Quiche Lorraine perfect for Christmas morning

Eating Quiche Lorraine in a French bistro made a lasting impression on us, and even though we've baked quiche for years and have written about it in our cookbooks, we had never attempted the true classic rendition. This quiche is tall and smooth, with little other than cheese, onions and a bit of bacon to distract from a custardy center rich with eggs and cream.

We couldn't stop talking about this quiche, so we realized this was probably a great candidate for a special holiday breakfast. And because we try to do something sensational for Christmas morning, we dusted off the springform pan and started experimenting.

The good news is that this quiche is fairly straightforward, and it can be cooked ahead, refrigerated or frozen, and quickly reheated for breakfast or brunch. Allow just under a half-hour of preparation, and you'll be rewarded with a memorable Christmas-morning breakfast the whole family will love. For other twists on Christmas-worthy quiche, check our new Web site at www.kitchenscoop.com.

Menu suggestion: Classic Custard Quiche Lorraine

Grape clusters

Croissants

Classic Custard Quiche Lorraine

Start to finish: 25 minutes preparation, 55 to 60 minutes to bake, at least 15 minutes to cool

1 refrigerated piecrust dough (half of a 15-ounce box), at room temperature (see cook's note)

3 slices thick bacon (see cook's note)

3/4 cup minced onion

1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

5 large eggs

1 1/4 cups heavy or whipping cream

1/2 cup whole milk (see cook's note)

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper (see cook's note)

1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon

Pinch each of dried thyme and nutmeg

Cook's note: Four slices of thin bacon can be used.

Crust can be placed in a deep-dish pie plate, crimping the edges decoratively. Or use a frozen deep-dish piecrust. Prebake as instructed in Step 2.

If you don't have whole milk, 1/4 cup half-and-half and 1/4 cup skim or low-fat milk can be substituted.