Mini Bacon and Cheese Quiches
This Mini Bacon and Cheese Quiches recipe is handy for a Christmas table where everyone helps themselves. The puff pastry turns golden around a soft egg filling, with little bits of bacon and mature cheddar in every bite. A standard muffin pan keeps the portions neat, with no special tart tins needed.
For a hot South African Christmas, bake them early and serve just warm with a tomato salad or alongside your cold meats. They also make a useful snack while the braai gets going. Ready-made pastry saves time, but keep it chilled until you are ready to roll: warm summer kitchens can make it sticky very quickly. Let the cooked bacon cool before adding it to the pastry cases.
Ingredients
Pastry cases
Bacon and cheese filling
Instructions
- 1Heat the oven to 200 °C, or 180 °C fan. Place a sturdy metal baking tray on a shelf in the lower third of the oven to heat up. Lightly grease a standard 12-hole metal muffin pan; each hole should hold approximately 80–100 ml.
- 2Fry the bacon in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooked and lightly browned. Drain off the excess fat and spread the bacon on a plate to cool.
- 3On a lightly floured surface, roll the cold pastry to approximately 3 mm thick. Cut out twelve 10 cm circles, gathering and gently re-rolling the offcuts as needed. If the pastry becomes soft, refrigerate it briefly before continuing.
- 4Gently ease the pastry circles into the muffin holes without stretching them, bringing the edges up the sides. Refrigerate the lined pan for 15 minutes while you prepare the filling.
- 5Whisk the eggs, milk, cream, chives and black pepper together until evenly combined. The bacon and cheddar usually provide enough salt, so no extra salt is needed.
- 6Divide the cooled bacon and grated cheddar between the pastry cases. Pour in the egg mixture, leaving about 5 mm of space below each pastry rim. Do not overfill; any small amount of leftover custard can be baked separately in a greased ramekin.
- 7Set the muffin pan on the hot baking tray. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the pastry is well browned and the filling is puffed and just set, with no liquid egg visible in the centres. Loosely cover with foil near the end if the tops brown too quickly.
- 8Leave the quiches in the pan for 5 minutes, then carefully loosen the edges with a blunt knife and transfer them to a wire rack. Serve warm, or cool promptly and refrigerate for later.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Carbohydrates
- 16 g
- Protein
- 9 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Saturated fat
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 0.5 g
- Sodium
- 330 mg
- Cholesterol
- 75 mg
Estimated values based on the ingredients used.
Notes
Christmas tips
- Cook the bacon and grate the cheese the day before; refrigerate them separately in covered containers until needed.
- For a make-ahead platter, bake the quiches a day ahead, cool promptly and refrigerate. Reheat on a baking tray at 180 °C, or 160 °C fan, for 10–15 minutes, until piping hot throughout.
- On a hot Christmas Day, put out small batches and keep the rest refrigerated. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours, or within one hour if the temperature is above 32 °C.
- Serve with cherry tomatoes, cucumber ribbons and a crisp green salad for a lighter summer spread. Transport chilled quiches in a cooler box with ice packs.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use shortcrust pastry instead?
Yes. Roll it to about 3 mm thick and line the pan in the same way. Puff pastry gives lighter, flaky edges, while shortcrust makes a firmer case. Check that the bases are properly browned before removing the quiches from the oven.
Can I freeze these mini quiches?
Yes. Cool them promptly, then freeze in an airtight container for up to two months, separating layers with baking paper. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat until piping hot throughout. Keep unfrozen leftovers refrigerated and eat within two days.
How do I avoid soggy pastry?
Drain the bacon well, keep the pastry cold and use a metal muffin pan on the preheated baking tray. The lower oven position helps the bases cook. Transfer the quiches to a rack after their short rest so steam does not collect underneath.
