The French Collection Desserts

Pâtes de fruits, or fruit jellies, are very popular around the holidays—and usually expensive." In France, pâtes de fruits are sold in high-end pâtisseries or pastry shops. The French roll them in sanding sugar, which has large crystals that cling to the candy without melting. Table sugar also works, as long as the jellies are rolled in it just before serving.

To make sure the pastry stays crisp and flaky, arrange the raspberries on top no more than 30 minutes before serving. The jam not only sets the berries in place, it also adds flavor intensity and gives them a beautiful shine.

Tarte Tatin isn't as American as apple pie, but it's a whole lot easier. With just four ingredients, it's all about the apples: the lovely taste and shape of the fruit are preserved by sugar and heat, with a buttery-salty crust underneath. This recipe  has a couple of tricks that make it easier to pull off than others

Two amazing French tarts

Almond-studded choux pastry and rich, nutty praline crème mousseline join forces in this impressive French dessert.

To make these individual soufflés sturdy, Maria Helm Sinskey uses choux pastry (the dough for gougères and profiteroles) mixed with airy meringue and ricotta. While the inside is nicely custardy, the edges and sides are deliciously crisp. The soufflés, which have a lovely, not-too-sweet lemon flavor, can be served hot, warm, or cool, when they become like mini citrus

For this classic French dessert, Alix de Montille swapped in raspberries for the traditional cherries to better pair with Jean-Marc Roulot's new raspberry eau-de-vie, La Framboise du Roulot.

A classic apple charlotte has a crust of buttered bread slices filled with caramelized apples. In this quick version, apple wedges are sautéed with honey and maple syrup, topped with buttered toast and turned out of the pan like a tarte Tatin.

Sometimes  we underbake this dessert to make the center especially gooey; it's remarkably good when left a little longer in the oven, too, particularly topped with a scoop of coffee ice cream. Serve the soufflé warm or even at room temperature.