# quiche doesn't cook properly



## 12340987 (Feb 6, 2005)

I don't know what i'm doing wrong. I've tried several times and I keep getting soggy quiche, even after over an hour of baking. It seems that the cheese always forms an impermeable layer over the top and moisture can't escape while it's cooking, but this last time was sure to pour filling until all the cheese was covered. 
I baked at 400 for 15 minutes and then 325 for the rest, as per a recipe I found online.


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## Haggis (Feb 6, 2005)

Perhaps you may want to leave putting on the cheese until later in the cooking, such as when the filling is fully cooked, or very close to being fully cooked.

Remember the cheese only needs to brown on top of the quiche. I recommend cooking the quiche, removing it from the oven, sprinkling your cheese on, then placing it back in the oven to brown/finish cooking.

Perhaps a more experienced quiche maker can give you an answer to your problem.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Feb 6, 2005)

Another thing to remember is that the egg doesn't require additional liquid.  As quiche is baked, rather than fried and stirred around like scrambled eggs, it is less able to reduce the liquid in the form of steam.  And any cheese you place on top will reduce the venting still further.  

Ironically, I learned this not from making quiche, but from making omelets.  They are like quiche, but without a crust and with the veggies placed on top rather than incorporated into the egg mixture.  Too much added milk or water resulted in a soggy mess.

If your recipe calls for the addition of other liquids, try reducing the amount of liquid you add.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## Rob Babcock (Feb 6, 2005)

Reduce the liquid, stir the cheese into the eggs, and if all else fails, add a tsp of cornstarch to the cold egg mixture.  You can always top with cheese and turn the oven to broil once it's nearly done.

Beyond that I'm not sure what you're doing wrong.  I made quiche for Sunday brunch at the restaurant I ran almost every week for eight years and never had one that didn't set. :?   But then I always used a convection oven...


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## 12340987 (Feb 7, 2005)

Add the cheese after??? I thought the idea was to have a delectable mix of cheese, egg and cream instead of a layer of cheese on top. That's the only way I've seen it done on TV and what all the recipes say. 

Hmm. It's because I used half and half isn't it? Next time I will use heavy cream.


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## marmalady (Feb 8, 2005)

Can you post your recipe?


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## 12340987 (Feb 10, 2005)

deep dish pie crust
2 cups half and half
4 eggs
enough cheese and stuff to fill pie 

lay cheese and stuff. I usually compact the cheese filling so there aren't air pockets. 
Fill with custard until cheese is submerged.
Bake at 400 for 10 minutes, then 320 until fully cooked.

Do you people bake the crust first??


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## kitchenelf (Feb 10, 2005)

It appears you need to increase the eggs by about 2 - and decrease the half and half to 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cups.

Also, make sure you are blind baking your pie shell

Just my humble opinion though


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## marmalady (Feb 11, 2005)

Cook's Illustrated, in their 'Best Recipes' book, has what I think is a perfect, custardy quiche reicpe - basic formula is 

2 large eggs, plus 2 yolks
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
salt/pepper/nutmeg
1 cup grated cheese (I usually add a little more)

Bake at 375 til knife blade in center of pie comes out clean.  Center may still feel a little 'soft'.  Let it set for about 15 minutes before cutting.


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## DampCharcoal (Feb 12, 2005)

My very basic quiche recipe goes something like this:

5 eggs
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup Gruyere, grated

Mix together and pour into shell. Bake at 425 for 45 minutes. I add other ingredients but that formula works great for me everytime. Some of the cheese does rise to the top but not so much as to seal in moisture.


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