Desserts are taken extremely seriously in France, hence it is unsurprising that the French are blessed with the world’s best patisseries. French desserts are well loved by foodies all over the world and its recipes have travelled far and wide.

The celebration of French cuisine is no longer limited to its national borders. Instead, French desserts have traversed beyond continents and it is now possible to savour classic French treats in almost every cosmopolitan city, including Asian countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong and Tokyo.

From creme brûlée to éclair and soufflé, here is A Crash Course to Knowing 10 Classic French Desserts. Next time, you’d ace your ordering instead of being baffled by those “unfamiliar” names. Bon appétit!

Source: Clafoutis

#1 CLAFOUTIS

Clafoutis is a fruity baked dessert placed in a buttered dish. The treat is characterised by an eggy, thick flan-like batter and most traditional recipes will use black cherries as the main fruit. The finished product is then dusted with icing sugar.

#2 CREME BRÛLÉE

Creme Brûlée—also known as Crema Catalana and Burnt Cream—is essentially a dessert comprising cream, egg yolks, custard and vanilla bean. The rich mixture is poured into a ramekin, baked till set and placed into the refrigerator. After that, sugar is placed atop and then torched till a golden brown caramelised surface is achieved.

#3 CRÊPE SUZETTE

Soft and thin, the divine French Crêpe Suzette is a delicacy well-loved by natives and foreigners alike. Grand Marnier is poured above the delicate galette, blowtorched and transformed into a viscous caramel sauce. The end result is a plate of flambé crepe quarter topped with tasty condiments of your choice.

#4 ÉCLAIR

French éclairs are distinctive in its shape and texture. Each oblong-shaped choux pastry is stuffed with cream and then coated with icing or sauce. There are numerous flavours and toppings out there, but the classic rendition would be an éclair topped with a layer of chocolate ganache.

#5 LEMON TART

Lemon Tarts are refreshing citrusy desserts. Each tart consists of smooth semi-sweet lemon curd contained in a delightful buttery pastry. We love how every bite of this zesty treat leaves a lingering tangy aftertaste.

#6 MACARON

Macarons exist in all kinds of colours and flavours. Each artisanal bite-size macaron is a piece of art itself. Think two light and crisp meringue-based almond shells glued together with either buttercream filling or ganache.

#7 MADELEINE

The Madeleine, or also known as French Butter Cake is a traditional small cake originating from the Lorraine region in northeastern France. The treat—baked with a génoise cake batter—has a distinct shell shape. These tiny buttery cakes are typically dusted with icing sugar before they are served.

#8 MERINGUE

Meringue is made primarily from sugar and whipped egg whites. Sometimes, lemon or cream of tartar is added to the sugary treat too. Sink your teeth into a crisp meringue and you will be blown away by how it melts in your mouth.

Source: Chef Eddy

#9 NOUGATINE

There are several types of nougats across Europe, but the brown-coloured Nougatine’s origin is France. The texture is firm and crunchy and the recipe excludes egg whites. It takes a certain level of baking skills and patience to produce these delicious treats.

#10 SOUFFLÉ

Soufflés have always been a crowd pleaser due to its delightful taste and texture. The egg-based basked dish has been around since the early 18th century and is prepared with egg yolks and beaten egg whites. Served fresh from the oven, the perfect soufflé has a wobbly top that will eventually melt into the ceramic dish to reveal its gooey contents.

The first avocado-themed cafe has opened up in Singapore three weeks ago and it is located at Adelphi Park.

All The Batter may not be new in Singapore as it currently has a dessert kiosk at Anchorpoint Shopping Mall but you can now enjoy their full range of avocado delights in a comfortable cafe environment.

Weekends just got “all the batter” (all the better) with their exclusive Avocado Dessert Menu featuring highlights such as avocado cakes, smoothies and Avocado Milk Balls! Before you rush down to All The Batter at Jasmine Road—off Upper Thomson road—do note that it is open only during the weekends.

The founders of All The Batter are driven by their love for avocados and a mission which they set out to accomplish—Making Lives All The Batter (better) through avocado and other kinds of natural foods.

All The Batter sets out to source for the freshest ingredients and even recycles their fruit peels instead of throwing them away. We applaud them for being committed to creating a positive environmental impact!

Cool off from the heat with some Avocado smoothies. Between the two flavours we tried—Matcha Avocado Creme (S$5.50) and Avocado & Chocolate (S$5)—we preferred the latter for its creamy texture and subtle hints of chocolate sauce for extra sweetness.

While the drinks are only decent, it is their desserts which really got us hooked. The Avocado Rhapsody Slice (S$6.50) is made with fresh avocados, cocoa and slathered with rich cream cheese. We could taste all the distinct flavours without the cream cheese overpowering everything else.

Another favourite of ours was the Avocado Gula Melaka Slice (S$5.90). Those with a sweet too tooth will enjoy the addition of sweet Gula Melaka cream on top of moist avocado batter cake.

Avocado Citrus Pie (S$4.50) packs a delightful punch thanks to the generous amount of avocado citrus cream accompanied with hand baked tart crust. We liked how the tart base was buttery and crumbly.

Other choices there include Fresh Avocado Milk Ball (S$2.90), Avocado Yoghurt Deluxe Slice (S$6.30) and Hearty Avocado Granola Bowl (S$9.30).

All The Batter
17 Jasmine Road
Adelphi Park
Singapore 576585
Tel: +65 8510 6313
Sat & Sun: 11am – 9.30pm
Nearest Station: Marymount

Read: 23 Restaurants, Cafes And Eateries In Upper Thomson You Must Try

The sheer number of artisanal bakeries in Singapore has left us all cake lovers spoilt for choice – and we are certainly not complaining. Pantler is one awesome bakery in the CBD that will chase all your Monday Blues away with their gourmet creations.

Cake is serious business here; both founders have previously worked in the pastry-making departments of Joël Robuchon Singapore and the Grand Hyatt Tokyo. What you can expect at Pantler is a selection of classic sweet treats, savoury patisseries and contemporary desserts.

The bakery is fairly new in Singapore, but they have already impressed the crowd with the intricacy and dedication in every cake.

A satisfying lemon tart is hard to come by and we are glad that Pantler’s interpretation of the timeless citrus treat – The Citron Blanc (S$8.50++) – has met our expectations.

The Citron Blanc is essentially a shortbread crust encasing smooth tangy lemon curd, topped with fresh fromage blanc white cheese and stained yellow by lemon confit.

Yatsura (S$8.50++) is one of Pantler’s bestselling signature cakes for obvious reasons. The dacquoise cake boasts luscious layers of hazelnut cream, dark chocolate mousse and crunchy hazelnut feuilletine.

We completely understand if you can’t get enough of this glorious slice. Sizes are customisable – all you have to do is ask!

If you are after a light dessert after a filling meal, order the Pantler’s Mango Shortcake (S$7.50+) which consists of moist sponge cake alternated with layers of fresh whipped cream and juicy mango slices. Those with a sweet tooth might find this too mild, though!

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Pantler
198 Telok Ayer Street
Singapore 068637
Tel: +65 6221 6223
Mon to Fri: 8.30am – 7pm
Sat: 10.30am – 5.30pm
Closed on Sundays
Nearest Station: Telok Ayer

We confess we are huge fans of lemon tarts. These citrus desserts are always refreshing, and we love how every bite of this zesty treat leaves a lingering tangy aftertaste.

A satisfying lemon tart is hard to come by and we have had our fair share of disappointments. We decided to take it upon ourselves to hunt for the best lemon tarts in town – and we successfully found several worthy of the extra calories!

From newly opened Mad About Sucre’s Coco Citron Tart to longstanding Baker & Cook’s classic Lemon Tart, we have shortlisted 11 Best Lemon Tarts in Singapore for this guide. And we hope you love them as much as we do!

#1 BAKER & COOK

Artisanal bakery Baker & Cook’s classic Lemon Tart (S$5) is a puny treat that packs a delightful punch in every bite. Reputable baker/founder Dean Brettschneider has tweaked the classic recipe to cater to Singaporeans’ tastebuds; the smooth semi-sweet lemon curd is not overwhelmingly sour while the buttery pastry is neither overly crispy nor doughy.

44 Jalan Merah Saga
#01-56, Chip Bee Gardens
Singapore 278116
Tel: +65 6472 0998
Mon to Thu: 7.30am – 8pm
Fri to Sat: 7.30am – 10pm
Sun: 7.30am – 8pm
Nearest Station: Holland Village

#2 CARPENTER & COOK

Carpenter & Cook’s Lemon Cream “Queen of Hearts” Tart (S$6.50) is made up of sweet pastry dough crust that is crumbly but sturdy enough to hold the lemon curd well without breaking, and of course, lemon curd that is smooth with an addictive tartness.

Carpenter and Cook
19 Lorong Kilat #01-06
Singapore 598120
Tel: +65 6463 3648
Tue to Sat: 10am – 10pm
Sun: 10.00am – 7.00pm
Nearest Station: Botanical Gardens/Bukit Batok

#3 CIEL PATISSERIE

The Hougang neighbourhood may seem like an unlikely place to find a French patisserie, but that is exactly where Ciel Patisserie is located. Unassuming but very surprising, this small patisserie has a wholesome range of cakes (S$4.80 – S$5.80), and tarts (S$4.20).

In particular, Ciel Patisserie’s Lemon Meringue Tart stands out for its perfect balance of sweet and tart. Definitely one of the best lemon tarts in Singapore.

124 Hougang Ave 1
#01-1444
Tel: +65 6383 0803
Tue to Thu: 11am – 8pm
Fri & Sat: 11am – 9pm
Sun: 3pm – 9pm
Nearest Station: Kovan/Serangoon

#4 DRIPS BAKERY

Baked to perfection, Drips Bakery’s Lemon Meringue Tart (S$7) is topped with a slightly charred homemade meringue, and while the portion is generous, the overload of sweetness masked the tartness of the lemon curd. It is otherwise still a lovely rendition, and an interesting thing to note is that the tart is unconventionally encased in delicious chocolate crust!

82 Tiong Poh Road #01-05
Singapore 160082
Tel: +65 6222 0400
Mon, Wed & Thu: 10.30am – 9.30pm
Fri: 10.30am – 11pm
Sat & Sun: 10am – 9.30pm
Nearest Station: Tiong Bahru

#5 FLOCK CAFE

Flock Cafe’s Lemon Tart (S$7) is an unassuming dessert sitting in the refrigerated display counter. We dived straight into the tart and were pleasantly surprised by the lemon curd’s thickness! The generous filling of creamy curd was sweet and tangy with unmissable lemony notes. The light-textured soft pastry shell makes the consumption process a tad easier too.

78 Moh Guan Terrace
#01-25
Tel: +65 6536 3938
Daily (except Tue): 9am – 5pm
Nearest Staion: Tiong Bahru

#6 FLOURISH

Flourish’s Lemon Tart (S$3.80) will be a hit amongst those who enjoy the sharpness of lemon flavour. The creamier-textured lemon curd is significantly sour and we love every bite of the zest! The pastry encasing the filling is near-crumbly on the sides with a sturdy biscuit-like crunchy base. There are also miniature portions of these divine treats for those who just want a bite.

1 Tanjong Pagar Plaza
#02-06, Singapore 082001
Tel: +65 6444 1924
Mon to Fri: 10.30am – 7pm
Sat to Sun: 11pm – 5pm
Nearest Station: Tanjong Pagar

#7 LA BRASSERIE

The Lemon Tart (S$18) from La Brasserie (formerly known as Clifford Restaurant) might be a pricey dessert indulgence but it is easily the best in Singapore. Handmade by a team of passionate pastry chefs, the heavenly lemon tart’s fillings are prepared with fresh lemon and lime juice.

The dessert is served with wild berries sauce, succulent black berries and meringue sticks. A quenelle-shaped sweet meringue sits atop citrus tart to provide a sugary contrast.

80 Collyer Quay
Lobby Level, The Fullerton Bay Hotel
Singapore 049326
Tel: +65 6597 5288
Daily: 10pm – 12.30pm
Nearest Station: Raffles Place

#8 MAD ABOUT SUCRE

Mad About Sucre’s Coco Citron (S$10.80+) is an interesting rendition of the typical lemon tart. The lightweight lemon curd is essentially sweet and the citrus notes are completely subdued. The sable tart is topped with white coconut mousse and crunchy shatter sugar crystals, which gives the dessert an overall delightful contrast of textures.

27 Teo Hong Road
Singapore 088334
Tel: +65 6221 3969
Mon: Closed
Tue to Sat: 12.30pm – 10.30pm
Sun: 12.30pm – 5pm
Nearest Station: Outram Park

#9 PANTLER

Both founders of Pantler have previously worked in the pastry-making departments of Joël Robuchon Singapore and the Grand Hyatt Tokyo. What you can expect at Pantler is a selection of classic sweet treats, savoury patisseries and contemporary desserts.

A satisfying lemon tart is hard to come by and we are glad that Pantler’s interpretation of the timeless citrus treat – The Citron Blanc (S$8.50++) – has met our expectations.

The Citron Blanc is essentially a shortbread crust encasing smooth tangy lemon curd, topped with fresh fromage blanc white cheese and stained yellow by lemon confit.

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198 Telok Ayer Street
Singapore 068637
Tel: +65 6221 6223
Mon to Fri: 8.30am – 7pm
Sat: 10.30am – 5.30pm
Closed on Sundays
Nearest Station: Telok Ayer

#9 WHISK CAFE

Do not underestimate Whisk Cafe’s Lemon Tart (S$5). The thin and tiny tart is jam packed with citrus goodness and every spoonful is a strong burst of lemony flavour. The curd is topped with torched fluffy sweet meringue and encased in cookie-like pastry crust to offset the dessert’s sourness.

58 Seng Poh Road
Singapore 160058
Tue to Thu: 9am – 7pm
Fri to Sat: 9am – 11pm
Sun: 9am – 9pm
Nearest Station: Tiong Bahru

#10 WINDOWSILL PIES

Windowsill Pies’ Strawberry Lemon Tart (S$7) is unlike any other lemon tarts. The wedge of ultra thick bright yellow zesty curd is filled with traces of strawberry jam filling towards the pâte sucrée crust. Topped with whipped meringue, the refreshing slice has struck a great balance between sugary and tartness.

95 Soo Chow Walk
Singapore 575382
Tel: +65 9004 7827
Tue to Thu: 11am – 11pm
Fri: 11am – 12midnight
Sat: 10am – 12midnight
Sun: 10am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Marymount

Wooloomooloo steakhouse, a popular steakhouse chain in Hong Kong, has started their first restaurant at Swissotel the Stamford. When we talk about F&B outlets in a shopping mall, they are always predictable, mainstream or boring. Wooloomooloo, on the other hand, has a sleek and sexy interior, and most importantly, it offers top-quality Aussie beef. Moreover, it has a fantastic view of the F1 racetrack from the third level of Raffles City.

If you are looking for a nice restaurant to celebrate a special occasion, and your partner likes steak, this is the place to go.

On the menu, there are the classic starters such as tuna & spanner crab tartare ($29), lobster bisque ($20), beef carpaccio ($24) and colossal crab lumps ($30).

We started our meal with the steak tartare ($28). Wooloomooloo does an Australian inspired steak tartare – with a hard boiled egg, cavier, sourcream – so it’s not your typical French version. It looked very appealing, but the taste did not really pack a punch; it somewhat lacked a certain flavour.

Following that, we had a pan seared foie gras and jumbo crabcake. Paired with apple chutney, the pan seared foie gras is very well executed. If you like foie gras, you must order it here.

Next, we had the jumbo crabcake. The use of simple everyday ingredients such as parsley, egg, bread crumb, garlic, shallot brings out the natural taste of the crabcake. After tasting it, I could feel the flavours mingling in my mouth: the tanginess of the tartar sauce, the bite of the crab cake, and the crunch of the coleslaw.

For main courses, we shared two steaks. The 12 ounce USDA Ribeye ($74) was good, but we preferred the Australian cut, which Wooloomooloo steakhouse is known for.

There are so many adjectives that one can use to describe steak: tender, succulent, juicy and flavourful – all of which can be used to describe Wooloomooloo’s 12 ounce Australian Ribeye ($62). This is a very fine piece of meat, and at the price, I think it is excellent value.

If you are in a big group, I’d suggest getting the monster 1.3kg tomahawk ($125) with a few sides – like the hash brown ($12), creamy spinach ($12), and sauteed onions ($12) – to share.

There are no lack of options when it comes to desserts. We were torn between the bread and butter pudding ($16), lemon & lime pie ($16) and creme brulee ($16). But there was no way I could resist my favourite hot chocolate cake ($25) and souffle ($20).

For the souffle, Wooloomooloo does four different flavours – chocolate, raspberry, passionfruit and Grand Marnier – and since we were having the hot chocolate cake, we decided to go for something different.

The Grand Marnier souffle that we had was very good – in fact, one of the better ones that I’ve had lately – but it did not get as much attention as the chocolate lava cake.

I call this the sore throat inducing dessert. Definitely one of the top five chocolate lava cakes in Singapore.

Wooloomooloo, for me, is one of the top mid-range steak houses in Singapore. I wouldn’t be surprised if it becomes one of your favourite places too.

Wooloomooloo Steakhouse
2 Stamford Road
Level 3 Swissotel the Stamford
Tel: +65 6338 0261
Daily: 12:00 – 15:00
Daily: 15:00 – 23:00
Nearest Station: City Hall
Note: This was an invited media tasting.

Since Cocotte opened its doors at Wanderlust boutique hotel, I’ve heard both good and bad things about the French Restaurant. Some of my friends spoke at length about its signature Poulet Roti, and Roast Pork Collar. There are others who told me to forget about it as they felt that food was overpriced, and most of the dishes were mediocre.

Even though I wanted to try their food, I decided to wait a while. It turned out to be a pretty long wait as it took me until recently to visit them. My good friend Jolene told me that she had a splendid lunch at Cocotte. I trust her tastebuds so I reckoned it’s time to drop by.

After having lunch there, I have to agree. Cocotte serves pretty good French Food, and the 3 course executive set lunch at $29++ is definitely worth a try.

The set lunch (only available on weekdays) allows you to choose from five appetisers, four main courses, and four desserts. It also includes coffee/tea.

The five appetisers include starter of the day, Chicken Liver Mousse, Rosette, Pear Salad, and Pork Rillettes. We didn’t take very long to decide on the Salad and Pork Rillettes. Both dishes were decent, but nothing to write home about.

The selection of the main courses was challenging. Three dishes – Pan Seared Chicken, Duck Confit, and Pan Seared Seabass – called out to us. We already knew that we wanted the Duck Confit, so it was down to choosing between the chicken and the fish.

Jolene told me that the Pan Seared Chicken that she had was very good. But my dining companion and I did not feel like having chicken that day, so we decided to give it a miss, and ordered the Seabass instead.

Luckily, the Pan Seared Seabass which came on a bed of summer vegetables in a seafood nage, was good. I particularly enjoyed the seafood broth; it was light, fresh, and very comforting. The Seabass was also nicely seared.

Cocotte’s Duck Confit (top up $9) was easily one of the best that I’ve had. Crispy, flavourful, and very delicious. I’d return just for this.

For desserts, we had Tarte Au Citron and Creme Brulee. The Tarte Au Citron was a tad too sweet for my liking. The Creme Brulee, on the other hand, was nicely done, and we ended our lunch on a nice note.

If you are looking for a nice place to have lunch, I’d recommend Cocotte Restaurant. Besides the 3 course executive set lunch, they also have a communal set lunch for 3-4 pax at $156, and it includes dishes like Fried Tripe, Roast Pork Collar, Braised Beef Cheek, and Sole Meuniere.

I am planning to come back with a few friends to try the communal set lunch. But if you beat me to it, do leave a comment and let me know if they are worth the trip.

Cocotte
2 Dickson Road
Ground Level Wanderlust Hotel
Tel: +65 6298 1188
Mon to Sat: 12pm –2.30pm
Mon to Thu: 6.30pm – 10.30pm
Fri & Sat: 6.30pm – 11pm
(Closed on Sun)

For more recommendations, read my list of Best French Restaurants in Singapore