Paris: Local Desserts & Pâtisserie

Two almond-meringue shells sandwiched with ganache or buttercream in many flavours and colours. The smooth-topped Parisian style is the one visitors know. Leading houses release seasonal collections. They keep best eaten within a day or two of buying.

A choux-pastry log filled with cream and topped with icing, classically chocolate or coffee. Modern pastry shops sell inventive flavours and finishes. The pastry should be light and the filling generous. It is a portable, everyday treat.

A ring of choux pastry filled with praline cream, created in 1910 to mark the Paris-Brest cycle race, its shape echoing a wheel. Toasted almonds and icing sugar finish the top. The praline filling is the heart of it. It is rich and best shared.

Layers of puff pastry stacked with vanilla cream, also called a Napoleon. The top is glazed or dusted with sugar. Eating it neatly is famously tricky. Good versions balance crisp pastry against soft cream.

An upside-down caramelised apple tart, baked with the fruit beneath the pastry then flipped to serve. It is served warm, often with cream. Legend credits its accidental invention to the Tatin sisters. Bistros serve it as a classic dessert.

A vanilla custard under a hard layer of caramelised sugar cracked with a spoon. It is a bistro dessert standard across the city. The contrast of cold cream and warm caramel is the appeal. Quality shows in a smooth, un-eggy custard.

A yeast cake soaked in rum syrup, often served with whipped cream. It has long ties to Paris tables, including the historic Stohrer bakery. Some versions let you pour extra rum at the table. It is sweet, boozy and generous.

Layers of almond sponge soaked in coffee syrup with chocolate ganache and coffee buttercream, finished with a glaze. It was created in Paris in the mid-20th century. The flat, glossy top and neat layers are its markers. It is intense and best in small slices.

Choux buns filled with ice cream or cream and served with warm chocolate sauce. It is a dessert-menu classic in bistros and brasseries. The warm sauce over cold filling defines it. Portions are usually three or more buns.

A thick set custard tart in a pastry base, a bakery staple sold by the slice. It is humble, cheap and widely loved by Parisians. Modern bakers have raised its profile with premium versions. It is best eaten the day it is made.

A small fluted cake from Bordeaux with a dark caramelised crust and soft, custardy centre flavoured with rum and vanilla. Bakeries across Paris sell them. The contrast of crust and centre is the point. They are best fresh and eaten within hours.