In short: creams and spoon desserts have one big advantage on raclette night: they’re made in advance, in individual portions, and wait patiently in the fridge. After such a rich meal, we prefer, in our opinion, the tangy or light versions (lemon, fruit, yoghurt, fromage frais) and small portions for the richer creams. Here are 30 ideas, from bistro classics to mountain treats.
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The format that saves the evening
A raclette keeps everyone busy right to the end: the host doesn’t want to be whipping cream at 11 pm. A glass or ramekin prepared that morning solves the problem, and its small size naturally limits the portion. Just remember to take the desserts out of the fridge when you switch off the raclette grill.
Light and tangy
- Lemon posset: cream, sugar and lemon, nothing else, and an astonishing texture.
- Fromage frais, honey and walnuts: the grandmother’s dessert par excellence.
- Greek yoghurt and berries: with a little granola.
- Lemon mousse: airy and zingy.
- Citrus glass: orange segments, light cream, mint.
- Homemade apple compote: warm, with a hint of cinnamon.
- Berry coulis and petits-suisses: for the children.
- Citrus jelly: fresh, almost fat-free.
Bistro classics
- Crème brûlée: the blowtorch-caramelised crust is the show.
- Crème caramel: turned out at the last minute.
- Floating island (île flottante): light, despite the custard.
- Chocolate mousse: in little pots, it’s more sensible.
- Rice pudding: comforting, with vanilla.
- Semolina pudding: with raisins.
- Petits pots de crème: vanilla, coffee or chocolate.
- Flan pâtissier (French custard tart): in squares.
- Baked egg custard: simplicity itself.
Desserts from elsewhere
- Panna cotta: with a berry or mango coulis.
- Tiramisu: in glasses, it’s lighter than in a dish.
- Zabaglione (sabayon): warm, over fruit.
- Eton mess: crushed meringue, cream and strawberries.
- Individual pavlova: meringue, cream and exotic fruit.
- Crema catalana: flavoured with lemon and cinnamon.
- Mango mousse: light and exotic.
Mountain treats
- Meringues and double cream: a great classic from Gruyère, in Switzerland.
- Chestnut cream and fromage frais: in glasses, with crumbled meringue.
- Génépi or pear cream: for grown-ups, with a touch of alcohol.
- Blueberries and cream: simple as that.
- Mountain honey mousse: gentle and fragrant.
- Gingerbread cream: for the festive season.
Our tips (editor’s opinion)
- Make them the day before or that morning: most of these desserts benefit from a few hours in the fridge.
- Small containers: 100 ml glasses are plenty after a raclette.
- Add the crunch at the last minute: biscuits, nuts, meringue, otherwise they go soft.
- Creams with alcohol (génépi, pear, tiramisu with Marsala) are not for children or pregnant women.
- Raw eggs: chocolate mousse, tiramisu and some other mousses contain them. The French food safety agency Anses advises eating these preparations straight away or keeping them chilled to eat within 24 hours, and recommends that vulnerable people avoid raw or lightly cooked eggs. For a raclette prepared the day before, choose a cooked cream instead.
The other desserts in the pantry
Find all our desserts: cakes and tarts, ice creams and sorbets or raclette grill desserts. Back to the pantry.
Frequently asked questions
Which light dessert should you serve after raclette?
In our opinion, a tangy spoon dessert: lemon posset, fromage frais with honey, Greek yoghurt with berries or a citrus glass.
Can you make the desserts the day before a raclette?
Yes, most creams, panna cottas, mousses and desserts in glasses can be made the day before and kept in the fridge. Add the crunchy elements just before serving.
Which Swiss dessert should you serve after raclette?
Meringues with double cream, a speciality of Gruyère, are a classic. Blueberries and cream or a chestnut cream with fromage frais also keep to the mountain spirit.
