1. Baked Brie
Brie cheese originated in a region of France once known as — get this — Brie! Today, that part of the country is comprised of a few different regions, one being Île-de-France, where Paris is located. Now, Brie is one of the most popular of the fromages, having been brought to the U.S. in the 1930s (merci, Paris!), and us Americans just looove to throw sh*t on top, like in this recipe for garlic butter baked brie. Try it here!
2. Opera Cake
French opera cake was born out of one of the great Parisian patisseries, Dalloyau, the creation of pastry chefs Cyriaque Gavillon and Louis Clichy. It resembles a tiramisu, but feels way more indulgent — almond sponge cake is layered with coffee-soaked cake and coffee buttercream. Make it here!
3. Croissants
A croissant is, like, the most French thing you can think of, but it was an Austrian pastry first! An Austrian man named August Zang opened a Viennese bakery in Paris, and the locals fell in love with what was then called a kipferl. Eventually, the recipe spread to Parisian bakers and they began calling it whatever they wanted. Have you ever tried to make one from scratch? Try this recipe!
4. Macarons
The specific origins of macarons are a little hazy, and many a European country could claim them as their own. The French even have multiple stories for how the little cookies made their way to the streets of Paris. But this is for certain, and that's that Ladurée , as Paris's first tearoom and pastry shop, is the macaron kingpin and basically popularized the recipe. And they did it well. Make your own here!
5. Crêpes
To us, crêpes are a fancy breakfast food that requires specific cookware, reserved for brunch when you have time to kill. For Parisians, crêpes are on-the-go street food best enjoyed standing on a street corner. However you enjoy them, they're French as can be, though Paris can't quite claim them as their own — the story goes that a housewife in Brittany, in northern France, made it up. Replicate the crêpe here!
6. Paris-Brest
Named for a bike between Paris and the city of Brest, pastry chef Louis Durand came up with this wheel-shaped pastry in 1910. The recipe — cream puff dough filled with a praline mousseline — won't be a walk in the park to execute, but if you're willing to put in the time and effort, you'll be rewarded with an impressive dessert. Try it here!
7. Parisian flan
The difference between Parisian flan and "regular" flan? The French bake theirs in a tart — these guys looove their carbs. The result is a pie-like concoction that mixes crisp and gooey. Try it here!