ABC March 2014 - Mushroom Cheddar Tart

Luckily I could find some time to bake this month's Avid Baker's Challenge (ABC)
This tart - or I should say, quiche - is awesome! It's really yummy, seriously!
Unless you don't like mushroom or cheese, I am very sure you will enjoy every bite!

Somehow the shape reminds me of Hong Kong egg tart LOL

Recipe is from King Arthur Flour's site - as you know, ABC has been baking from this wonderful site since last year

The cheesy crust... oh yum!

 

 

 

Please view HERE for the recipe
I made half recipe - which I regretted so much
I had 12 pies using my regular size muffin pan and it finished the next day!

The crisp crust with delicious filling - I literally went hhhhmmmmm in every bite :)

I followed the recipe with some minor changes:

• I substituted Hi-maize Natural Fiber with plain flour
• I used grated Cheddar cheese instead of powder for the crust
• I omitted cayenne pepper
• I mixed the sautéed mushroom and bell pepper with the egg mixture and after scooping it into the crust, I topped it up with grated Cheddar cheese mixed with Monterey Jack cheese

This post is for Avid Baker's Challenge March 2014, a baking event hosted by Hanaa from Hanaa's Kitchen

Bacon Onion & Cheese Quiche

This recipe has been in my to do list for ages
It's from one of my favourite blog, Joyce from Kitchen Flavours
Just like her, as much as I love pies, be it sweet or savoury, I am not too excited with the process of making
This is in fact only my second time in my adventure in kitchen baking savoury pie :)
It happens that this month challenge for Let's get Baking Together (LBT) is savoury pie, time to kick my butt and bake one LOL

What you need:

For the pastry:
200gr plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
90g cold unsalted butter, diced
4tbsp cold water

For the filling:
25g butter
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 back bacon, chopped
3 eggs
300ml half and half
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
90g a mixture of Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese - grated
salt and black pepper

Method:

Making pastry:

1. Sift the flour and salt into a small bowl. Rub or cut in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add 3 tbsp of the water and mix to a firm dough, adding more water if required. Knead until smooth, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes
2. Roll out the dough on a clean, lightly floured work surface and use to line a 9in loose-based quiche pan. Press the pastry firmly into the sides and base of the tin and let it rise above the rim by about 1cm to allow for a little shrinkage during cooking. Prick the pastry base all over with a fork
3. Line the pastry case with baking paper and baking beans and chill again for about 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200Cdeg with a baking sheet placed in it. Stand the quiche pan on the baking sheet and bake blind for 15 minutes
4. Remove the foil and beans from the pastry case and return it to the oven for a further 5 minutes. Remove the pastry case from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 180degC

Making filling:

1. Melt the butter in a large, heavy frying pan. Add the onion and chopped bacon, and sautee for about 10 minutes until the onion is soft and golden. Beat the eggs and the half and half together in a bowl. Add the grated nutmeg and seasoning to taste

Spoon the onion mixture into the cooked pastry case and evenly sprinkle over the cheese. Pour the egg and cream mixture slowly over the filling. Bake the quiche for 35-40 minute, or until the filling has just set. Remove from the oven, leave to cool, then gently ease the quiche out of the tin and transfer to a serving plate...YUM YUM!

Quiche Lorraine

I always love quiche
Last time before I started being active in the kitchen, I always bought quiche in Delifrance
Very yummy savoury snack but I always found it too pricey
So happy I can make one myself now and it's really surprisingly easy! :)

Recipe is from Emeril Lagasse (foodnetwork.com)

This recipe received many great reviews and it's in the 5 star category

Now I know why, it's fabulous!

What you need:

For the filling:

170g thick cut bacon, cut into narrow strips

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

300ml half and half

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground white pepper

a pinch of grated nutmeg

1 cup grated gruyere

For the flaky butter crust:

140g plain flour

1/4 tsp salt

100g unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces

2 tbsp ice water

Method:

To make the dough:

Combine flour, salt and butter in a medium bowl, and mix with pastry blender on your fingertips til the mixture  resembles coarse crumbs. Add water 1 tbsp at a time and mix til the dough comes together and no longer dry, do not overmix. Form into a disk, wrap in platic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour

1. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 28cm circle, fit into pan (22cm pie pan with removeable bottom), trim the edges and allow to rest again in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes
2. Preheat the oven to 190degC
3. Line the pastry with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake til the crust is set, 15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and bake til golden brown, 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on
4. In a medium skillet, cook the bacon til crisp and the fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Discard the fat or reserve for another use
5. Arrange the bacon evenly over the bottom of the baked crust
6. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, yolks, and half and half. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk to combine. Pour into the prepared crust and bake until the custard is golden, puffed and set yet still slightly wiggly in the center, 35 minutes
7. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before serving

Yum yum yum....
I will definitely make this addictive savoury snack again..and again :)



Crustless Brocolli Cheddar Quiche (Martha Stewart)

So many bakes I wish I could do using recipes from Martha Stewart, so little time in this busy month
This is my last post I can squeeze in, even though tomorrow morning I'll make my first breakfast of the year 2013 using Martha's recipe, and also her brownies recipe for my brownies craving Abby :)

Anyhow, back to the subject... This is a very tasty quiche, albeit it's crustless

Recipe can be viewed HERE, I followed exactly except that I replaced 1/3 of the cheese with gruyere cheese

I'm submitting this post to Cook like a Star, organised by Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids, Baby Sumo from Eat your heart out and Riceball from Riceball Eats

WISHING U A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013 :)