Éclairs à la ladurée – irresistibly delicious pastries
French
French cuisine can be playful or celebratory — from honest bistro classics to desserts worth the little bit of fiddling. Quiche, ratatouille, boeuf bourguignon, flaky croissants, and crème brûlée. Find weeknight recipes and dishes for when you want to impress, all doable at home.
Light and airy génoise sponge cake
Spring lyonnaise salad
Brioche buns
Croque monsieur: baked ham and cheese toast
Almost effortless french onion soup
Tarte au citron – french lemon tart
Autumn tip: wonderful lamb rillettes
Montélimar nougat – homemade white nougat with honey and nuts
Madeleines – fragrant french sweet treats
Croque madame: baked ham, cheese and egg toast
Kir – my favorite french cocktail
Pain au lait – french milk buns
Easy & quick hollandaise sauce
Quiche pastry – savoury french tart
Strawberry puffs
French sweet treat: crêpes suzette
Coq au vin (rooster in red wine)
Salted caramel macarons
Strawberry tart with white chocolate and almonds
Frequently asked questions
What dishes are typical of French cuisine?
Classics include quiche, ratatouille, boeuf bourguignon, coq au vin, and onion soup. For sweets there's crème brûlée, croissants, macarons, and tarte tatin. The French love butter, cream, herbs, and wine in their sauces.
Is French cooking difficult?
It doesn't have to be. Plenty of bistro dishes — an omelette, salade niçoise, quiche — are simple. Only some desserts and braises take more effort, and even those the recipe walks you through step by step.
What should I cook for a romantic dinner?
Go for boeuf bourguignon or salmon in herb butter, finished with a crème brûlée. Elegant but no rocket science — and it looks stunning.
What wine should I use for sauces and braises?
A dry wine you'd happily drink from a glass — it doesn't need to be expensive, just decent. Reach for a fuller red for boeuf bourguignon or coq au vin, and a crisp white for fish and cream sauces.
Which French dessert can a beginner pull off?
Clafoutis — you pour a batter much like pancake batter over cherries and the oven does the rest. Crème brûlée is within reach too; give it a water bath and don't rush the caramel top.