French pastries come in several common varieties.
France is known around the world for its cuisine. From French toast to a simple snack of a baguette with cheese, French food has become a common part of the American diet. One of the types of food France is most known for is its pastries. To an American unfamiliar with the French language, the names can be confusing. But don't worry--there are only a few types of pastries you need to be familiar with to be fluent in the language of French pastries.
Croissant
Croissants are light, flaky French pastries made using plenty of butter. The name comes from the French word for "crescent," reflecting the crescent-moon shape of these pastries. A plain croissant is only moderately sweet, and is not necessarily a dessert item. They are often eaten for breakfast or as a snack and can be sliced and half and used to make sandwiches.
Pain au Chocolat
Pain au chocolat is similar to a croissant, but it has the addition of a layer of chocolate running through the middle. These pastries are often more rectangular or square than a plain croissant, but generally maintain the light fluffiness and slightly crisp outer layer of a croissant. They work well either as a breakfast pastry or a dessert.
Éclair
Éclairs are small, generally oval-shaped somewhat chewy pastries filled with a sweet cream filling and generally iced. They are made with pâte à choux--a sticky dough used in several French pastries including profiteroles and gougere. The filling is usually plain, but can also be flavored, most commonly with chocolate. The icing is also often chocolate-flavored.
Petit Four
You may have seen petit fours at a wedding or a fancy tea party. These small, bite-sized pastries are usually square, heart or oval shaped and are often frosted in various vivid and pastel colors. They are often intricately decorated with strings of frosting of other colors, delicate sugar flowers or other edible items. Petit fours are most often made with chocolate and white cakes, though any flavor is possible.
Brioche
Brioche falls somewhere between a pastry and a bread. It's sweet, rich, buttery and flaky. Brioche is often baked in quirky shapes, such as a larger round section with a smaller round knot on top. You can use it to create sandwiches (especially breakfast sandwiches, such as those with eggs or bacon), spread it with jam or honey, or just eat it plain or with butter.
Tags: French pastries, made with, plain croissant, They often, with chocolate