Delectable French Desserts

Basque cake is a classic cake that consists of two layers of shortcrust pastry. The filling can be black cherry preserve or vanilla-flavored pastry cream. If prepared with black cherries, the top is decorated with the Basque cross, while the version with pastry cream has a crosshatch pattern. Other flavorings for the cake can include lemon zest, rum, or almond extract.

Beignets are squares of deep-fried pastry dough sprinkled with powdered sugar and are traditionally served hot.

Brasillé is a traditional pastry made with flaky, buttery puff pastry, lightly salted butter, sugar, and eggs. The puff pastry is rolled out and buttered, then shaped into its characteristic oval shape before it is brushed with beaten eggs, sprinkled with sugar, and baked until puffed and golden on top.

Charlotte Russe is a cake that originated in the 18th century in France. It is sponge cake pressed into an elegant mold, filled with thick custard or crème bavaroise flavored with cooked fruit, spices, or brandy. Ladyfingers are pressed around the outside of the cake.

Chocolate soufflé is a delicate dessert and takes time to make. It is a combination of dark chocolate with a creamy egg yolk base and fluffy egg whites. The mixture is poured into small ramekins and baked so it stays soft and creamy in the center and has a crunchy top.

Crème brûlée is a traditional egg custard dessert. It is prepared with egg yolks, cream, sugar, and vanilla and has a hard, burnt, toffee crust. The mixture is cooked and transferred to ramekins, poached in a bain-marie (double boiler), and well chilled so it sets. After it is topped with brown sugar that is caramelized under a broiler or with a blowtorch.

Crêpes Normande is prepared with crêpes filled with fresh, tart apples browned in butter, sugar, and cinnamon. The crepe mixture is made with flour, milk, eggs, sugar, and a pinch of salt. The crepes must be thin.

Dacquoise is a cake that is traditionally made with hazelnut or almond meringue sponge cake separated by layers of whipped cream or buttercream. The name of the cake derives from the French word "dacquoise," meaning "from Dax." This refers to a town in southwestern France.

Eclairs are elongated pastries with a doughy interior, a sweet creamy center and a chocolate glaze. These pastries originated in France at the turn of the century.

Gateau opera is a pastry that combines coffee-flavored buttercream, chocolate ganache, and layers of biscuit Joconde, a light almond sponge infused with coffee syrup or Grand Marnier liqueur. Each cake is topped with a thin layer of chocolate ganache and decorated with a musical symbol.

Macarons are small, round, sweet meringue-based cookie sandwiches with filling in the middle. They are crunchy on the outside and chewy in the middle. Macarons, which first appeared in Italy in 1533 (albeit without the filling), got their name from the Italian word maccherone, which means fine dough. They have become the most popular cookie in Paris.

Mille-feuille is a creamy, flaky, and delicate dessert literally translated as "a thousand leaves." (pictured above) The dessert consists of thin layers of pastry and fillings topped with cocoa, almond, or vanilla icing. Fillings may include jam, whipped cream, custard, puréed fruit, or nut paste.

Paris-Brest is a pastry ring that is made with a ring of pate a choux, a puffy hollow pastry traditionally flavored with fleur de sel and topped with flaked almonds and baked golden brown. Once done, the pastry ring is sliced horizontally and filled with a rich hazelnut and almond mousseline praline cream. The top is dusted with powdered sugar.

Petit fours are tiny sweets, with their name referring to miniature bite-sized baked items with an elegant appearance. These come in a variety of flavors, forms, and decorations. There are the petit fours glaces, a glazed variety, and petit fours sec, which include dry varieties like meringues, cookies, and puff pastries.

Profiteroles are chocolate-covered puff pastries. They are filled with whipped cream, custard, pastry cream, or vanilla ice cream. The dessert dates back to the 13th century.