Looking for French desserts to serve at your next dinner party? Fancy creamy chocolate éclairs for a summer afternoon tea event? Try our dessert ideas including pear tarte tatin to serve with ice cream, crème brûlées and, of course, plenty of choux pastry and chocolate mousse recipes. After, check out our best French recipes.

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French dessert recipes

Peach melba

This classic French dessert can be prepped ahead of time, perfect for entertaining. You can also top with crushed meringue and whipped cream for an easy eton mess-style pudding.

A plate of peach melba on a table set with a white tablecloth

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.

A plate of pain au chocolats with a mug of tea behind

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.

A plate of pastel-coloured macarons on a white surface with a pink linen napkin

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.

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Two glass bowls with two madeleines and a dollop of cream next to a jug of syrup

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.

A whole tarte tatin on a white plate with one slice taken out of it

Chocolate soufflé

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

Four white ramekins filled with chocolate souffles, set on a wooden board

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.

plated filled with poached pear with a pot of custard and green linen napkin

Classic creme brûlée

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

Four ramekins filled with crème brûlée on a white plate with a blue background and three spoons

Chocolate éclairs

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

Chocolate Eclair Recipe

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.

Classic Mille Feuille Recipe

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.

Brioche loaf with a slice cut out topped with jam

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.

A salted caramel popcorn soufflé in a ramekin on a plate with a small pot of sauce

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.

Teurgoule Recipe (Traditional Rice Pudding)

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.

A small bowl of financiers against a grey background

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.

French crullers with two different glazes

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.

Four poached pears with pedro ximénez and chocolate sauce

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.

Peach Friands Recipe with Pistachio

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.

Profiterole tower with dark chocolate and hazelnut topping

Miso crème brûlée

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

Easy Crème Brûlée Recipe with White Miso Paste

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.

A lemon tart with lime zest on top

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.

Prune and Armagnac Soufflé Recipe

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.

Choux Pastry Cream Puff Recipe

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.

Brioche bread and butter pudding a round baking dish

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.

Tarte Au Chocolat Recipe

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.

Rose and Almond Choux Buns Recipe

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.

Banana Crêpe Recipe with Butterscotch

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.

Chocolate mousse in a glass serving jar with orange shortbread on the side

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.

Crème Caramel with Kahlúa

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.

Chocolate fondant with revealed melting centre, on a plate

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.

A plate of madeleines

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.

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Apple Granita Recipe with Calvados (Calvados and Apple Granite)

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.

Nutella Chocolate Macaroons Recipe

Authors

Janine Ratcliffe Portrait
Janine RatcliffeFood director

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