French Snacks in the UK
Snacks are essential in French gastronomy, but they are not as prominent in France as in other countries. For example, in the United States or the British Isles, snacking is a widespread activity, with many people eating snacks outside of the three usual meals. A typical French custom is to serve hot croissants at breakfast time with jam and coffee (or hot chocolate), but croissants are also eaten as snacks with coffee, on the go, and at any time. Some typical French snacks include:
- Crêpes, galettes, beignets
- Baguette sandwiches
- Pizzas
- Quiches
- Tartines (toast with butter and jam)
- Croissants, pains au chocolat, pains aux raisins (pastries)
- Biscuits (cookies)
- Fougasse (a large flatbread sprinkled with herbs), focaccia (an Italian flatbread)
French Snacks
We have a wide range of French snacks to suit everyone's taste. Our range includes the iconic French biscuits, sweet and savory biscuits, and many more. Please have a look at our selection of French snacks!
French Biscuits
More than 500 years old, our range of French biscuits is made by artisan bakers using traditional recipes. Find all your favorites here, from the classic butter croissant to any bread.
Biscuits & Crackers
Our selection of crackers and biscuits is made with the best ingredients following traditional recipes. Perfect for enjoying on their own or with cheese and wine!
Here are some famous French snacks in UK:
Panisses
Panisses are a French snack reminiscent of the chickpea fritters known as panelle that are popular in Sicily. They're fried until golden and crisp on the outside, with a soft interior. They can be served as an appetizer with a dipping sauce or as part of a meal accompanied by a salad. They can also be cut into cubes and added to salads.
Panisse is a street food popular in the South of France, particularly Marseille. This snack has two versions: the fried version (Panisse frit) and the baked version (panisses au four).
Panisses are made with chickpea flour and water and cooked to a thick batter that is left to set and then cut into squares or rectangles. The fried version is shallow-fried, while the baked version is drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with rosemary and Parmesan cheese, and baked until golden brown.
To make panisses, first, make a basic Panisse batter by combining chickpea flour with cold water. Cook the butter over low heat until it's thickened, then pour it into an oiled baking dish in an even layer. Let it cool completely before cutting into squares or rectangles. To cook the panisses, you can shallow-fry them in vegetable oil or bake them in a hot oven until golden brown.
Canistrelli
Canistrelli is a traditional French snack of flour, sugar, butter, and almonds. Their name comes from the Occitan word canistel, meaning "basket." They are one of the most typical cookies from Corsica.
Canistrelli is typically flavored with orange blossom water and aniseed, although there are other variations. They have a distinctive round shape, dotted with holes to resemble a basket or honeycomb.
Canistrelli is traditional French biscuits made with orange flower water, lemon zest, and aniseed. Canistrelli is typical of Corsica, or Corse in French, but made in Provence. Canistrelli is usually baked in small circular molds that give them their distinctive shape; they can be hard or soft, depending on the recipe and how long they have been baked.
Palets de Dames
Palets de dames (literally meaning “ladies’ pucks”) are French snack food. Société du Palet de Dame commercially developed the palet de dames recipe in the 1920s as a more economical version of the original Palet d'Or (meaning "golden puck"). Palets de dames are bite-sized shortbread cookies made with wheat flour, sugar, and butter.
The biscuits are typically sandwiched with ganache or chocolate, but there are other varieties, including vanilla, lemon, and orange.
A palet de dame is a French snack of two thin wafers with a chocolate cream filling. The name means "ladies' patties" in French and the rectangular treats come individually wrapped in paper, with the ends folded up like a kite.
Palets de dames are similar to petit-beurre biscuits but have a cream filling instead of jam.
Chaussons aux Pommes
Chaussons aux Pommes (French for "apple turnover") is a pastry made by placing an apple filling on a piece of dough, folding the dough over the filling to form a semicircle, and crimping the edges to form a seal. The pastry is then baked or deep-fried. A Chausson is traditionally shaped like a crescent by folding over a dough circle with the edges sealed by pressing with a fork or twisting. The filling is usually placed on one half of the process, leaving the other half empty so that it can be folded over to cover the filling.
Pissaladière
A traditional French dish, Pissaladière, is a type of pizza that originated in Nice that has caramelized onions and olives as toppings. The dough is made with all-purpose flour, bread flour, and whole wheat flour. The flavors of the Pissaladière are enhanced by the seasonings (thyme, bay leaf, nutmeg) added to the onions while they are sautéing.
Pissaladière is a specialty of the southern French region of Provence. Eaten as a light supper, appetizer, or snack, this pizza-like flatbread is topped with caramelized onions and anchovies. Serve with a green salad and a glass of rosé wine.
Gougère
Gougère (pronounced "goo-ZHEHR") is a classic French snack made of pâte à choux pastry baked until it's crisp on the outside and hollow on the inside. Once cooked, gougère can be filled with different savory or sweet fillings but is most familiar with cheese, such as Gruyère.
Gougère first appeared in France in the 16th century; in Burgundy, it was initially made with stale breadcrumbs, milk, and butter. Today Gougère is commonly served as an hors d'oeuvre at dinner parties or during cocktail hour.
The gougère is a French savory choux pastry made of choux dough mixed with cheese. The dough is typically flavored with Gruyère cheese but can also be made with Comté, Beaufort, or Emmental cheese. The dough may be flavored with herbs such as parsley, chives, and tarragon. Gougères are traditionally made by piping the dough into a circular shape and baking until golden brown and puffed up. They are usually served hot as an appetizer or cocktail snack but sometimes served alongside soup or salad.
The gougère is believed to have originated in the Burgundy region of Eastern France. In French cuisine, gougères are generally served as part of an apéritif or at the beginning of a meal before the main course is served. Pâté de Campagne often accompanies this dish. The recipe can vary by region; some recipes use cream to make the mixture rise more than usual.
Vol-au-vent
Vol-au-vent (French pronunciation: [vɔl.o.vɑ̃], literally "windblown") is a small hollow case of puff pastry. The name refers to the fact that the light pastry rises ("vol") during cooking and then sinks ("s'envole") as it cools.
The cases can be bought ready-made but are also made at home. They can be served either hot or cold. They are usually filled with some meat ragout or vegetables and covered with a sauce when done hot. When served cold, they may be filled with seafood in a seafood sauce or chicken in a cream sauce. They may also be filled with fruit or sweet desserts when served cold.
The classic vol-au-vent consists of a vol-au-vent case that has been baked empty and then split open and filled with chicken or rabbit pieces in cream sauce, mushrooms, cucumber slices, and other vegetables garnished with parsley and lemon wedges.
Pain aux raisins
Pain aux raisins, also known as a chocolate chip Danish is a typical French snack. They're often eaten for breakfast or afternoon tea. This version is made with puff pastry to make them extra flaky. The filling is made of cream cheese and almond paste to make a sweet filling that holds the raisins in place.
This recipe makes 12 pastries, but you can easily double or triple the recipe to make more at once.
Pain aux raisins are a type of viennoiserie (French pastry) consisting of laminated yeast-leavened dough in the shape of a spiral, similar to a cinnamon roll but with a raisin filling. A typical pain aux raisin is made from dough identical to that used for a croissant but with some differences. The rolling and folding process involves more turns, and the dough typically has less butter and sugar than croissant dough.
Pain au chocolat is a variant of pain aux raisins, with one or two pieces of dark chocolate in the center instead of raisins. In some places, it is called chocolatine, although, in southwest France, this term refers to a plain croissant.
Chouquette
A delicious French snack, chouquettes are delicate little nibbles of pâte à choux topped with pearl sugar. With a crisp exterior and soft interior, they are the perfect little sweet snack to serve any time of day.
They can be enjoyed plain or served with another treat like chocolate sauce or whipped cream. The tiny pearls of sugar will provide a perfect crunch and enhance the flavor of this traditional pastry. They also make lovely ice cream cones!
Chouquette is a kind of French snack. It has a unique taste, which is sweet and salty at the same time. People can eat it any time of the day, but it is usually served with a cup of coffee in the morning.
Chouquette is a type of puff pastry that has been baked until golden brown and then sprinkled with large grains of pearl sugar. It is often eaten as a dessert, snack, or even as breakfast when paired with coffee or milk. Chouquette was initially made to be consumed for special occasions only, but now you can find it everywhere in France.
Pommes Frites
Pommes Frites are prepared by first cutting the potato—peeled or unpeeled—into even strips, which are then wiped off or soaked in cold water to remove the surface starch, and thoroughly dried. They may then be fried in one or two stages. Chefs generally agree that the two-bath technique produces better results. In the two-bath method, the first Bath, sometimes called blanching, is in hot fat to cook them through. This step can be done in advance. Then they are more briefly fried in scorching fat to crisp the exterior. They are then placed in a colander or on a cloth to drain, salted, and served. The exact times of the two baths depend on the size of the potatoes. For example, for 2–3mm strips, the first Bath takes about 3 minutes, and the second Bath takes only seconds. Most French fries are produced from frozen potatoes blanched or at least air-dried industrially. The usual fat for making French fries is vegetable oil. In the past, lard was used, but due
Croissants and crepes aren't the only French snacks worth cooking up. On our list: exciting omeletes, a raspberry pâte de fruit, and much more!
- Galette des Rois (King Cake)
- Crêpes
- Salade Niçoise
- French Omelet
- Macarons
- Quiche Lorraine
- Pâté de Campagne
- Confit de Canard (Duck Confit)
- Pain de Mie
- Pâté Chinois (Shepherd's Pie)
The Fine Cheese Company - Bath
The Fine Cheese Company is a unique dairy shop in Bath, stocking hundreds of cheeses worldwide. The store also offers an extensive range of other high-quality fine foods for those who want to indulge their taste buds. The Fine Cheese Company holds regular tastings and demonstrations and subscribes to the idea that 'eating well is one of life's greatest pleasures.
La Cure Gourmande - London
La Cure Gourmande was founded in 1997 by two friends from Bordeaux who decided to share their passion for France with the rest of the world. The shop sells fine food products such as biscuits, candies, chocolates, and gift boxes that make perfect presents for loved ones. La Cure Gourmande products can be found worldwide, including in France!
Craving some good French bread, some flavorsome saucisson, or a mouth-watering piece of cheese? These UK-based French shops have got your back.
We've selected the best food shops specializing in French produce where you can get your hands on all your French favorites, from crêpes to camembert and everything in between.
