Aside from being well-known for fashion, France is also one of the leaders in the culinary industry. In fact, they had produced several entrees, champagne, wine, as well as the most decadent desserts in the world. They have also perfected the art of pastry to produce their notable sweet desserts for over decades. From sweet treats with icings and frostings to paper-thin desserts, every single one of them is deliciously mouthwatering. So, with that being said, have yourself a strong cup of coffee to partner with the sweet treats you’ll see in the list below!
1. French Macarons
French macarons, macaroons, or simply macarons are light-as-a-feather sweets with a meringue-like consistency. It is a colorful, small, and round cake made out of sugar, egg whites, as well as powdered almonds. Traditionally, this mouthwatering treat has been introduced in France by an Italian chef named Catherine de Medici during the 15th century. Following that, many years later, the macaroons have found their way in various pastry shops in Paris, as well as in different countries like Japan, United States, Switzerland, and many more.
2. Crème Brûlée
Also known as Burned Cream, Crème Brûlée is a dessert made of a custard base, topped with hardened caramelized sugar. Its custard base is usually made out of vanilla but can have other flavorings, too. Interestingly, the earliest Crème Brûlée recipe appeared in the 1691’s cookbook owned by François Massialot. This dessert had vanished from French cookbooks until the 1980s. Since then, it became extremely popular not only in Paris but also around the world.
3. Profiterole
Profiterole, also known as Cream Puff, is one of France’s choux pastry balls that is filled with a moist filling of ice cream or whipped cream. It can get a little sweeter since it is often decorated or garnished with caramel or chocolate sauce. Historically, this recipe originated from the Renaissance after Caterina de Medici, a chef and later queen, bought the recipe from her homeland. Since then, Profiteroles became famous in France.
4. Soufflé
A Soufflé is one of the many recipes that are popular in France. It is a baked-egg dish that is combined with several other ingredients. Aside from being known as a sweet dessert, the Soufflé can also be flavored both with cheese or vegetables. Its name that literally means “to blow” or “to puff” explains why this French pastry has a deliciously puffed look. The earliest mention of this recipe was in the early 18th century, which was as a tribute to a French master cook named Vicente La Chapelle.
5. Mousse
Mousse is soft food that has a light, fluffy and creamy texture. Also, much like the Soufflé, mousse can be savory or sweet. As for dessert, a mousse is made out of whipped cream and whipped egg whites. It can also be flavored with one or more flavorings like caramel, coffee, vanilla, or chocolate. Meanwhile, fish mousse with bread and butter is one of the popular meals in American cuisine.
6. Crepes
Crepe is a type of thin pancake. Like the other French cuisine, crepe can be sweet or savory. It is usually served with a variety of fillings. According to history, this recipe originated from Brittany, France. Afterward, it became widespread not only in France but also in several parts of Europe, North America, Brazil, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
7. Paris-Brest
Paris Brest is a round pastry that was created by Louis Durand in 1910. On the inside, this pastry was filled with a hazelnut praline paste. Its round shape represented a wheel and was created as a commemoration for an event called ‘Paris-Brest-Paris’ (PBP), which was initiated in 1891. Also, this recipe was made at the request of a French journalist named Pierre Giffard. Initially, this recipe became popular with the riders of PBP since it has an energizing high-calorie fit for the bicycle riders. Later on, the Paris-Brest pastry became notable all over France.