35 French Desserts for a Finale Gourmande, From Crème Brûlée to Tarte Tatin Some of these recipes come together with surprising ease, others reward careful craftsmanship — and every one earns its place at the end of the meal. By Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann is an editor, baker, and confectioner with more than 15 years of experience in content creation, recipe development, and pastry production. She's obsessed with the fine details and ingredients that take dishes from tasty to outright otherworldly. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 24, 2026 Add Us On SAVE ALL RECIPES NEW! Save as a collection on MyRecipes Close Credit: Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle French desserts have an undeniable ooh la la. They’re admired around the world for good reason: Their beauty is matched only by the technique behind them and the remarkable balance of flavor and texture in every bite. Re-creating these sweets at home calls for a little finesse and top-quality ingredients — but the reward is every bit as impressive. Whether you’re tackling your first crème brûlée with a kitchen torch or perfecting a tarte Tatin, this collection is here to inspire and guide you to a memorable finale. Love these recipes? Join MyRecipes — your personal home for recipes — to easily save and organize your favorites, plus thousands more, in one convenient place. 01 of 35 Crème Brûlée Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless With its signature caramel crunch topping, classic crème brûlée is the richest of all custards. The moment the spoon cracks the top to expose the creamy custard is our favorite part of eating this decadent dessert. Get the Recipe Save 02 of 35 Mille-Feuille Food & Wine / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Chelesa Zimmer / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle Our take on the iconic stacked French dessert, also known as a Napoleon, is made easy with store-bought puff pastry — look for an all-butter version for classic flavor that’s amplified by the rich, vanilla-infused pastry cream. Get the Recipe Save 03 of 35 Tarte Tatin Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle French chef Benoît Guichard’s award-winning tarte Tatin features 5 pounds of apples that caramelize in the oven beneath an exquisitely buttery homemade crust. His essential recipe placed first in the pastry category at the Meilleur Ouvrier de France, showcasing the technique behind this beloved French dessert. Get the Recipe Save 04 of 35 French Lemon Tart Cara Cormack Fill a golden shortcrust pastry shell with warm lemon curd, which turns silky and sliceable as it chills. After a couple of hours in the fridge, it’s ready to serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream. Get the Recipe Save 05 of 35 Fraisier Cake Morgan Hunt Glaze / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling Show off seasonal strawberries with this elegant French cake. Our version is composed of two pillowy, amaretto-brushed genoise sponge layers, vanilla-flecked mousseline cream, and fresh ruby red berries. Get the Recipe Save 06 of 35 Pears Poached in Red Wine Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Cooking peeled pears in red wine makes for a simple but striking seasonal dessert. The soft, not-too-sweet fruit pairs beautifully with whipped cream and a syrupy sauce made by reducing the poaching liquid. Get the Recipe Save 07 of 35 Plum Galette Carson Downing / Food Styling by Annie Probst / Prop Styling by Addelyn Evans This gorgeous tart nestles peak plums inside a buttery, flaky crust that comes together easily in a food processor. Double down on the plum flavor by brushing plum preserves over the hot fruit filling. Get the Recipe Save 08 of 35 Crêpes Suzette Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Victoria Granof / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Jacques Pépin’s lacy crêpes are dipped in a buttery, orange-flavored sauce and piled into a skillet before they’re doused in Grand Marnier and Cognac, then flambéed. Get the Recipe Save 09 of 35 Hazelnut and Crème Fraîche Meringues with Lemon and Parmesan Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis François Perret fills double-decker meringues with tangy, gently sweetened crème fraîche, then drizzles a generous spoonful of hazelnut praline over the top. The unexpected garnishes of Parmesan cheese and lemon zest bring pleasant pops of umami brightness. Get the Recipe Save 10 of 35 Chocolate Crêpe Cake Food & Wine / Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Keoshia McGhee Called gâteau de crêpes or mille-crêpes, this impressive no-bake cake features the timeless combination of chocolate and hazelnuts. A jar of Nutella combines with cream and butter for the near-effortless frosting, while a shower of toasted nuts provides a crunchy finish. Use your choice of sliced almonds or coarsely chopped hazelnuts. Get the Recipe Save 11 of 35 Raspberry Clafoutis Kelsey Hansen / Food Styling by Annie Probst / Prop Styling by Sue Mitchell Clafoutis is a baked custard that’s bolstered with flour and studded with fruit, traditionally sweet cherries — it could be described as something in between flan and a pancake. Here, organic winemaker Alix de Montille swaps in raspberries. Get the Recipe Save 12 of 35 Gâteau au Champagne Food & Wine / Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Sophisticated in its simplicity, this French sponge cake is made with fruity olive oil, lemon zest, and dry sparkling wine, which imparts gentle acidity and a faint floral note. It’s delightful with whipped cream and fresh raspberries. Get the Recipe Save 13 of 35 Baba au Rhum Punch Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Ali Ramee 2021 F&W Best New Chef Paola Velez adds layers of dark rum and fresh fruit flavor to homemade brioche for her adult variation on the classic cake, using almost a cup of top-shelf dark rum between the cinnamon-spiked rum soak and the strawberry-peach rum punch coulis. Get the Recipe Save 14 of 35 Midsummer Fruit Tart Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Kelsey Moylan / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle With its tangy, creamy cheesecake filling and tender shortcrust, Julia Child’s classic tart is the perfect vehicle for showcasing whatever peak-season fruit you fancy. Get the Recipe Save 15 of 35 Crème Caramel Food & Wine / Photo by Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Charlie Worthington / Prop Styling by Natalie Ghazali Thomas Keller’s take on the bistro staple, similar to flan but enriched with extra egg yolks, matches silky vanilla custard with a pool of amber caramel. A touch of corn syrup ensures a smooth sauce. Get the Recipe Save 16 of 35 Tarte Tropézienne (Brioche Cake with Pastry Cream) Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Named by French starlet Brigitte Bardot for its Saint-Tropez origin, this delightfully rich Provençal cake is crowned with a layer of crunchy pearl sugar to set off the tender brioche. Seek out high-fat European-style butter to make it. Get the Recipe Save 17 of 35 Sour Cherry Tart with Almond Frangipane Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Melissa Gray-Streett / Prop Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas Tangy sour cherries and rich, nutty frangipane are a natural pair, especially in a tender pâte sucrée crust and strewn with sliced almonds. Serve the tart with whipped cream, crème fraîche, ice cream, or all on its own. Get the Recipe Save 18 of 35 Chocolate-Balsamic Pots de Crème Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless Aged balsamic vinegar brings out the fruity notes of bittersweet chocolate in these silky single-serving desserts, which are topped with whipped ricotta and amarena cherries. Get the Recipe Save 19 of 35 Honey Lavender Ice Cream Adam Friedlander / Food Styling by Pearl Jones Make a syrup from dried lavender and wildflower honey to gently perfume an egg-free ice cream base for a subtle and sophisticated frozen treat — it’s the gastronomical equivalent of a walk in the garden. Get the Recipe Save 20 of 35 Gâteau au Yaourt (Yogurt Cake) Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley F&W’s Lucy Simon mixes this homey French cake in a single bowl. Rich French-style yogurt gives it a moist, slightly dense crumb, delicately scented with orange zest and vanilla. Get the Recipe Save 21 of 35 Chocolate Almond Cake Food & Wine / Photo by Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Charlie Worthington / Prop Styling by Natalie Ghazali Sweet almond paste and unsweetened cocoa powder combine with a handful of pantry staples for a sophisticated yet simple dessert that takes less than an hour to make. We especially like it with a dollop of whipped cream. Get the Recipe Save 22 of 35 Galette des Rois (King Cake) Food & Wine / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle Our galette des rois layers flaky puff pastry around a rich frangipane made with almond flour, butter, and a touch of orange marmalade and rum for warmth. Traditionally served on Epiphany, it hides a fève inside, crowning whoever finds it “king” for the day. Get the Recipe Save 23 of 35 Floating Islands with Dark Chocolate Crème Anglaise and Toasted Pistachios Victor Protasio A pool of rich, deep chocolate custard sauce contrasts beautifully with light, airy meringue “islands” and crunchy pistachios for this sensual French dessert. Get the Recipe Save 24 of 35 Mango-Basil Vacherin © Kate Mathis Store-bought mango sorbet serves as the base of this gorgeous plated dessert from Top Chef: Just Desserts winner Yigit Pura. It’s topped with homemade basil ice cream, lime meringue kisses, lime whipped cream, and diced mango. Get the Recipe Save 25 of 35 Grand Marnier Soufflé Greg DuPree In 2018, Food & Wine named this recipe one of our 40 best of all time. Featured in the magazine’s premiere issue, this “towering, golden-roofed, steamily fragrant” soufflé gets its delicate orange flavor from Grand Marnier and grated orange zest that’s folded into its pastry cream base. Get the Recipe Save 26 of 35 Salted-Caramel Cream Puffs with Warm Chocolate Sauce © Christina Holmes Pastry chef David Lebovitz fills his irresistible cream puffs with sea salt–tinged caramel custard and tops them with lush chocolate sauce. Get the Recipe Save 27 of 35 Extra-Creamy Chocolate Mousse © Christina Holmes Sublimely creamy, airy, and silky, with just the right level of sweetness, this chocolate mousse recipe is spectacular. To make it, you’ll fold just-warm chocolate ganache into Italian meringue right before serving. Get the Recipe Save 28 of 35 Raspberry Macarons Michael Turek Pastry chef François Payard’s raspberry macarons combine almond flour, powdered sugar, and a glossy pink-tinted meringue. The cookies are sandwiched with seedless raspberry jam for a wonderfully bright, sweet-tart treat. Get the Recipe Save 29 of 35 Cherry and Chocolate Bûche de Noël © Michael Turek French pastry chef Dominique Ansel’s exquisite yule log dessert is lighter than many, thanks to the beaten egg whites in the batter and the use of whipped cream in place of buttercream for frosting. His inclusion of kirsch syrup and brandied cherries is a delicious nod to German Black Forest cake. Get the Recipe Save 30 of 35 Chocolate-Frosted Éclairs © Anna Williams Joanne Chang’s classic éclairs are filled with vanilla-infused pastry cream that’s been lightened with whipped cream before they’re topped with a slick of bittersweet chocolate glaze. Get the Recipe Save 31 of 35 Orange-Anise Croquembouche with White Chocolate Christopher Testani Perfect for a holiday or grande fête, this magnificent tower of spiced orange cream puffs is secured with white chocolate, brushed with gold luster dust, and garnished with candied orange peel and whole star anise for a showstopping presentation. Get the Recipe Save 32 of 35 Triple-Layer Chocolate Macaroon Cake © Anna Williams You’ll only need six ingredients plus decorative chocolate curls to make this elegant dessert from French chef François Payard, which envelops chewy coconut cake layers in silky chocolate ganache. Get the Recipe Save 33 of 35 Jacques Pépin’s Favorite Pound Cake © Edward Pond Jacques Pépin’s version of the fundamental loaf cake comes fairly close to the original made with equal parts flour, sugar, eggs, and butter; he moistens the batter with a bit of milk and includes vanilla and salt for extra flavor. Get the Recipe Save 34 of 35 Alsatian Rhubarb Tart © David Prince Jean-Georges Vongerichten brings together flaky pâte brisée, silky custard, pillowy meringue, and tart, tender rhubarb for a dessert that hits all the right notes. Be sure to allow time for your sweetened rhubarb to drain overnight so the crust stays crisp. Get the Recipe Save 35 of 35 Chocolate Tartlets with Candied Grapefruit Peel © Chez Jacques (Stewart, Tabori Chan) Candied grapefruit peel adds a tangy, balancing bitterness to Jacques Pépin’s dark chocolate–filled pastry dusted with powdered sugar. Get the Recipe Save Explore more: Food World Cuisines European Cuisines French Cuisine Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit