The 5 Best Prefab Desserts at the French Supermarket

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The 5 Best Prefab Desserts at the French Supermarket

Hello. My name is Wini, and I love factory-made French supermarket desserts.

There. I’ve said it.

Indeed, it’s nothing to be proud of, especially since I’m the author of a French cookbook and someone, who, in general, eschews industrial prefab food.

Still, I can’t help it: I get the biggest kick out of French supermarket desserts. No, they’re not as good as what you can make yourself at home; no, I’d never serve them to guests. And certainly, they’re nothing compared to what you can get at a French pâtisserie.

But they are so much more ambitious than any U.S. supermarket desserts (drab, sickly-sweet puddings come to mind), that I gleefully partake in some every time I stay in my go-to vacation rental in the South of France.

After 20 years of spending long stretches of the summer in France, I’ve come up with a list of five of my favorite French supermarket desserts. All are available from Carrefour, which has 960 supermarkets and 3,600-plus convenience stores in France.

Try some—even if you’re not staying in an apartment, many are great picnic choices—and let me know what you think. Better yet, if I’ve missed a favorite (and you’re willing to admit that you sometimes indulge in supermarket desserts), let me know in the comments section. And thanks for the leads.

P.S. Most are under 2€ per serving.

Tartelette au Citron

Tartelette au Citron

Carrefour Tartelette au Citron de Sicilie

This lemon tartlet is amazing! The crisp shortbread-like base has a buttery-brown sugar flavor. Above that comes two layers of pure lemony refreshment: The first is kind of like a creamy cheesecake (though not as heavy) and the top layer is more like a lemon curd.

Some may find these a little too tart for their tastes, but I love their zingy appeal after a somewhat heavy, meaty meal.

Pot de Crème au Caramel

Pot de Crème au Caramel

Nestlé La Laitière Petit Pot de Crème de Caramel

If someone told me I had to give up chocolate for the rest of my life, I’d be sad, but not inconsolable. Caramel, however, is another matter.

This dessert is a boon to bona fide caramel lovers. It’s rich, sweet, milky, and rife with intense caramel flavor. As a bonus, it comes in charming glass pots, which I save and use as mis-en-place dishes when cooking. And at 2 € 26 for four pots, they can’t be beat.

Carrefour Panna Cotta

Carrefour Panna Cotta

Carrefour Panna Cotta Coulis de Framboise

Panna cotta—that Italian-born eggless custard—does this neat trick that few desserts can do: It tastes indulgent, yet it doesn’t weigh you down. I love this one for the way the bright-berry zest of the raspberry coulis beautifully contrasts the intense creamy-vanilla flavor of the custard itself.

Fromage Blanc

Fromage Blanc

Danone Gervita Fromage Blanc Nature Sous Mousse Fouettée (aka: Fromage Blanc with Whipped Cream)

Fromage Blanc is a cream cheese with the soft consistency of sour cream or Greek yogurt. When sweetened with a little sugar, it’s a tangy and refreshing dessert that’s very popular in France.

This version goes a step further, with a little whipped cream on the top. Drizzle it with honey and, if you’re feeling splashy, sprinkle it with toasted pine nuts, and you’ll have a dessert akin to Mel y Mató, a popular Catalan dessert.

Carrefour Mousse au Chocolat

Carrefour Mousse au Chocolat

Carrefour Mousse au Chocolate

I know I said I’d never serve these prefab desserts to guests, but if there were a way to get this mousse out of their unattractive plastic containers and into a pretty glass dish—without deflating the mousse—I just might try to sneak this one onto my table.

Alas, the less-than-gracious packaging is about the only thing I don’t like about this chocolate mousse: It’s super light in texture, but massive in dark chocolate flavor, meaning that it’s the quintessential dark-chocolate mousse. I also appreciate the sane serving size: It’s just enough to make you feel indulged, but not so much that you need to lay on the clic-clac and groan.

Lead photo credit : French supermarket shelf stocked with desserts

More in French desserts, supermarkets in France

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Wini Moranville is the author of The Bonne Femme Cookbook: Simple, Splendid Food That French Women Cook Every Day. She divides her time between amerique profonde, where she works as a food writer and editor, and Collioure, France, where she goes to get re-inspired.

Comments

  • Karen Bary
    2020-03-02 07:39:51
    Karen Bary
    Thank you for the list of "guilty Pleasures." In Normandy last year I found supermarket packages of Belgian waffles that are delicious! They're not like the fresh-made Belgian waffles at the market stalls, but they are their own thing and I like keeping a pack of them around to have with coffee or tea. The brand is Lotus, and they're called Gaufre de Liege. The tops of the waffles are dipped in dark Belgian chocolate. They remind me of the ones my sister used to buy when she lived in Belgium. My brother-in-law could never understand why I would ask for these for Xmas, when shipping costs were far more expensive than the price of the item. ...But my sister understood. I'll be in Paris and Provence again in October and will be looking for some of these to ship home!

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  • Susie
    2020-02-28 10:15:41
    Susie
    Is the Gervita the same as what we used to call Petits Suisses??? We added sugar to that, and it was a children's favorite. Mine, too, for as many years as I could find it. Also, what do you think of Mont Blanc desserts?

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  • Jacqueline Bucar
    2020-02-28 05:57:44
    Jacqueline Bucar
    petite suisse. I love that's it's small and with a little sugar, just enough to satisfy the dessert craving.

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  • J sterling
    2018-09-05 01:41:40
    J sterling
    I love the Mousse au Chocolat Noir fm Monoprix esp w beautiful fresh raspberries fm Marche de Raspail....yum

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  • Marianne Polkinghorne
    2018-08-31 18:22:14
    Marianne Polkinghorne
    Love reading Bonjour Paris, such a shame Australia is so far away. The supermarket desserts sound so delicious!

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  • Morgan
    2018-08-31 15:51:28
    Morgan
    Have to second the naughty desserts from Picard! Picard is hit and miss - but their pastries and desserts are a home run! Croissants, crepes, mini doughnuts (yes!), merveilleux, chocolate mousse cake, even complex, regional desserts like cannelés. They often require a little time in the oven but even when they do, they’re worth it. Run, don’t walk.

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  • Mike
    2018-08-31 11:26:14
    Mike
    A business opportunity!

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  • Melinda
    2018-08-30 14:21:17
    Melinda
    chestnut mousse...hard to find anything chestnut here so when i can find in france I eat for breakfast, lunch or dinner....

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  • Wil
    2017-10-28 11:13:57
    Wil
    We really loved the pre-fab'd desserts when we were in Paris. Why don't we sell those in the US?

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  • Andy Quan
    2016-03-05 17:37:11
    Andy Quan
    I'm working my way through these recommendations... and will try Howard's Baba au Rhum, which I've seen, next. In the meantime, the 'la fermiere marron', le yaourt aux fruits – chestnut yoghurt – is beautiful. Normally I wouldn't consider a pot of yoghurt as a special dessert, but since it comes in its own little glass jar, and is priced accordingly, and has this incredible rich chestnut paste on the bottom, topped with a lovely high quality creamy yoghurt. Yup, I have to recommend. it.

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  • howard dawson
    2016-01-28 21:59:06
    howard dawson
    I own a boat on the canal system since 1998 and am addicted to the baba au rhum at Carrefour. I will definitely try all of your recommendations.

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  • Stephanie
    2015-09-10 20:31:17
    Stephanie
    So true. Thats the first place I visit when I go back to France, the yogourt/dessert supermarket section. My 2 favorites: The Perle de Lait citron (yogourt), that I always try to bring back to Canada And the Superstore Super U and their Vanilla Creme de lait (even better than La Laitiere I think). Now I'm hungry!

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  • Parisbreakfast
    2015-08-11 20:03:29
    Parisbreakfast
    I can now say I've tasted everyone of these! The Carrefour citron tarte is the best I've tasted, maybe ever. And I've tried all the top Paris versions. Maybe it's the crunchy crust that's such a winner, but it's also Very tart in a most delicious way. Hard to tract down in Paris btw. Word is out evidently. Thank you Wini!

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  • Chez Bonne Femme
    2015-08-11 02:07:07
    Chez Bonne Femme
    Anchovies in Collioure are out of this world--both the fresh anchovies, and the salt-cured anchovies. I love the entire "Côte Vermeille." Thanks for your response!

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  • Parisbreakfast
    2015-08-07 16:22:03
    Parisbreakfast
    I just got the Gervita = out of this world! I even added some to the petit pot de creme caramel to cut the sweetness = perfection. Now to find the rest. Interesting Picard has not conquered Collioure. Their anchovies are supposed to be fabulous..Collioure's not Picard.

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  • Chez Bonne Femme
    2015-08-07 13:28:44
    Chez Bonne Femme
    I'm always taking photos in supermarkets....and getting quizzical looks from the natives.

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  • Chez Bonne Femme
    2015-08-07 13:27:57
    Chez Bonne Femme
    I can't believe I've never tried Picard! I think it's because in my little town (Collioure), there isn't a Picard. Love it or hate it, it's something to try!

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  • Patti
    2015-08-07 00:57:52
    Patti
    Oh dear - I want one of each, and I'm not due back in Paris for another eight months! Thank you for the ideas though - can't wait to go hunting!

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  • Parisbreakfast
    2015-08-06 18:38:22
    Parisbreakfast
    What a wonderful subject! I've not tasted a single one of these though I've gazed repeatedly and wondered.. My fav trashy dessert comes from Picard. Their ice creams are quite nice, especially the big-sized Café. But I'm addicted to their double mini pots of Lait d'amande griotte à la liqueur de cerise macaron à la pistache Not crazy for the brandied cherries which I remove but the rest is divine. Mamie yogurt makes a nice almond flavor too. The French + almonds = a marriage made in heaven.

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  • Saket
    2015-08-06 16:46:03
    Saket
    You must also try Danone's dark chocolate pudding, which retails at 1.25€ for a pack of four. It's got a rich dark chocolate flavour.

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  • susan cartron
    2015-08-02 03:20:02
    susan cartron
    aaaahhhh...thank you! a blast from the past! my husband (who's french) and i are going back to france in october and i absolutely cannot wait! he laughed at me (lovingly) the last time we were in paris, in carrefour because i was taking pictures of all the wonderful foods! i plan to take an extra carry-on bag for bringing these yummy treats back home...

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  • Chez Bonne Femme
    2015-07-31 15:08:20
    Chez Bonne Femme
    Pamplemousse yogurt! How have I missed that? Now, I'm on a mission!

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  • Joy Maguire
    2015-07-30 20:33:52
    Joy Maguire
    Mono Prix also has great desserts, including their Creme Brulee. But the two best prepared things they have in the refrigerated are a pamplemousse yogurt and some cheese bites by Boursin that are peppered Boursin rolled in prosciutto, not to mention the packages of fresh rabbit breasts and fresh duck aiguiettes.

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