32 French dessert recipes

Pain au chocolat

Follow our tips and tricks to make a classic pain au chocolat – a buttery, rich, crisp French pastry that's best served with a mug of tea or coffee.

Macarons

Turn your hand to these charming French macarons for your next baking project – they may take a couple of attempts to perfect but the delicious results are well worth it.

Effortless madeleine 'baba'

Cut corners with this cheat on a rum baba – it’s simple to make, and you can use whichever rum you like.

Pear tarte tatin

This classic tarte tatin combined with ripe British pears is easy to make but impressive enough to serve to guests, ideal for a French-style dinner dessert.

Chocolate soufflé

A classic dinner party dessert which serves up to four – check out these light, fluffy and chocolaty soufflés.

Calvados-poached pears with cardamom custard and sesame brittle

Brush up on your dessert-making skills with this stylish calvados-poached pear pudding, served with sweet-savoury sesame brittle and lashings of silky cardamom-infused custard.

Classic creme brûlée

This classic French dessert will always go down a treat – learn how to master it with our ultimate recipe.

Chocolate éclairs

Master your choux pastry skills with these light and airy chocolate éclairs, a classic French dessert.

Millefeuille of summer fruit with calvados cream

French patisserie at its finest, try this classic millefeuille with delicate layers of puff pastry, fresh summer berries and sweet calvados cream for a special teatime dessert.

Brioche

Master sweet, fluffy brioche with our foolproof recipe. If you happen to have leftovers, it can be transformed into our brioche bread and butter pudding.

Salted caramel popcorn soufflés

Soufflés get a sweet, salty makeover in this recipe from Miro in Mayfair. Plus, the satisfying crunch from the popcorn takes it to another level.

Normandy teurgoule

Normandy teurgoule is a slow-cooked rice pudding dish with soft, creamy and spiced results. It makes a warming dessert that is particularly nice with stewed apples on the side.

Black treacle financiers

These delicate black treacle financiers are served at the close of the set menu at The Water House Project, an ethically focused fine-dining restaurant in east London.

French crullers

Make Edd Kimber’s crullers, a classic French dessert, for glazed donuts which are crispy on the outside and light on the inside.

Poached pears with pedro ximénez and chocolate sauce

Make the most of pears in this fancy French-style dessert, paired with smooth dark chocolate sauce and pedro ximénez sherry. And it only takes 25 minutes to make.

Peach, pistachio and ricotta friands

These mini French-style muffins filled with fruit, ground almonds and ricotta would look great as part of a summery dinner spread.

Croquembouche profiterole tower

The ultimate dessert to serve at any dinner party, create this showstopping chocolate and hazelnut profiterole stack with a creamy Nutella filling and crunchy hazelnut brittle, and watch the crowds gather.

Miso crème brûlée

Recreate this easy miso crème brûlée, a classic French dessert with a twist, from Islington’s Four Legs.

Lemon and lime tart

The perfect make-ahead French pud and similar to a classic tarte au citron – recreate Edd Kimber's epic lemon and lime tart with a coconut macaroon case and fill with a citrussy curd.

Prune and armagnac soufflé

Soufflé, a classic French dessert, is levelled up thanks to rich prunes and a boozy armagnac custard, perfect for a dessert designed to impress.

Caramel choux puffs

A couple of techniques are involved in making these French pastry puffs, but they make a seriously impressive dessert at your next dinner party. The empty, cooked choux buns can also be frozen for a few months.

Brioche bread and butter pudding

Rich brioche makes the perfect base for this classic pudding. Swap the lemon zest for orange zest if you prefer.

Tarte au chocolat

This classic French-style chocolate tart is a guaranteed winner on any dinner party menu thanks to its rich, creamy chocolate filling and sweet buttery crust.

Rose and almond choux buns

Take your choux pastry skills up a notch with these bite-sized rosewater choux buns, a pretty French dessert that makes for a sophisticated end to a dinner party.

Butterscotch banana crêpes

The only thing better than a classic French crêpe is a butterscotch crêpe with a boozy banana sauce. Not only are they great for a decadent Shrove Tuesday pancake, but make a fun sweet treat to serve at gatherings with friends and family.

Classic chocolate mousse

If you’re looking for a classic French dessert which can be prepped ahead, you must make this simple dark chocolate mousse. Take it to the next level and serve with zesty orange shortbreads.

Kahlúa crème caramel

A classic French dessert which is as light as it is indulgent, try these easy crème caramels with coffee liqueur to seriously impress at your next dinner party with friends.

Chocolate fondant

A go-to dinner party dessert for a reason, try these gooey, melt-in-the-middle fondants for a chocolaty sweet treat that’s guaranteed to please.

Honey madeleines

The addition of honey adds a subtle and delicate sweetness to French madeleines, perfect for a light sweet treat to round off your meal.

Calvados and apple granité

The perfect post-dinner pick-me-up after a heavy French meal, make this calvados and apple granité for a light, surprisingly punchy dessert.

Nutella macarons

French macarons are taken up a chocolaty notch with the addition of Nutella. Serve them as part of a dinner party spread and watch them disappear in seconds.