Fancy Yourself a Foodie? 5 Classic French Desserts to Master

I’m a lover of French style and culture in all its forms, from home decor to clothing, hair, make up and the French philosophy on life. As someone who has a passion for food, my admiration obviously extends to cooking à la Française, particularly desserts, pastries and confections.

Perhaps it is the way the French don’t shy away from the best quality ingredients, including full fat cream and butter. Maybe it is the use of fresh, local produce or the ritual of cooking and the unrushed appreciation of the finished product. Either way, French cuisine is my favourite and all the better if the recipe just happens to include mountains of spun sugar or a litre of cream!

Anyone who considers themselves a foodie, wannabe or pro, should have a trusty, foolproof recipe for the following French desserts in their repertoire. While not necessarily the quickest or least fiddly, these classic French desserts are well worth the extra time and effort.

Cherry Clafoutis: A creamy, custard based tart (similar to a crepe texture) filled with fresh cherries. Baked until puffed and golden, then dusted with icing sugar before serving, this is an easy recipe that anyone can whip up. https://www.belula.net/en/Blog/Post/CherryClafoutis
Tarte Tatin: In French, ‘tatin’ means upside down. The fruit is cooked in a pan or skillet, giving it a chance to caramelise in butter and sugar, before being covered with puff pastry. This is placed in the oven to bake and then flipped over to serve. Yum. https://www.monpetitfour.com/apple-tarte-tatin-2/
Creme brûlée: Rich egg and creamy vanilla custard is baked until just set, then sprinkled with a layer of sugar to be brûléed (burnt) with a kitchen torch. The crisp layer of burnt sugar lends itself to the most satisfying tap with a spoon when you break it! https://platedcravings.com/easy-creme-brulee-recipe/
Mille-feuille: Also known as a Napoleon, the mille feuille is made up of three layers of flaky puff pastry with vanilla pastry cream sandwiched between two layers. A glaze can be added to the top layer if you like. Cheat and speed up cooking time by using store-bought pastry, but if you can, rather make it yourself. https://www.gingybakes.com/mille-feuille
Soufflé: A little tower of delicately sweet vanilla puffiness. In fact, the word ‘soufflé’ means ‘to puff’. Light and fluffy, this dessert can be a bit tricky but extra care will be rewarded with an impressive result that will knock the socks off your guests! https://agirlintheworld.blog/classic-vanilla-souffle-the-secret-to-success/
Thanks for reading. Give these recipes a try and please share any tips and tricks you have for French food and baking!