Healthy French Dessert Recipes

While orange adds an exotic note, much of the flavor of these simple yet sophisticated candies comes from the chocolate, so choose a semisweet or bittersweet with a flavor and level of sweetness you enjoy. The recipe makes a big batch of truffles--plenty for gift-giving. Although they should be stored in the refrigerator, they're best served after sitting at room temperature for about 5 minutes. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.

These meringue cookies have a puffy, fragile exterior and a moist, soft interior. They deliver an enticingly bold, knock-your-socks-off bittersweet chocolate experience. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.

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

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.

A fruit crumble is a sure way to satisfy the sweet tooth and add another serving of fruit to your diet. We've used blueberries here, but any fresh or frozen fruit can stand in to meet your family's taste preference. Leave small berries whole, but peel, pit and chop larger fruits, such as peaches or plums.

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 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 recipe, which is just as tasty served cold as it is at room temperature, is lighter than air. The chocolate brown-butter génoise cake made with whole-grain flour 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Flavored with orange, lemon and lime, this big, beautiful cake is a fitting ending to a celebration. Just three egg yolks give the cake a golden hue and a texture richer than angel food.

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.

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.

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

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.

Creme anglaise is a luxurious French custard sauce that is thickened with lightly cooked egg yolks. This sauce requires vigilance, but the result is well worth the effort. With a kick from instant espresso powder and crushed chocolate-covered espresso beans, this version goes well with chocolate desserts. If you perfume the custard with vanilla extract instead of coffee, you'll have a lightened version of a classic creme anglaise--a delightful sauce for poached pears or just about any fruit.

Any combination of berries or cherries (or nectarines or peaches, for that matter) can be used in this sparkling dessert. Several colors make the prettiest presentation, but single-berry ambrosia is delicious too. Nonalcoholic champagne can be substituted for the real thing.

These chocolate, coconut and almond meringue cookies are so light and airy, they are a perfect little treat that's not too heavy.

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

Don't be intimidated by its tall, dark beauty; this decadent (yet calorie-smart) Kahlua and chocolate soufflé recipe is easy to make at home.

These flourless orange-and-chocolate-flavored meringues are an easy and healthy dessert cookie recipe perfect for after dinner or alongside a cup of afternoon tea. If you don't have a star-tip and pastry bag, improvise with a gallon-size plastic bag (snip 1/2 inch off one corner). Look for orange flower water and cocoa nibs in the baking section of natural-food markets and well-stocked supermarkets, or substitute dark chocolate shavings.

This pudding-like gluten-free coconut cake recipe gets its amazing flavor and texture from pureed oranges. Sour oranges (aka Seville oranges) are ideal in these healthy coconut cakes because of their acidity and thin skin, but most citrus fruit will work. Coconut flour is high in fiber and absorbent, making it a great choice for moist desserts. Almond flour adds fabulous texture and nutty flavor. Look for gluten-free flours in natural-foods markets.