Thomas Keller's "Bouchon" Cookbook

[FoodMan]

susan, it doesn't work in a springform pan, always leaks, don't know why.  Imperative to use a ringmold.

←

My favorite quiche ever. It it a little tricky especially using the straight sided ring mold (instead of say a deep dish pie pan), but after making it several times I can go from start to finish including baking in about two hours. My best advice is WEIGH the flour, do not go by volume and make sure your butter is chilled. See more comments early on in the thread from me and Russ and others along with some pictures.

My wife and I also think it is a little too creamy, we like it more curdy. So, I altered the filling custrad slightly, by adding an extra egg and instead of 2C cream and 2C Whole milk, I use 3 C milk and 3/4C cream. This results in a texture that is more to our liking. Give it a try and see.

[snowangel]

Thanks, Eli, for the advice. We did love that it is such a "high" quiche, but I think your version just might be a little more popular with Diana.

And, as it happened, my folks were just in Berkeley, and my mom called me from Sur La Table, so I now have a ring mold!

I will definitely try this again. Seems to me that this would be a good thing for me to take to the cabin for dinner on that first night when I want to wander around and look at everything and not cook!

[srhcb]

But, in the meantime, a question on the reheating.  Since we are likely to devour the whole (quiche) tomorrow night (or almost all of it), any advice as to reheating an entire quiche?  Or, should I just serve it room temp?

←

I prefer quiche cold, right out of the fridge! I like to eat it out-of-hand.

SB (making one tonite, ham/wild rice/colby)

[russ parsons]

susan, it doesn't work in a springform pan, always leaks, don't know why.  Imperative to use a ringmold.

←

i hate to disagree with the august mr. ruhlman, and i know that this is the bouchon party line, but i have made it repeatedly with a springform pan without leakage--once i overcame my urge to over-roll (difficult because the pastry is such a joy to work with).

[Bond Girl]

Damn Susan, that is a beautiful looking quiche. I agree with Russ, springform pan seemed to be less scary. I wish it could be made single serving though...This is one of the few things I do not make very often that I truly enjoy.

[FoodMan]

susan, it doesn't work in a springform pan, always leaks, don't know why.  Imperative to use a ringmold.

←

i hate to disagree with the august mr. ruhlman, and i know that this is the bouchon party line, but i have made it repeatedly with a springform pan without leakage--once i overcame my urge to over-roll (difficult because the pastry is such a joy to work with).

←

Russ, how high are the sides for the pan? 2 inches? If so, then this is more or less a fancier ring mold like the one in the recipe. There is no reason that I can think of why it would not work.

[russ parsons]

Russ, how high are the sides for the pan? 2 inches? If so, then this is more or less a fancier ring mold like the one in the recipe. There is no reason that I can think of why it would not work.

←

exactly. but i've had go-rounds with thomas about it and he insists the ring mold is the only way to go. silly, but i'm just too damned tight to go out and buy a ring mold that looks just like a springform ring.

[FoodMan]

Russ, how high are the sides for the pan? 2 inches? If so, then this is more or less a fancier ring mold like the one in the recipe. There is no reason that I can think of why it would not work.

←

exactly. but i've had go-rounds with thomas about it and he insists the ring mold is the only way to go. silly, but i'm just too damned tight to go out and buy a ring mold that looks just like a springform ring.

←

That is too funny, then again we are talking about the man who insists his fish are paked and shipped "the way the swim"

[Michael Ruhlman]

susan, it doesn't work in a springform pan, always leaks, don't know why.  Imperative to use a ringmold.

←

i hate to disagree with the august mr. ruhlman, and i know that this is the bouchon party line, but i have made it repeatedly with a springform pan without leakage--once i overcame my urge to over-roll (difficult because the pastry is such a joy to work with).

←

you LOVE to disagree with me Russ. you must be rolling mighty thick dough. i tried three times using springform because it didn't make sense that a springform pan wouldn't work. Keller kept saying, no it won't work, and three was enough for me. it's really disheartening when it leaks.

i think you should head up to yountville, russ, and show those young men in the kitchen how it really works!

[Marlene]

Damn Susan, that is a beautiful looking quiche. I agree with Russ, springform pan seemed to be less scary.  I wish it could be made single serving though...This is one of the few things I do not make very often that I truly enjoy.

←

Why not use a mini springform pan for single servings?

[prasantrin]

I've been planning on making the quiche from the Bouchon book for a very long time. I don't have a 9x2 inch tart pan or ring mould, but I do have a 7x2.75 inch cake pan with a removable bottom (more like a springform pan, but it doesn't have those clasp-things as the side). I know there's a difference in volume between the two pans, so I'll have excess batter, but aside from the baking time, the quiche should be do-able, as is...right? After reading about some of the problems with this quiche, I'm worried about leakage, but that seems to be more of a problem with using a larger-volume pan, rather than a smaller-volume pan like mine.

Also, I have no food processor or stand mixer--is the crust do-able entirely by hand? I do have a hand mixer, if that might help, otherwise it has to be a low-tech operation.

[Mallet]

The crust is definitely doable by hand, in fact Keller mentions that this is the only way he does it.

[prasantrin]

The crust is definitely doable by hand, in fact Keller mentions that this is the only way he does it.

←

Thanks! I don't actually have the book, I'm using the Russ Parsons version from the LA Times. I am far from a pastry expert (I fear pie crusts) so I'm sure my crust will have more butter lumps in it than Mr. Keller's does, even if he makes it by hand, too! But I shall do my best, and follow some of the tips from this thread (cutting the butter up, then freezing/chilling it again, then working it in).

Thanks again!

[Marlene]

I fear pie crust too. I can tell you that this recipe is damn near foolproof. it's the only one I ever use now. I've also used my hand mixer, as the last time I made this, my KA mixer was otherwise engaged. It worked just fine.

[russ parsons]

[i think you should head up to yountville, russ, and show those young men in the kitchen how it really works!

←

i know, i know. but it's just so amusing watching them muddle through on their own.

seriously, i wouldn't recommend it if i hadn't tried it (several times). take a look at the dough in the picture, it is very plush (also makes a nice contrast to all that custard).

[little ms foodie]

dayne made the brioche with garlic sausagae today. it was excellent!!

[prasantrin]

I fear pie crust too.  I can tell you that this recipe is damn near foolproof.  it's the only one I ever use now.  I've also used my hand mixer, as the last time I made this, my KA mixer was otherwise engaged.  It worked just fine.

←

I made it yesterday! Not the quiche, just the crust. I used a pastry cutter first, then my hand mixer, and I still had some lumps of butter in the dough. In the instructions, it clearly says not to leave any lumps of butter, but I just can't work them all into the dough unless I do some serious kneading. Since you've used a hand mixer, too, did you have any lumps of butter in yours, and if you did, did your crust still turn out OK?

[Marlene]

When I used the hand mixer, I only added say two cubes of butter at a time and worked that until they were just about disolved. Then two more, etc. It took a while, but I ended up with a pretty lump free dough. There were a couple really small lumps, but I didn't notice that they affected the crust.

[Chris Amirault]

Bumping this back up because I just found the cookbook at our local discounter and, thus, could afford it. First meal was something light and pretty quick, relatively speaking: the frisée salad with lardons and the macaroni and cheese. The mornay sauce for the latter was a bit too much; he says 3 c but I think 2 c would do it. And everyone should make the bacon fat vinaigrette at least once, particularly if you've chosen to fry and not poach your eggs. In duck fat.

Like I said, "light."

[hazardnc]

Yesterday, I made my version of southern tomato pie using the quiche pastry recipe from Bouchon. I have made Keller's quiche once before and had surprising success, given that pie crust is far from my strong suit. The pastry this time gave way to the best tomato pie I have made yet, and I have been making this recipe since I first saw in in Gourmet years ago. The recipe uses sliced fresh tomatoes, chopped green onions and basil layered in a pie crust and topped with a layer of mayo mixed with grated cheddar. It is rich and delicious.

Here's a photo (I must work on improving my digital photos skills)

[FoodMan]

Quiche with homemade bacon, mushrooms, onions and cheese (aged Mozzarella and white farmer cheese)

So, why am I posting yet another picture of quiche, even though we've discussed it at length before and posted pictures?

Well 2 reasons:

1- It is so damn pretty and even though I made it many time, everytime just seems like the best yet. Also this is a reminder for those who have not yet tried this marvelous piece of pastry to try it soon.

2- I recently found out that a lady who lives more or less in my neighborhood, who has about 30 free roaming chickens and she sells the eggs! Her chicken eggs are absolutly gorgeous, with a deep rich orange colored yolks. I of course had to try them in a quiche, and that is what gave the custard that deep yellow color.

I think I've said it before, but I tinkered with the proportions for the custard to suit our taste and what I use is:

3 Cups milk

0.5 Cup cream

7 eggs

[repoman]

I do not own this book but I found the recipe for the gnocchi and squash with mushrooms on Epicurious and though it was much more labor intensive than I had expected, the dish was incredible. You really get a nice picture of how Keller's mind works. Mushrooms go well with thyme so sautee your mushrooms, shallots and thyme togther. Squash, brown butter, and sage go together so cook them together. Most recipes would have you sautee everything together with all of the herbs and aromatics. Keller has you keep all components seperate then assemble them at the last minute. The result is awesome, each element has its own taste when eaten seperatly and when combined the layers of flavor were amazing.

[Mallet]

I made the roasted beet salad as a side dish for Thanksgiving dinner. It was really nice and super-easy.

[Daniel]

Foodman,

You are killing me with that quiche.. We had something similiar to that in Vegas and were just talking about it this weekend.. Yours looks better then the one at the restaurant.. Awesome!

[malarkey]

I too have made the quiche recipe twice now in a springform pan with no leakage. I am rolling fairly thick, but really about 1/4 inch and not more.

Guess I've been lucky! I love how silky soft and custardy it is. I will NEVER eat a hard-scrambled egg type of quiche again.

My only problem is I can't seem to keep my ingredients from floating to the top during cooking. I'm talking about the florentine version.

I need to make the lorraine. damn, it looks so good.