French Snacks

Pastry genius Dominique Ansel improves on the ethereal cream puff with a crunchy coating of chocolaty panko and a salted caramel filling. When it's fried, it looks like a golden falafel.

High-fat, European-style butter is the key to these high-rising and delicious croissants.

Crepes make for the perfect vehicle for the season's juicy, luscious strawberries. In this dish, slightly stewed strawberries and creamy mascarpone add just the right amount of decadence and sugar to be sweet without being overbearing or heavy? It makes for a perfect go-to brunch recipe.

It is essential to prebake pie crusts before filling them with custards to prevent them from becoming soggy.

These crepes make a great vegetarian meal when served with a lightly dressed green salad.

Zoe Nathan likes using brioche to give this French toast a lovely, custard-like texture. The tart, creamy cranberry sauce, made with fresh or frozen cranberries, is a great alternative to maple syrup.

These are among the simplest macarons, made with only sugar, almond flour, egg whites and red food coloring–and a filling of raspberry jam.

Thomas Keller's salmon cornets (tuiles shaped into tiny cones and topped with creme fraiche and fresh salmon) are a famous kickoff to his luxe and whimsical meals. The original recipe appears in The French Laundry Cookbook (Artisan).

Cookbook author Yotam Ottolenghi invented these delicate crepes to celebrate Shrove Tuesday, the day before Lent, which is also called Pancake Tuesday in England. Their floral, aromatic sweetness comes from rosewater and honey, two Middle Eastern ingredients that Otttolenghi grew up with.

Jacques Pepin on a French classic: "Pates de fruits, or fruit jellies, are very popular around the holidays--and usually expensive."

The French macaron is a simple cookie made with almonds, sugar and egg whites. The recipe here includes green tea powder (matcha), which gives it a delightful flavor.