French dessert recipes

Crêpes and clafoutis, millefeuille and madeleines, and gâteaux, give us all the gâteaux. The world of French desserts is a sweet, sweet place indeed. We have the classics, 21st century spin-offs, and for the expert home cooks, Damien Pignolet’s guide to making croquembouche. Allons-y!

Paris-Brest with hazelnut praline cream

Paris-Brest with hazelnut praline cream

Ginger madeleines with spiced crème Anglaise

Ginger madeleines with spiced crème Anglaise

Fennel and orange sugared brioche

Fennel and orange sugared brioche

How to make (and say) kouign-amann

How to make (and say) kouign-amann

Chocolate soufflé

Chocolate soufflé

Merveilleux

Merveilleux

Crêpes Suzette

Crêpes Suzette

Flour and Stone’s salted caramel chocolate éclairs

Flour and Stone’s salted caramel chocolate éclairs

Mocha religieuses

Mocha religieuses

Chocolate liégeois

Chocolate liégeois

Prune and brandy clafoutis

Prune and brandy clafoutis

Beignets

Beignets

Macarons with white chocolate and raspberry ganache

Macarons with white chocolate and raspberry ganache

Savarins

Savarins

Cardamom and orange palmiers

Cardamom and orange palmiers

Crushed strawberry and pistachio éclairs

Crushed strawberry and pistachio éclairs

Guillaume Brahimi’s passionfruit soufflés with vanilla anglaise

Guillaume Brahimi’s passionfruit soufflés with vanilla anglaise

Boozy crème caramel with grapefruit tuiles

Boozy crème caramel with grapefruit tuiles

Tarte fine aux pommes

Tarte fine aux pommes

Blueberry-hazelnut clafoutis

Blueberry-hazelnut clafoutis

Canelés with spiced hot chocolate

Canelés with spiced hot chocolate

How to make crème caramel

How to make crème caramel

Rhubarb millefeuille

Rhubarb millefeuille

Five round glazed doughnuts with swirled ridges, on a grey rectangular plate, with a cup of tea in the top right corner. — Photo: William Meppem

French crullers

French crullers

Anise fougasse

Anise fougasse

Nadine Ingram’s saffron and sour-cherry brioche

Nadine Ingram’s saffron and sour-cherry brioche

Rum savarin with coconut cream and pineapple

Rum savarin with coconut cream and pineapple

Gâteau Opéra

Gâteau Opéra

Pistachio and strawberry vacherin

Pistachio and strawberry vacherin

How to make a fine apple tart

How to make a fine apple tart

Damien Pignolet’s guide to making gâteau Saint-Honoré

Damien Pignolet’s guide to making gâteau Saint-Honoré

Crème brûlées

Crème brûlées

Sugar tart

Sugar tart

Mandarin soufflé with white chocolate sauce

Mandarin soufflé with white chocolate sauce

Chocolate mousse

Chocolate mousse

Damien Pignolet’s guide to making croquembouche

Damien Pignolet’s guide to making croquembouche

Chocolate and almond millefeuille

Chocolate and almond millefeuille

The Gourmet Traveller Team

Gourmet Traveller is Australia’s trusted authority on food, travel and luxury lifestyle, bringing the latest news and trends to life through quality journalism, enticing recipes and evocative photography. For more than 55 years, it has been inspiring and informing Australians with the best in cooking, dining, travelling and shopping. Our critics bring the expertise of years of critical eating, drinking and writing to the table. Plus, as the country’s leading title in the luxury sector, Gourmet Traveller works closely with Australia’s leaders in the travel and hospitality industries to give our readers exclusive access. The Gourmet Traveller legacy is one of trust, prestige and relevance.