Quiche Pastry Cups

  Breakfast

My grandmother used to make egg cup surprises for family brunches on special occasions. The added fillings were always a surprise, as she never seemed to use the same combination of ingredients twice. As children, we had a guessing game as to what we'd find in the tender crust, which added an aspect of family fun to our meal.

Quiche Pastry Cups

Average Rating: 4.666666

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 30 min. Bake: 15 min.
YIELD: 1-1/2 dozen.

Ingredients

  • 1 package (17.3 ounces) frozen puff pastry, thawed
  • 4 large eggs, divided use
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons half-and-half cream, divided
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1-1/2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese
  • 1-1/2 cups chopped fresh spinach
  • 1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
  • 8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

Instructions

  • 1. Preheat oven to 400°. On a lightly floured surface, unfold puff pastry. Roll each sheet into a 12-in. square; cut each into 9 squares. Place in ungreased muffin cups, pressing gently onto bottoms and up sides, allowing corners to point up.
  • 2. In a small bowl, whisk 3 eggs, 1 cup cream, thyme and seasonings. In another bowl, combine cheese, spinach, red pepper and bacon; divide among pastry cups. Pour egg mixture over cheese mixture.
  • 3. In a small bowl, whisk remaining egg with remaining cream; brush over pastry edges. Bake 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks. Serve warm.
    Freeze option:
    Cover and freeze baked pastries on greased baking sheets until firm. Transfer to resealable freezer containers; return to freezer. To use, reheat frozen pastries on ungreased baking sheets in a preheated 375° oven 17-20 minutes or until heated through.

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