Paris is sweet on the eye, sweet on the romance and sweet on the palette.
It is a sugar lovers' dream, and the only problem you'll have when it comes to the delectable French desserts is which one to choose. To help you navigate that yummy last course, we've broken down the top 10 must-try desserts for your visit to France. And if you have to eat more than one a day to get through them? Well, c'est la vie!
1. The Tartes Aux Fruits
The tartes aux fruits are prepared with fresh fruit inside a buttery pastry. The fruit sits atop a heavenly Chantilly cream. You can enjoy these tartes in both miniature and pie sizes.
2. The Éclair
The éclair is a popular dessert in Paris. The long French choux pastry can be filled with either a rich custard or pastry cream and topped with a sweet fondant. By definition, the term éclair means lightning in French. Go figure!
3. The Paris Brest
This pastry was created to celebrate the Paris to Brest bicycle ride in 1891. Naturally, it's circular and contains praline flavored crème and choux pastry.
4. Macaron
Cupcakes have been the dessert trend for the past few years but finally, for the sake of our waist line, macarons are now the new trend. Macarons are dainty cream-filled sandwich cookies. There are so many flavors to choose from. The base ingredients include meringue and almonds. Although not necessarily “healthy” they are certainly lighter and contain fewer calories than cupcakes. One macaron has from 70-100 calories, while one cupcake has close to 400 calories. One and done!
*Be sure to not confuse it with coconut macaroons, in which the English added the -oon to the word in the 16th century. Macarons are not to be confused with their similar-name-sister-cookie, macaroons (in which the English added the -oon to the word in the 16th century), which are coconut clusters with a crisp exterior and chewy texture. Give yourself a sumptuous treat in Paris! Be sure to try macarons from Ladurée.
5. The Tarte Au Citron
Tarte Au Citron, also known as the lemon tart, are also very popular. Donning a pastry crust and delicious lemon filling. The filling, however, is not made with fruit. The cream is a mixture containing lemon juice, lemon zest, and of course, eggs and sugar.
6. The Mille Feuille
This fluffy treat comes in a vanilla or custard slice and consists of several layers of puff pastry. Between the puff pastry lies an additional two layers of pastry crème. Another name for the Mille Feuille is Napoleon.
7. The Tarte Tatin
Named after the hotel that serves the dessert (Hotel Tatin), the tarte Tatin is a unique upside-down pastry. Its ingredients include caramelized fruit prepared with sugar and butter. It pairs famously with a bit of tart crème Fraiche.
8. The Choux à La Crème
These cream puffs are created using puff pastry as well. They swell while cooking and are hollow. The oozing center can be either whipped cream or custard. Interestingly enough, once you add chocolate as your topping, it then becomes a profiterole. There are various toppings you can add to this pastry, from ice cream to fruit and even spun caramel.
9. French Toast
The origins of french toast are not entirely clear, but long before this sweet snack was called “french toast," similar recipes were being whipped up all around the world. One of the earliest versions of french toast has been traced back to the Roman Empire. The name “french toast" was first used in 17th-century England. The recipe and name were brought to America by early settlers. In France, the dish is called “pain perdu," meaning “lost bread." Why lost bread? Originally, people made French toast from stale bread in order to make use of bread that would otherwise have been thrown away.
10. The Petits Four
Translated, petit four means small oven, and are also known as mignardises. The fours are little bite-sized pastries that can also be savory if you choose. The sweet option includes a sugary glaze atop a crispy biscuit. These pastries are perfect for tea parties.
Want to try some of these sweet treats for yourself in Paris? Let’s start planning your trip now! Contact Jeanine.
Want to add on another destination to your Paris trip? Check out these sample itineraries and make your European adventure even GREATER!
London, Paris, Amsterdam
Paris and Rome