Mini bacon and cheese quiche

Quiches are really easy to make and once you understand the basics you can get creative and adapt the recipe to suit your taste and needs.

I have added some video links of the blind baking process so you can get it right first time. There are so many cooking related demo’s online – you really shouldn’t struggle with any methods these days! I deboned a leg of lamb the other day after watching a 2 minute long online demo! Was very chuffed with myself.

Quiches freeze beautifully so I always make double and freeze the rest.

Makes about 12

1 roll of frozen puff pastry (brown if they have) - defrosted

1 pack of streaky bacon

2 cups of cheddar cheese, grated

Spinach (optional) – blanched and drained

Butternut (optional) – cut into small cubes and lightly steamed

2 cups of milk

1 tsp of flour

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp of veg or chicken stock powder

1 tsp Dijon mustard

A pinch of All Spice (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Grease a muffin tin and ‘spray n cook’ it too if you have.

Lightly roll your pastry out on a floured surface. Cut squares out of the pastry and place them into the muffin tin. Gently pull the straight sides of the square in a little to give it a pretty scalloped look and with your finger tips lightly press the pastry to fit the mould.

Blind bake the pastry. To see how check out these two links:

Traditional blind baking

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zb0jp18Va6Q&feature=related

Silicone mold easy version

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCDeJhGWFEA

Pre heat your oven to 200˚C and pace the wire racK in the middle of the oven.

For the filling, chop and fry the bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan but reserve the cooking fat in the pan. Add milk to the pan (no heat) and stir till it combines with the bacon fat. Add a teaspoon of stock, mustard, a pinch of salt, a pinch of all spice and lightly whisk in the eggs and flour. If using spinach and or butter nut, wash, steam and chop the veggies. Add the bacon and veggies to the quiche crusts. Fill each of the pastry crusts with the egg and milk mixture and top with the grated cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven until set and golden on top, about 10 – 15 minutes. Allow to cool before unmolding the quiche.