint]

What I want to know is how you manage to avoid burning the edges or tops of quiches?

I do all the usual, make the pastry base first and then fill it.  What it does mean is that the pastry case is baked twice and the tops of the cases are always burnt![:'(]

In the summer, I make quiches without the usual egg and milk mixture as I just love the taste of summer vegetables without the savoury "custard".  But, still, the top of the pastry is always burnt.

What's prompted this post is, tonight I have cooked an onion and tuna quiche and it's practically the first quiche with eggs and milk that I have baked all year and I am so annoyed that, whilst the quiche looks wonderful, the top of the pastry is burnt?

[Clair]

Lower the oven temperature?

A traditional quiche (one with eggs+cream/milk) does not require anything higher than 180°/190°C for 25 to 30 mn. Too high a temperature sets the egg mix to rubber.

[Russethouse]

 I was given the translated version of Je sais cuisiner which I would recommend, no mention of pre cooking the pastry but it does suggest part cooking the 'custard' before pouring it on.

 I never pre bake quiche cases but I do make sure I use a metal flan tin and put it on a pre heated baking tray.

[mint]

Thank you Clair and RH:  food for thought (no pun intended).

I've always pre-baked the pastry cases (yes, Delia, you are to blame) to ensure that the end result is crispy.  I will indeed try cooking the cases only lightly and, I must say that precooking the "custard" sound good.

No problem with mince pies as there's no pre-cooking and they don't take long but quiches......[:-))]

[betoulle]

Have never tried pre cooking the custard....but why not try the 'cheffy' method of overlapping the pastry over the edge of the tin, then trimming the top edge once cooked, level with the baked custard.  Always works & looks very professional.......don't over cook the filling - as already mentioned use a cooler oven for less time & it will be just set & golden....enjoy.....

[Tancrède]

[quote user="sweet 17"]What I want to know is how you manage to avoid burning the edges or tops of quiches?[/quote]

I think that you are cooking it too much and too furiously  -  perhaps to avoid having a Soggy Bottom.  To avoid that deplorable possibility cook the quiche once only, on a bakestone or brick.

Fire up the oven to a moderate temperature with the bakestone or brick in place.  I use a large octagonal tomette or steel bakestone.  Paint the inside with butter and insert the filling.  Place the quiche on the stone and cook it moderately.

The point of the bakestone is that the instant reserve of heat will ensure that the bottom is decently cooked without turning the more vulnerable parts into a cinder.

[Gardengirl]

I've always pre-cooked pastry cases, too. I don't cook on too high a temperature, but used to find the pastry a little overcooked; so more recently I've shortened the cooking time. Friday's flan was lovely, but I must admit I bought the pastry for a change. I normally make my own pastry in UK, buy it in France; tiny kitchen, fewer kitchen utensils because of small amount of storage. I suppose I've thought not pre-cooking would mean that the base wouldn't be cooked properly, but I shall try it next week. Maybe I'll also try cooking the 'custard' lightly another time, too. What good ideas!

[Russethouse]

 I just looked at Phil Vickery's site  here and he recommends short precooking but then brushing the base of the flan with beaten egg while it is still hot and before you pour on the other ingredients - I guess this forms a seal to prevent the base going mushy.....

My normal method is to make pastry, roll out and fit in loose bottom metal flan tin, leave untrimmed then place in fridge, prepare filling, remove flan tin from fridge, trim pastry (by rolling over the top) fill flan then place the whole lot on a preheated metal baking tray...... (a substitute for the hot stone I guess)

[5-element]

This is a very useful thread for me, and I am avidly reading all pieces of advice.

Unlike Sweet, though: never have a problem with the top or the edges. My problem is often a soggy bottom, but I can see several tricks I could try now, thank you Gengulphus (although up to now I had never heard of a baking stone).

Because of soggy bottom, I often end up pre-cooking the case almost entirely sometimes. Results seem to vary so much, and randomly.

My current solution is to forget about quiches, and I am making cakes salés now, which turn out perfectly every time!

Just done one with courgettes, chevre and lardons. And they freeze well too.

here is just one of the links with many such recipes. Once you use 150g flour, 3 eggs, baking powder, you can add practically anything...

http://www.750g.com/recettes_cake_au_chevre.htm

[mint]

Wonderful suggestions on this thread and apologies for not having come back earlier. 

Have spent about an hour just talking to M & S (again) about my missing order.  Just when I thought that it had all been settled, up pops another problem.  But, perhaps I will save all of that for another thread.

Yes, I love the idea of the bakestone, Gengulphus.  In a way, I think I always had this idea that pastry should be cooked in a HOT oven.  Perhaps less hot is the ideal.

I really, really would like to bake the blasted thing only once as it's such a faff  pricking the base, pre-baking, using ceramic beads on foil, then painting with either egg yolk or mustard (depending on the filling) and then another period of baking.

I think Betoulle's suggestion is very good but, tell me, Betoulle, are you talking about baking twice or only the once?

5-e, definitely no soggy bottoms for my flans and quiches:  in fact, the crispiness remains even the next day.  I'm going to look at your recettes.  I've always wanted to cook those cakes, especially for apéros but didn't know how to make them.

BTW, cheese scones (little, dainty ones) went down a treat with the cheese course last week and I intend to make them again for next week.

I have about 2 lunches to give to people before I'm.....................OFF, OFF, OFF...........for a whole fortnight......yippppeeeee!!!

 

 

 

[Tricia]

Preheating the oven is important too, with pastry especially. You need quite a hot oven for a quiche. Perhaps reduce the heat after the first 5 minutes or so, and then low to set the filling.

This would be with the pastrycase not prebaked.

Enjoy your hols. SW17!

[mint]

Tricia, I am going to try my utmost NOT to pre-bake the pastry cases.  But, how old habits die hard and I am nervous as anything that, if I don't pre-bake, I'm going to get a soggy bottom!

Burnt tops or soggy bottoms?  Not what I'd call a nice choice!

[Tancrède]

[quote user="sweet 17"]Yes, I love the idea of the bakestone, Gengulphus.

I really, really would like to bake the blasted thing only once as it's such a faff  pricking the base, pre-baking, using ceramic beads on foil, then painting with either egg yolk or mustard (depending on the filling) and then another period of baking.[/quote]

Well, it was precisely to put all this nonsense behind me that I went over to the bakestone method for all things with a pastry bottom.  But I kept the ceramic beads for cleaning decanters.

The other great advantage of a steel bakestone is that you when you find yourself suffering from cabin fever on a snowbound day, you can devote your energies to making crumpets.  The day will perfectly whizz by.

[Âme]

[quote user="Gengulphus"]But I kept the ceramic beads for cleaning decanters.[/quote]

I have exactly that problem! Great idea, thanks. [kiss]

[mint]

Gengulphus what is a STEEL bakestone?  Is not a bakestone, by its very name, made of some sort of ceramic/pottery material?

[Tancrède]

[quote user="Âme"][quote user="Gengulphus"]But I kept the ceramic beads for cleaning decanters.[/quote]I have exactly that problem! Great idea, thanks.[/quote]

Just a word of warning  -  they are extremely abrasive for use with old, soft crystal.   Lead shot is much less aggressive.

[Tancrède]

[quote user="sweet 17"]Gengulphus what is a STEEL bakestone?[/quote]

Well, it is a round piece of very heavy gauge steel  -  pizza-size, say  -  and usually with a handle or two.  I picked one up in a flea market a couple of months ago.  If you do a google image search you will see more examples than you can shake a stick at.

But as I mentioned, I just use a very large tomette for a lot of baking, and find that quite satisfactory.

[KathyF]

[quote user="Gengulphus"][quote user="sweet 17"]Gengulphus what is a STEEL bakestone?[/quote]
Well, it is a round piece of very heavy gauge steel  -  pizza-size, say  -  and usually with a handle or two.  I picked one up in a flea market a couple of months ago.  If you do a google image search you will see more examples than you can shake a stick at.
[/quote]

Sounds like what I would call a griddle and use for making Welsh cakes or Scotch pancakes.

[mint]

Yes, Kathy, I remember:  I inherited one from my OH's mother but, alas, I never got the hang of Welsh cakes and I gave it away!

Gengulphus is right about the leadshot for your best decanters:  I have some metal "beads" that are perfectly spherical and very tiny.  Would do the trick except that here, in the Charente, there is so much calcaire in the water and smears on all glass are almost inevitable.

I now use vinegar for cleaning lots of things; from taps to the final rinse in the washing machine. 

[Âme]

[quote user="KathyF"]...Scotch pancakes.[/quote] *drools*

[cooperlola]

Well, you lot never cease to amaze me as ever.  Quiches? 1.99 from Auchan - bunged in the convection oven for 10 mins - perfect every time.[:D]

[Clair]

[quote user="cooperlola"]Well, you lot never cease to amaze me as ever.  Quiches? 1.99 from Auchan - bunged in the convection oven for 10 mins - perfect every time.[:D]

[/quote]

[:D] [:D]

[mint]

Yes, Coops, except that my nearest Auchan is just over an hour's drive away.  So hour there, hour back, say quarter of an hour get out the car and walk to the shop from the car park and quarter of an hour to do the reverse and get back in the car, half an hour at the queue whilst the check-out lady exchanges pleasantries with the customer in front, then 5 minutes (minimum) to get the quiche out its plastic packaging and 10 minutes in the oven.

Bet ya I can make a quiche from scratch quicker'n that![:D]

[Gardengirl]

I confess to using ready made pastry in France (even used it in UK last week)! But I do usually prefer the rest to be home made, so we have the exact fillings we fancy. Having said that I have been known to succumb to the odd Waitrose or M&S mini quiche when shopping just before lunch, when I'd decided to have just cheese and fruit when I got home! [:)]

[mint]

PMed you, GG.