Savory Gruyère and Bacon Quiche

1. Prepare the Dough

Mix the ice water and sour cream in a small bowl and set it aside. In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, and salt by processing for about 5 seconds. Scatter the frozen butter pieces over the flour mixture and pulse about 10 times until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the sour cream mixture and pulse about 12 more times until the dough just comes together.

2. Chill the Dough

Form the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for about 1 hour.

3. Preheat the Oven

Adjust your oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

4. Roll Out the Dough

Once chilled, roll out the dough on a lightly floured counter to fit a 9-inch pie plate, taking about 10 minutes. Unroll the dough into the pie plate, trim the edges, tuck any excess under, and crimp the edges. Wrap the crust-lined pie plate in plastic wrap and freeze it for about 15 minutes until firm.

5. Blind Bake the Crust

To blind bake the crust, line it with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights. Place it on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the parchment and pie weights, then rotate the pie plate and continue to bake for another 15-20 minutes until the crust bottom is light golden brown.

6. Cook the Bacon

While the crust is baking, cook the bacon in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat for 5-7 minutes until crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.

7. Cook the Onion

In the same skillet, cook the chopped onion for 8-10 minutes until softened and lightly browned.

8. Prepare the Custard Mixture

In a large bowl, whisk together 0.25 cup of the heavy cream and the cornstarch until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, remaining 1 cup of cream, salt, and pepper until well combined.

9. Assemble the Quiche

To assemble the quiche, scatter the cooked bacon and onion evenly over the baked crust, then sprinkle the shredded Gruyère cheese on top. Carefully pour the custard mixture over the fillings.

10. Bake the Quiche

Lightly tent the quiche with a piece of greased aluminum foil to prevent over-browning. Place the quiche on a baking sheet and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the center registers 170 degrees and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

11. Cool and Serve

Transfer the quiche to a wire rack, discard the foil, and let it cool for about 2 hours before slicing and serving. This resting period allows the quiche to set properly, ensuring perfect slices.