By Giselle Courteau, Duchess Bake Shop

Makes 1 x 9-inch deep-dish quiche

The year before we had our first child, Benoît, my partner Jacob and I spent a magical two weeks in Normandy with some good friends. We rented a little cottage and spent our days exploring the countryside, drinking buckets of French cider and indulging in local specialties. This quiche, my homage to this memorable holiday, features all of my favourite Normandy foods: apples, cider, soft cheese, and leeks.

This recipe is designed for a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. If you’re using a regular pie plate, you may have some extra filling.

Ingredients:

• 1 blind-baked pie shell (deep-dish) (fully baked pie crust)
• 1 leek (cleaned and thinly sliced)
• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 110 g (½ cup) French cider * Be sure to use French cider in this recipe for the best results. It tends to be a bit on the drier side and has a particular taste profile that is quite different from North American ciders
• 1 apple (peeled, cored, and sliced about ½ cm thick)
• 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. ground black pepper
• 3 large eggs
• 525 g (2¼ cups) whipping cream
• 120 g (½ cup) whole milk
• 125 g (1 cup) camembert or pont-l’évêque cheese (diced in 2 cm cubes)

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C)
2. Place the leek and butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Gently cook until the leek is dark brown and well caramelized, stirring occasionally. This may take up to 10 minutes.
3. Once the leek is caramelized, add the cider, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot well. Continue to cook until the majority of the cider has evaporated. Remove from heat, stir in the sliced apples, and set aside.
4. In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, and pepper. Add the eggs and whisk well, until most of the lumps have disappeared.
5. Add the whipping cream and milk and whisk until well combined. Pour the custard into the blind-baked pie shell, filling to three-quarters full. Sprinkle the leeks, apples, and cheese cubes over the custard.
6. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the centre is just set (add 10 minutes if you’re using a ceramic pie plate). If the outside of the crust starts to look dark during baking, cover the quiche with foil.

Storage/Serving:

This quiche is best eaten warm out of the oven. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days. Briefly reheat it in the oven before serving.