Talking about French desserts, a fact that the French actually eat more cheese and have fruit or yogurt at the end of the meal rather than sweet desserts. Their delicious tarts, cakes, are usually served when they invite others for a meal or they get invited. They don’t bake so much, unless pastries and bread. The French desserts have an elegance of their own, and when trying them it is not hard to fall in love in a second.
French cuisine developed throughout the centuries with a bit of influence from the surrounding/neighboring countries.
We all want to try new things and because of that, we have made a splendid and delicious list of the top 10 amazing and famous French dessert recipes. So, try making some of these mouth-watering ideas and everyone around you will be surprised, that’s for sure. We are curious, which one of these wonderful desserts is your favorite?
1. French Vanilla Creme Brulee
Recipe via hervecuisine.com
What is fabulous about this dessert is the simple attitude towards it. A couple of culinary “know-how” but nothing to scare kitchen beginners. The great thing about this recipe is that it can be flexible if you want to use other flavors such as coffee, matcha, butternut squash, and indeed the traditional vanilla pod into the cream ready for diffusion for a few hours. You can serve fresh berries which we find perfect, balancing sweet with the tartness of berries.
2. Classic Apple Tart Tatin
Recipe via bakefromscratch.com
Thanks to the sisters Tatin for making us enjoy the life that bit more. Created within their hotel restaurant in Lamotte-Beuvron. Some say, the sisters forgot to put the pastry in the tart mold and later put it over it, turned it upside down, and saw the fabulous melted caramel running off it. Serve it with a nice dollop of thick organic double cream or simple vanilla ice cream.
3. Crepe Suzette
Recipe via myparisiankitchen.com
Many legends are carried through when French cooking is involved. And without failure, a story is behind the famous pancake. Auguste Escoffier, better known as the chef of chefs, was in Monte Carlo at the time in 1896 and would have made this for Edward 7th, son of Queen Victoria. The alcohol apparently was an accident but let’s just think of it as intentional. Known to be served with Grand Marnier, flambeed, and served with vanilla ice cream. A great show for your guests.
4. Cherry Clafoutis
Recipe via oliviascuisine.com
This is a lovely, creamy custard base recipe that ensures the longevity of doing it traditionally, perfectly well executed. But be quick if you want to make it as the cherries aren’t in season very long! It’s a fabulous thing this. Make sure to get super ripe cherries and as a secret, use a straw to take the stones out. Honestly, it’s a revelation. Also, some will leave the stones inside the cherries which will act as natural fructose thickening agents.
5. Macarons
Recipe via jordanwinery.com
The French cookie! These have been around since the 8th century in Venetian Monasteries during the Renaissance. However, in 1533 French monks took over and made the Macaron what it is today. These delicate, bite-size meringue filled with buttercream are divine and can be adjusted to cater to so many different flavors and are ever so colorful. Perfect with coffee at the end of a meal. Very flamboyant, but sometimes, why not.
6. Vanilla Souffle
Recipe via eugeniekitchen.com
Souffle is a baked egg-based dish originating from France in the early 18th century. Can both be served as a savory dish or in this case and in this recipe, dessert. And a dessert that for most chefs still required their fullest attention. It is ever so simple yet, the souffle doesn’t wait for us, we wait for the souffle. Meaning the secret behind it is that, as soon as it comes out of the oven, serve! If you see your souffle rising to the heavens while in the oven means you’ve hit the jackpot.
7. Poire Belle Helene
Recipe via thespruceeats.com
A classic Parisian dessert made by young chef Auguste Escoffier, that fell in love with the beautiful soprano voice at the Theatre des Varieties on Boulevard de Montmartre in 1864 on December 17. A perfect love story behind music and dessert. Essentially poached pear and french chocolate, this will be an easy love story to achieve within your kitchen walls.
8. Raspberry Mille-Feuille
Recipe via paprikapaprika.blogspot.com
Millefeuille or literally translating to a thousand leaves is something of a commodity in France. If you visit the local bakeries there, in every single shop you will find this wonderful mouth watering delight. Made with fresh berries traditionally and filled with a light whipped cream. You can try to make your own puff pastry but buying it straight from the shelve is perfect. One requires very cheffy skills to achieve puff pastry! You’ll love the delicate mouthfeel with all the crumbs falling off! It’s well worth the mess.
9. Croissant
Recipe via saveur.com
The king of breakfast! Nothing better than a fresh-baked croissant in the morning. You can definitely try this Austrian, crescent viennoiserie at home. Austrian? Yes. But the French took over it and twisted the recipe to puff pastry circa 1837. So it’s French. Voila. Delicious with your morning coffee or a lovely hot chocolate. Can be made savory too with the likes of smoked salmon or scrambled eggs.
10. Creme Caramel
Recipe via deliaonline.com
Is it French creme caramel, English burnt cream, or Spanish crema Catalonia? Similar to creme brulee but with a soft, caramel syrup (using golden caster sugar) rather than burnt crystalized sugar and with a more gelatinous, flan-like texture. Single cream works best and served with fruits in season. Great for kids and adults alike.
