Healthy French Dessert Recipes

An amazing creation, our creamless Crème Brulée is every bit as delectable as its full-fat counterpart.

This basic recipe makes a tasty wrap for any type of filling. In this method, we fold the crepe into a square leaving a little “window” in the middle to show off what's inside, but you can simply roll the crepe over a filling or fold it in half. Try lightly sweetened ricotta and a drizzle of apricot jam inside or, for a savory crepe, fill the crepes with sautéed spinach, mushrooms and garlic.

The secret to this free-form tart is the layer of ground almonds under the berries: it thickens the juices, prevents a soggy crust and delivers an exquisite background flavor for the intense berries.

Originally from the Limousin region of France, clafouti is sort of a cross between a flan and a fruit-filled pancake. This one embraces apricots instead of the traditional cherries, but any fruit can be used, including apples, pears, peaches and plums. It will puff up dramatically during baking, then collapse; let it cool slightly before serving so you can truly enjoy the flavors. Leftovers make a delicious breakfast treat.

These airy coconut cookies get an upgrade with a simple dark chocolate drizzle in this healthy dessert recipe.

Roasted plums and creamy custard combine in this stunning plum tart recipe. A walnut crust adds nutty flavor to complete this seasonal dessert.

Inspired by a recipe developed by Chef Patrick Grangien at Cafe Shelburne in Shelburne, Vermont, this lightened version has less than half the calories and one-eighth the fat of a classic brulee.

Use these meringue mushrooms to decorate any yule log cake. The recipe makes enough to decorate your serving platter and have plenty left over for each serving of cake.

When life hands you lemons, make this bright, light lemon tart.

This simple but elegant dessert brings a taste of the tropics to your table.

Perfect meringues depend on totally yolk-free whites. The seemingly fussy step of separating each egg into a small bowl before combining them guarantees yolk-free whites for bakeshop-quality meringues every time. These crispy little morsels travel well and make great gifts too.

Pound cake got its name from the original formulation: a pound each of sugar, flour, butter and eggs. Just the thought of it is enough to raise your cholesterol. Our version calls for half whole-wheat flour, less sugar, a modest amount of butter and loses quite a few egg yolks. To keep it rich we moisten the cake with reduced-fat cream cheese and buttermilk. It is every bit as delicious as the original, with only a third of the calories and fat.

Our mousse reformation, with only 248 calories and 6 grams of fat per serving, as compared to 485 calories and 40 grams of fat in the original recipe, doesn't require a warning from the Surgeon General.

Try this filling in crepes or as a sauce for pancakes or French toast.

We love York peppermint patties and the flavor of these festive pots de crème is a dead ringer for the candy. Unlike traditional über-rich custard recipes, this custard uses low-fat milk, only 3 egg yolks and 1/2 cup of half-and-half for its creamy richness. Just 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract in the custard gives plenty of minty flavor, but if you want that icy mountain-breeze sensation, add a whole teaspoon instead.

A bit of lemon juice and sugar flavor this quick raspberry sauce.

The aroma of warm berries in this effortless tart is sublime.

The slightly nutty flavor of buckwheat in the crepes pairs well with the tart rhubarb filling. If you like, top each serving with a scoop of nonfat frozen yogurt.

Infusing milk with lavender buds perfumes the honey-sweetened custard, creating an unusual, lovely backdrop for juicy plums. A quick pass under the broiler caramelizes the top. Note: Because the custard is stabilized with cornstarch, you can let it reach a gentle simmer.

If you like cheesecake, try this traditional French dessert molded into heart shapes.

Perfect meringues depend on totally yolk-free whites. The seemingly fussy step of separating each egg into a small bowl before combining them guarantees yolk-free whites for bakeshop-quality meringues every time. These crispy little morsels travel well and make great gifts too.

A bûche de Noël--a cake decorated like a yule log--is a traditional dessert served around Christmastime in France, Belgium, Canada and some other French-speaking countries. Our gluten-free recipe, which is just as tasty served cold as it is at room temperature, is lighter than air. The chocolate brown-butter génoise cake is easy to roll up and it's covered with a billowy espresso-spiked 7-minute frosting. We've substituted agave nectar for white sugar in the frosting. It's pretty garnished with meringue mushrooms and sugared rosemary.

The haunting, subtle flavor of chai spices adds depth and richness to these elegant French baked custards. You could use the leftover egg whites to make Dark Chocolate Meringue Drops. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.

French for “tiles,” these delicate tuiles are so-named because their curved shape resembles the clay roof tiles of houses in southern France.