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27 mouthwatering desserts to try in France

Amy Daire  Feb. 15, 2017, 5:26 PM  343,452

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France has always been a leader in the culinary industry. They're known for their breads, cheeses,
and haute cuisine, and have done more for the world of food than you can imagine.
They perfected many difficult entrees, created several types of wine and Champagne, and, most
importantly, invented some of the best and most decadent desserts in the world.
From colorful macarons to light-as-air puff pastries to paper thin pancakes, here are the 27 best
desserts to try while you're there.
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1. Crème brûlée
Flickr / Keith McDuffee

This custard based dessert is topped with a layer of crunchy caramel. The dessert is popular all
over the world, but it originated in France, making it a must-try for anyone who's traveling
through.

2. Profiteroles
Flickr / Ralph Daily

Profiteroles are balls of flakey pastry typically filled with a sweet whipped cream, custard, or ice
cream. They are served in restaurants drenched in chocolate ganache, but if you find them in
bakeries they are likely to be sans chocolate.

3. Soufflé
Shutterstock / Julie208

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Soufflés can be served as a savory meal or a dessert, depending on what ingredients you use.
They're usually served in individual ramekins, but after you puncture the fluffy top the decadent
dessert variations can be split and shared.

4. Macarons
Pixabay

This popular dessert has jam, butter cream, or ganache sandwiched between two meringue-
based cookies. It was created in France, and although many French bakeries like Ladurée have
expanded to other countries, nothing will beat trying the melt-in-you-mouth pastry in its
homeland.

5. Pain au chocolat
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Eat it for breakfast, eat it for dessert, eat it as an afternoon snack: this chocolate filled croissant is
a tasty treat no matter the time of day.

6. Tarte Tatin
Flickr/Salvatore D'Alia

Tarte Tatin is an upside down fruit pastry that's traditionally made with caramelized apples and
puff pastry. It was made famous by the Hotel Tatin, but similar slices are served throughout the
country.

22. Mille-feuille
Flickr/francois schnell

A mille-feuille (meaning thousand-leaf in French) is a layered puff pastry filled with pastry
cream. Typically, it consists of dozens of thin layers of pastry, hence the name.

7. Crêpe
Yelp / Hope C

Like soufflé, crêpes can be served savory or sweet. If you opt to eat one for dessert expect fillings

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such as Nutella, sugar and butter, or fruits.

8. Madeleines
Shutterstock/vm2002

Madeleines are small sponge cakes that are sometimes flavored with lemon zest. The shell-
shaped treats are either eaten plain, or covered in jam or coconut flakes. They've become a staple
in literature.

9. Éclair au chocolat
Flickr/phalenebdlv

These oblong choux dough pastries (choux pastries being the crispiest and airiest pastries) are
best when filled with a chocolate custard filling and topped with a thick chocolate icing. They're
10 times better than the doughnut variations that have become popular in the US, and are served
all over France.

10. L'escargot chocolat pistache

Instagram/rebeccaz_hk

If you aren't brave enough to try the traditional French escargot, try a L'escargot chocolat
pistache pastry. The snail-shaped desserts don't actually have snails in them, but they do contain
a melted mix of chocolate and pistachios.

11. Paris-Brest
Flickr/mari

Originally created to commemorate the Paris-Brest-Paris cycling race in 1910, the praline flavored
cream sitting between two pieces of choux pastry has stuck around ever since.

12. Chocolat
Yves Herman/Reuters

Many would say that the art of chocolate was perfected in France, so find a local chocolatier and
see for yourself whether that is true.
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13. Petit fours
Wikimedia Commons

Petit fours are small confections that are often bought or served in an assortment. These bite-
sized pastries are perfect for sampling.

14. Clafoutis
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Clafoutis is a flan-like dessert cake that is usually made with black cherries. It's from the
Limousin region so if you're ever in that neighborhood, give it a try.

15. Kouign-amann
Yelp / Crystal L

Famous in Brittany, the Kouign-amann is a sweet, crispy cake made of bread dough, sugar, and
lots of butter. These puffy concoctions taste like caramelized croissants and shouldn't be missed.

16. French lemon tart

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The French lemon tart, also known as the tarte au citron, is a tangy, creamy pastry that you'll
find all over France.

17. Canelés
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These petite pastries are flavored with vanilla and rum, and have a soft custard center and a
caramelized crust. They're a specialty in the Bordeaux region, but you can spot them in bakeries
and pâtisseries around the country.

18. Bugnes Lyonnaises

Shutterstock/Juan Salmoral Franco

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Often called angel wings, Bugnes Lyonnaises, are traditionally eaten in the days before Lent, but
can be found throughout the year. Much like beignets or funnel cake, it consists of deep fried
strips of dough covered in powdered sugar.

19. Ispahan
Shutterstock/Kelsey Hayne

Some might think that Ispahans are just fancy macarons, but they're actually much, much
more. The pastries, which are bigger than traditional macarons, are made with the refreshing
flavors of raspberries, roses, and lychees, and often feature fresh fruit.

20. Kouglof
Wikimedia Commons

This bundt cake isn't exactly native to France, but you'll eat some of the best ones there. The light
cake is sometimes marbled with chocolat, but almost always features raisins, almonds, and
Kirschwasser cherry brandy.

21. Mont Blanc

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The Mont Blanc is a towering mountain (hence the name) of puréed, sweetened chestnuts that is
usually topped with whipped cream or powdered sugar.

24. Crème caramel

Flickr/bloggyboulga

With its soft custard base and layer of caramel, this dessert is similar to a crème brûlée. This
custard dish, however, has a soft caramel top rather than the crunchy, caramelized kind seen on
the crème brûlée.

25. Mousse au chocolat

Flickr/Marco Verch

It may look dense, but a French mousse is airy and very light thanks to the whipping techniques

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 French pastry chefs use. This dessert will satisfy without being too heavy.

26. Meringues
Flickr/Ruth Hartnup

These delicate, lightweight desserts are made of only whipped egg whites and sugar, and are
often flavored with almond, vanilla, or lemon. For a traditional meringue, find a shop that makes
them with large spoons and not a piping bag.

27. Flottante
Wikimedia Commons

ThisSearch
dessert features a bit of meringue floating on top of a pool of crème anglaise, a milky
custard. Some places will serve a version that has layers of alcohol-soaked biscuits and jam.

23. Mendiants
Flickr/Steven Depolo FOOD
These dainty chocolate disks are traditionally topped with a dried fig, a hazelnut, a raisin, and an
almond. You can also find them topped with pistachios, other dried fruit and peels, and seeds.
TRAVEL
SEE ALSO: The best thing to eat in 28 European countries »
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