Individual Caramelized Onion & Goat Cheese Quiche Cups

Gluten Free Pie Crust:

1 3/4 cups gluten free all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, diced and chilled

4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar or white vinegar

Pulse the flour and salt in a food processor. Add about one-third of the butter; process until the butter is combined. Pulse in the remaining butter in 5 or 6 pulses to form coarse crumbs. Add the vinegar; pulse quickly a few times while adding 1/3 cup ice water. Squeeze some dough between your fingers. It should just hold its shape; if it's still crumbly, quickly pulse in more ice water by the tablespoonful. (Do not overwork the dough.)

Turn the dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Wrap the dough, then press and flatten into a thin round. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Roll out the dough into an 11-to-12-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick, on a lightly floured surface. Cutout 5” circles and press circles into greased, standard sized muffin pan.

Filling:

1 large sweet onion

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 cups gruyere cheese, shredded

1 small log goat cheese

1 bunch fresh chives

6-8 turkey sausage links, chopped and browned (Optional)

9 eggs

1 cup whole milk

¼ cup heavy cream

¾ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

½ tsp dried thyme

½ tsp chili powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium frying pan, add olive oil and butter, preheat for 3 minutes over medium heat. Slice onion into thin slices and add to pan with butter and olive oil.  Cook onions for 15-20 minutes over medium-low heat until onions are soft and brown in color.  Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Set aside to cool.  In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, salt, pepper, thyme and chili powder.  Sprinkle 1 teaspoon caramelized onions into each crust, add 5-6 pieces of turkey sausage (optional), top with 2 teaspoons shredded gruyere cheese and 3 small dollops f goat cheese. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon chives over each cup. Carefully pour egg mixture over onions and cheese to fill the cups, leaving ½ inch of room at the top. Bake the quiche cups at 400 degrees for 12 minutes, turn oven down to 350 and continue baking for 10-12 minutes or until quiche are puffed in the middle and no longer jiggly.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan. 

Crustless Quiche Option: Omit crust and pour egg mixture directly into muffin cups, top with onions, sausage, and cheeses. Sprinkle with chives. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-22 minutes or until puffed in the middle and set. 

Mini Custard Pies

Vanilla Custard:

3 cups milk

10 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

4 tablespoons sifted cornstarch

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon heavy cream

Heat the milk in a medium stainless-steel saucepan over medium heat and bring almost to a boil. Remove from the heat.

Beat the egg yolks and sugar on medium-high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until pale and thick, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, sprinkle on the cornstarch. Beat on medium-low speed until combined, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula.

With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture. Pour the mixture back into the pan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, 5 to 7 minutes. (Pay attention because it will thicken and then quickly become scrambled eggs!)

Immediately, pour the mixture through a fine sieve into a large bowl. Stir in the vanilla, salt, butter, and heavy cream. Scrape the inside of the vanilla bean with a sharp knife directly into the custard. Place plastic wrap directly on the custard and refrigerate until cold.

Graham Cracker Crust

2 cups graham cracker crumbs (or gluten free graham cracker crumbs)

8 tablespoons butter, melted

3 tablespoons sugar

½ tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together graham cracker crumbs, sugar and salt. Pour in melted butter and stir together.  Press into mini pie tins using the bottom of a measuring cup to form crumbs to edge of pan.  Bake the crusts for 6-7 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.  Allow to cool completely before filling.

Homemade Whipped Cream

2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold

1 ½ tablespoons powdered sugar

Whip cream by hand or with mixer until soft peaks form.

Filling Options:

Coconut Cream Pie: Add 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut to vanilla custard base.  Sprinkle ½ cup shredded coconut on a baking sheet and toast under the broiler for 2-3 minutes.  Fill crusts with coconut custard, top with fresh whipped cream, sprinkle with shredded coconut.

Raspberry White Chocolate Pie: Fill pies with vanilla custard and dot with 3 teaspoon sized dollops of raspberry jam.  Swirl custard and jam together with a toothpick. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon white chocolate chips, top with whipped cream and fresh raspberries.

Lemon Blueberry Pie:  Add 2 tablespoons lemon zest to vanilla custard base. Spread 1 tablespoon lemon curd into the bottom of crust, top with lemon zest custard, and 5-6 fresh blueberries. Finish with whipped cream and fresh blueberries.