French pastry includes tart shells, choux pastry, laminated doughs, sponge cakes, custards and meringues. Each is a technique family rather than a single recipe. Start with one foundation and repeat it before combining several components.
Pastry foundations
French pastry includes tart shells, choux pastry, laminated doughs, sponge cakes, custards and meringues. Each is a technique family rather than a single recipe. Start with one foundation and repeat it before combining several components.
Tarts and custards
Fruit tarts pair a baked shell with pastry cream or another filling. Crème brûlée and pots de crème use gentle custard methods. Accurate heat control matters more than elaborate decoration.
Choux pastry
Choux cooks flour in liquid before eggs are added, then steam expands the dough in the oven. The paste texture and drying step are more useful cues than a fixed egg count because egg size and flour vary.
Meringue styles
French meringue whips raw whites with sugar, Swiss meringue warms them together and Italian meringue uses hot syrup. They differ in stability and risk. Choose a recipe suited to your experience and use pasteurized egg products where appropriate.
Keep presentation restrained
Classic-looking desserts depend on clean structure and deliberate finishing. A thin glaze, neat dusting or a few pieces of fruit can communicate more than excessive decoration.