A Substitute For Heavy Cream In Quiche

Quiches are essentially the savory version of a cream pie, a custard contained inside a pastry shell. However, this basic description does little to convey the character of a well-made quiche. When properly executed, the quiche will have a soft and delicate texture, a balance of custard and fillings, and a rich and creamy mouthfeel. This is usually due to the addition of heavy cream, but there are alternatives.

Quiche Basics

Like most custards, quiches are a mixture of eggs and dairy products. The firmness of any custard depends on its ratio of eggs to dairy; in a quiche that's usually 1/2 cup of milk or cream for each egg. The custard filling is complemented with a strongly flavored cheese such as Gruyere or Parmesan, and savory ingredients such as ham, spinach, sausage, sundried tomatoes and caramelized onions or shallots. The culinary encyclopedia "Larousse Gastronomique" notes that the oldest recipes for quiche used bread dough, but pastry shells or even puff pastry are more common now.

Heavy Cream

Most quiche recipes call for heavy cream to be used, in whole or in part, for the dairy portion of the custard. Heavy cream gives your quiche a remarkable texture, and is rich to the taste but deceptively light and elegant on your tongue. This is due to its high fat content, a non-issue for the dedicated gourmand but a deal breaker for the health conscious. Fortunately, you can reduce the fat content considerably before the texture of your quiche begins to suffer.

Full-Fat Alternatives

Most quiche recipes specify a mixture of heavy cream and milk for their dairy component. If the quantities are equal, you can substitute half and half. If your recipe calls for more milk than cream, add the extra amount separately. For quiches, consider substituting a mixture of 2/3 cup milk whisked together with 1/3 cup of melted butter which reproduces the fat content of heavy cream. French recipes often call for creme fraiche, a thickened cream product similar to sour cream but with a milder flavor. This is sometimes available at your supermarket or local gourmet market.

Lower-Fat Alternatives

Although the texture of your quiche will not be as delicate and the flavor less rich, you can make a very acceptable quiche using lower-fat dairy products. Replacing the heavy cream with half and half will reduce the fat and calorie count immediately, if modestly. You can also substitute whole milk or skim milk, though the texture of your quiche will show the difference. Another alternative is using evaporated milk in place of the cream, or adding dry powdered milk to whole milk. Either option will lend a better flavor and texture to the quiche without the fat of heavy cream.