Quiche Not Setting – What To Do? 

If you are new to making quiche, you may have a few less than perfect results the first few times you make it. Quiche is a very versatile dish; however, it can take time to perfect. So what do you do if your quiche is not setting? We've researched the best techniques to fix and prevent this, and in this post, we will share them with you.

If your quiche is not setting, chances are that you may have missed a step during the preparation or baking process. Reasons can include adding too many watery vegetables, not adding the correct portions of eggs or milk, setting the oven to a temperature that is too low, or not pre-baking the pie crust. There are a few different ways to troubleshoot the reasons why your quiche didn't set properly. You'll first want to look at your recipe to know the amount of liquid included in the quiche. You'll then want to note how long you let the quiche sit in the oven or microwave and the temperature at which it is cooked--if it's baked in the oven, that is.

Due to its egg, milk, and high-fat content, quiche can be a bit tricky to prepare if you are doing it for the first time. However, once you learn how to portion out the ingredients for the dish correctly, you'll be good to go. Keep reading to learn how to make sure your quiche sets well and how to prevent common pitfalls when preparing the dish.

A big quiche lorrane with tomatoes and spinach, Quiche Not Setting - What To Do? 

Reasons Why Your Quiche Isn't Setting

You're using the wrong milk to egg ratio

Anytime you have a dish that calls for both milk and eggs, you'll need to be careful of the ratios and how you incorporate the ingredients. For the quiche to have the perfect texture, you'll need to add one cup of milk for every 4 eggs.

This ratio will give you an ideal blend for the filling. Pay special attention to the quiche as you prepare it and be sure only to add the milk one tbsp at a time and constantly check the consistency.

A huge slice of quiche on top of a wooden table

Bottom And Top Racks Make A Difference

Where you place the quiche in the oven plays a big role in how it will cook. Placing your quiche on the top rack will often result in it remaining runny or watery even after it's been baked. It's always best to place your quiche on the bottom rack of your oven, as this will allow the pie to crisp and the quiche to set fast. If you are worried about the pie crust becoming too crispy, you can always cover it in foil to reduce the extent that it'll brown.

Keep in mind that many modern ovens will allow you to configure the settings so that dishes will cook evenly on both racks at the same time. However, you'll need to look at the manual for your oven to see if this is an option.

The quiche is under baked

Sometimes you may find that your quiche is too watery, causing it to bake slower than it should. On average, a quiche will need to bake in the oven for about 40 to 45 minutes. If you remove the quiche before this time, it will likely be runny and not properly set. This will definitely be the case if the quiche contains too many liquid ingredients or too much water from frozen or watery vegetables--such as tomatoes.

Sometimes, it may take a few times to experiment with your oven to determine the quiche's perfect temperature and baking time. If you're baking the dish in the oven for the first time, it's best to remove the dish every 25 to 30 minutes and test the center with a toothpick to see if it's running. And if it is, place it back in the oven for another 20 minutes.

Not letting the eggs and milk sit out

A jar of milk and eggs on top of a wooden table

This is another popular mistake that bakers make when baking cookies for the first time. It's always best to let milk and eggs sit out for about 10 to 15 minutes so that they can warm up to a room temperature of about 70 degrees Fahrenheit before adding them to the quiche.

Placing cold milk and eggs in the dish will cause the quiche to take longer to separate and thicken. This is because cold eggs and milk will not blend as well due to their high-fat content. They'll need to be brought to a high temperature to make for a smoother and concentrated filling.

Too many watery veggies

A delicious quiche with chicken, tomatoes, and spinach

There are hundreds of different ways to make quiche, and everyone has their own specific recipe that includes the vegetables they prefer. Oftentimes, these vegetables may have a high water content that may affect how quickly and well the quiche will set. If you plan to add frozen vegetables or vegetables with high water content, such as peppers, tomatoes, or onions, be sure to dry the vegetables as much as possible to minimize it.

You can use a paper towel or clean dishcloth to do this, or quickly sautee the vegetables on the stovetop so that the water will evaporate. Keep in mind that this is the main reason for soggy quiche crust.

Using a cream that's too thin

Sometimes, the cream that you use can affect its ability to set properly. If you don't like using heavy cream, that's fine, but you should consider a substitute instead--and not a thin cream. If you use a thin cream, you'll need to readjust your egg ratio to accommodate for the water content, as the cream will slow down the baking process of the quiche.

Consider using milk and butter, half and half, or cornstarch and flour. You can even use a mixture of milk and cottage cheese as well.

How do you know when quiche is set?

Sometimes the top crust of your quiche will be brown while the inside of the dish has not completely set, which can make it confusing to determine when the quiche is properly set. However, there are a few ways to determine this. First, throw on an oven mitt and grab the pan that the dish is in. Then quickly but gently shake the dish back and forth.

Observe the center section of the quiche as you do this to determine if it appears loose or jiggly. If it does, the chances are that it's not properly set. However, if the quiche stays still during this rapid movement, chances are that it's done and can be removed from the oven.

When removing the quiche from the oven, it's always a good idea to take a toothpick or fork to test the center of the quiche. Stab the quiche with the toothpick or fork and pull it straight out. If the fork or toothpick comes out clean, then the quiche is set. If it is covered in quiche, the dish will need to be placed back in the oven.

You can also insert a thermometer into the middle of the quiche. The temperature should be at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit if the quiche is done. If it falls below this range, the quiche will likely need to bake a bit longer.

Find this food thermometer on Amazon.

How long does it take a quiche to set?

On average, it can take quiche anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes to set completely. Keep in mind that this will vary depending on the ingredients used in the quiche and the type of oven you use.

What do I do if my quiche won't set?

If your quiche doesn't set, chances are that it's too watery. The best thing to do is place the quiche back in the oven at a lowered temperature of about 250 to 275 degrees Fahrenheit to let the dish set.

Can you rebake a quiche that is undercooked?

Yes, you can bake a quiche that is undercooked. To cook the quiche without burning the pie crust, you can cover the crust in foil and place the quiche back in the oven at a lower temperature of about 275 degrees Fahrenheit. Let the quiche bake for about 20 minutes and check it with a fork or thermometer to see if it has set. If not, place it back in the oven and test in another 15 minutes.

Wrapping Things Up

Remember that baking quiche is a creative process, and sometimes you won't get it right in the beginning. The best thing to do is take note of your preparation techniques to continue to improve with each try!

Before you go, be sure to check out some of our other posts:

Frittata Vs Quiche – What Are The Differences?

Can You Rebake Undercooked Quiche?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *