Half the fun of travel is enjoying the local food, right? To me, nothing says great food quite like France. Oh, the fabulous fragrances we experienced as we strolled through the streets of Paris. I'm not referring to Chanel No. 5- I’m talking about the knock-you-over, make your mouth water, delicious fragrances wafting out of a boulangerie that has just baked their morning chocolate croissants and baguettes! And don’t even get me started on the sweet treats.
If you, like me, love French desserts, here is our quick guide to our top ten sweet treats you need to try when visiting Paris. And if you have to eat more than one a day in order to try them all during your visit to Paris, well, c'est la vie!
10 Sweet Treats to Eat While Visiting Paris
The Tartes Aux Fruits
The tartes aux fruits are prepared with fresh fruit inside a buttery pastry. The fruit sits atop a heavenly Chantilly cream. You can enjoy these tartes in both miniature and pie sizes.
The Éclair
The éclair is a popular dessert in Paris. The long French choux pastry can be filled with either a rich custard or pastry cream and topped with a sweet fondant. By definition, the term éclair means lightning in French. Go figure!
The Paris Brest
This pastry was created to celebrate the ‘Paris to Brest’ bicycle ride in 1891. Naturally, it's circular and contains praline flavored crème and choux pastry.
Macaron
Macarons are undeniably delectable. There are so many flavors to choose from. The base ingredients include meringue and almonds. Be sure to not confuse it with coconut macaroons, in which the English added the -oon to the word in the 16th century.
The Tarte Au Citron
Tarte Au Citron, also known as the lemon tart, are also very popular. Donning a pastry crust and delicious lemon filling. The filling, however, is not made with fruit. The cream is a mixture containing lemon juice, lemon zest, and of course, eggs and sugar.
The Mille-Feuille
This fluffy treat comes in a vanilla or custard slice and consists of several layers of puff pastry. Between the puff pastry lies an additional two layers of pastry crème. Another name for the mille-feuille is Napoleon.
The Tarte Tatin
Named after the hotel that serves the dessert (Hotel Tatin), the tarte Tatin is a unique upside-down pastry. Its ingredients include caramelized fruit prepared with sugar and butter. It pairs famously with a bit of tart crème Fraiche.
The Choux à La Crème
These cream puffs are created using puff pastry as well. They swell while cooking and are hollow. The oozing center can be either whipped cream or custard. Interestingly enough, once you add chocolate as your topping, it then becomes a profiterole. There are various toppings you can add to this pastry, from ice cream to fruit and even spun caramel.
Croissant
This buttery, flaky wonder is a signature French pastry. There are so many ways to top it; you can use fruit, chocolate, fondant, or a compote of your choosing. You will not be disappointed.
The Petits Four
Translated, petit four means small oven, and are also known as mignardises. The fours are little bite-sized pastries that can also be savory if you choose. The sweet option includes a sugary glaze atop a crispy biscuit. These pastries are perfect for tea parties.
Remember, calories don’t count when you are on vacation, right?
Wow, thinking about all of these delicious treats has made me really hungry.
Until our next great adventure....