Savoyard desserts

After the richness of the cheeses and mountain dishes, Savoyard desserts often play it light. The most famous, the gâteau de Savoie, is even said to be one of the airiest cakes there is. Alongside, a few traditional sweets mark the year, from Christmas rissoles to carnival bugnes.

The gâteau de Savoie, a count’s dessert

The gâteau de Savoie is the region’s signature dessert, and one of the oldest. Its origin goes back to the 14th century: it is said to have been created for Count Amédée VI of Savoie, who was receiving Emperor Charles IV, by his master cook. The story goes that the count wanted to dazzle his guest with a cake as light and tall as possible, in the image of his mountains.

Its particularity lies in its make-up: it contains no butter, no milk, no oil. Its lightness comes from egg whites beaten to peaks, mixed with yolks, sugar, flour and often potato starch. It is a very airy sponge, low in fat, eaten plain, with a custard or with fruit. From the 17th and 18th centuries, it began to be flavoured with citrus zest, orange-flower water or vanilla.

Rissoles, festive turnovers

Rissoles are small pastry turnovers filled with fruit, traditionally pear, apple or quince, sometimes baked, sometimes fried. It is a feast-day dessert, tied to Christmas and the year’s end in many Savoie families. Each household has its filling and its shape.

Bugnes and the other sweets

Bugnes are carnival fritters, strips of dough fried and dusted with sugar, made for Shrove Tuesday. More or less thick and crisp depending on the recipe, they are shared at winter’s end. Alongside, you find other mountain sweets, from summer blueberry tarts to high-altitude red-fruit jams.

Pairings and context

The gâteau de Savoie goes well with a sweet white or a sparkling wine such as Ayze: see Savoie wines. For the sweet side of the terroir, think also of honey and the red fruits of the alpine pastures. To place these desserts within the region’s cooking as a whole, see the Savoyard specialities page. You find them at the region’s pâtissiers and at markets, for example in Annecy.