Top 5 French Desserts That You Need To Try

France is known for its wine and cheese but also for these delicious pastries and desserts. In the land of sugar, butter, and whipped cream, our cooks and pastry chefs agree to offer us ever more delicacies. Did you know that more than one in two French people love pastries? To be precise, about 55% of us associate baking with something comforting.

We can’t blame you; nothing is more delicious than ending a meal with a sweet treat. To give you some ideas, we offer you a selection of typical French desserts that you might also like. So, if you don’t know what to do in Paris, a visit to the local bakery can’t hurt. But the right question is: what are the must-try French desserts? Here are our top 5 to know… and eat!

1. Macaroons

For all the gourmands who have already been to France, and more particularly to Paris, you must know macaroons. A symbol of French pastry since the 2000s, Parisian macaroons are a must-have, much appreciated for their round shape made up of two shells and topped with a soft ganache of different flavors. Vanilla, chocolate, coffee, strawberry, there’s something for everyone!

2. Paris-Brest

Funny idea to give the name of two French cities for a pastry, isn’t it? Know then that the Paris-Brest was named in honor of the Paris-Brest-Paris cycling race, which took place between 1891 and 1951. Moreover, its round shape represents the wheel of a bicycle, even if today, it can also be found in the form of lightning. The Paris-Brest is made of choux pastry filled with a praline mousseline cream and sprinkled with slivered almonds. It has many variations depending on the region and the ingredients used to make it.

3. Mille-feuille

The mille-feuille, or millefeuille if you prefer, is an old pastry which dates from 1651 and was created by the Dijon cook François Pierre de La Varenne. The name mille-feuille refers to the high number of sheets of dough that make up each cake. The number of sheets can go up to 2048 according to the recipe of André Guillot, a Parisian chef. This dessert is made with three layers of puff pastry and two layers of pastry cream. The top is icing sugar or fondant, depending on the recipe.

4. Rum baba

Rum baba is a cake soaked with rum whose origin is attributed to the Poles. It would have been created for the King of Poland, Stanislas Leszczynski, then father-in-law of Louis XV. Rum baba is a dessert used during religious holidays, especially Christmas, for its festive side due to the use of alcohol. Rum baba is also a very popular dessert in Naples, where it can be eaten on its own or with vanilla ice cream.

5. Religieuse

That’s a very funny name for a pastry! The mystery still floats around this sweetness which looks a lot like an éclair (choux pastry, pastry cream, icing but with a little extra: buttercream) but has not had its success in recent years, which earned him to be confined to the classic versions: chocolate and coffee. And that’s good because it seems that the nun takes its name from its appearance, which recalls the dress of the nuns due to the color of the icing. What is beyond doubt is that we owe this sweetness to a Neapolitan ice cream parlor that owned the famous Parisian café Frascati at the end of the 19th century.

Looking for help?

In my book, there is no better place to start the weekend than a bakery. Want a taste of France in Toronto? Are you craving something sweet, or do you have a sweet tooth? Then look no further than Nord Lyon. They have a variety of French and Canadian pastries, and they have something for everyone out there.

The restaurant and bakery feature a wide range of handcrafted pastries, fresh bread baked daily on-site, and a vast selection of pizzas, pastas, and salads. They are one of the most famous French pastry shops and bakeries in Toronto, and we cannot help but recommend them. So, what are you waiting for? Give them a visit and satisfy all your french pastry cravings.