Desserts are a very important part of any cuisine, and French is no exception. Ranging from rich and chocolaty to light and fruity, French cuisine offers a variety of desserts to choose from. However, there are a few desserts that are quintessentially French. Those with a sweet tooth or those who are fond of French cuisine must definitely try these French desserts.
10 Desserts You Must Try In France
1. Crème brûlée
This is basically a custard dish with a twist. It consists of a rich custard base. It is traditionally vanilla in flavour, although a variety of flavours can be used. The top layer has hard caramelized sugar. The contrasting texture of the two layers offers a very interesting experience.
2. Poires Belle Hélène (Pears Belle Helene)
This dessert has been around since the mid-nineteenth century. It is made by poaching pears in sugar syrup and served with vanilla ice cream and hot chocolate sauce. The hot pears and the cold ice cream go together very well.
3. Crêpes
These are a type of thin pancakes. They are usually made with wheat flour and are sweetened by adding powdered sugar, caramel, chocolate, maple syrup, etc. Crêpes Suzette is made by using a sauce consisting of tangerine or orange juice, zest and a variety of other ingredients. These are very popular in France.
4. Éclair
This is a type of pastry. It is oblong in shape and is made with the help of choux dough. Inside, a flavored cream filling is present and the topping is usually done with chocolate. It can also be filled with custard. There are several interesting variations of this dessert.
5. Tarte Tatin
Created by Hotel Tatin, this is an upside-down pastry dish. It is made by caramelizing apples in sugar and butter. After this, the tart is baked. Although apples are originally used in this dessert, fruits such as peaches, pears, and pineapple can also be used.
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6. Macaron
Also known as French macaroon, this meringue-based dessert is of French as well as Italian origin. It consists of a light and creamy filling sandwiched between two cookies. It is soft and easily melts in the mouth. This dessert comes in a wide variety of flavours.
7. Cherry Clafoutis (Clafouti aux Cerises)
This is a traditional baked French dessert. It is made by arranging black cherries in a buttered dish and then covering them with a thick batter. It is then baked and dusted with powdered sugar. In the original version of this dish, the pits of the cherries are intact. Instead of black cherries, red cherries, plums, prunes, cranberries or blackberries can also be used.
8. Mousse
This is a rich and soft dessert, which has a light and airy texture due to the presence of air bubbles. Although mousse is usually fluffy, it can also be thick and creamy. It comes in a variety of flavours such as chocolate, vanilla, coffee or caramel. Mousse may contain various fruits for providing flavour as well.
9. Soufflé
This baked dessert consists of a base and beaten egg whites. The base provides flavour, which comes from fruits, chocolate or berries. The eggs provide a fluffiness to this dish. After baking, the dessert becomes puffy, which lasts for a few minutes. A dessert sauce can be added to it, or it can be served with ice cream.
10. Opera Cake
This special type of cake consists of layers of almond sponge cake soaked in coffee syrup, coated with coffee buttercream and covered by chocolate. It is rich and moist, and the chocolate and coffee flavours create a delicious combination.
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