Sweet-talking slips of the tongue! These desserts are commonly mispronounced around the world – but do YOU know how to say them?

• Breakfast favourites like croissants and Nutella are commonly mispronounced
• READ MORE: Hear how you REALLY pronounce place names around the world 

If you’ve got a sweet tooth, then there’s no doubt you’ll have a favourite dessert – and as cultures from around the world influence the UK food scene, there’s no shortage of options available. 

You’ve probably eaten your favourite sweet treat in every flavour and version available – but have you ever taken the time to check you’re pronouncing it correctly?

A study compiled by American language specialists Preply revealed the most commonly mispronounced dessert names – and some of them will surprise you.

But don’t worry, Preply culture specialist Amy Harris says you shouldn’t feel too bad about it as many of the pronunciations boil down to a unique ‘cultural heritage’.

She explained: ‘Many of us have encountered those tongue-twisting dessert names, and each has its unique cultural and culinary heritage.

A study compiled by American language specialists Preply has revealed the most commonly mispronounced dessert names. French dessert macaron makes the list (Stock image)

‘Whether you’re a passionate foodie or just someone with a sweet tooth, you might be surprised at how many of these treats you’ve been mispronouncing’. 

From breakfast favourites like croissants and Nutella, to the sneakily spelled macaron and crêpe, here, we reveal 10 dessert names you’ve been pronouncing all wrong – according to Preply.

Macaron

The macaron is particularly pesky as it’s often mistaken with the similarly spelt macaroon – a small cake or cookie, typically made from ground almonds and coconut.

However the sweet treat on our list hails from the French language and denotes a colourful cookie sandwich with a melt-in-your-mouth centre. 

The most common mistake people make when pronouncing macaron is swapping out the final syllable ‘ron’ for roon’ – and of course we can see why. 

Next time, try dropping the ‘n’ at the end of the word and saying ‘mah-kuh-ro’ instead. Have no fear, the correct pronunciation can be found below:

Incorrect: mah-kuh-ROON

Correct: mah-kuh-RON

Beignet

This candied deep-fried pastry is a favourite of many and is said to be very popular across Europe and parts of the US.

It’s easy to get caught up in the spelling of its tricky title, often leading people to explicitly pronounce the ‘g’.

However, this is a silent letters game and you’re expected to toss out the letters ‘g’ and ‘t’ and instead pronounce it as ‘ben-ye’.

Here’s a tip: Your mouth should be left open and not closed after saying the last syllable.

Incorrect: beg-NAY or beg-NET

Correct: ben-YE

Crêpes

Known as the thinner and somewhat fancier version of the traditional pancake, the name derives from the Latin word ‘crispus’ (Stock image)

The name for the French classic thin pancake derives from the Latin word ‘crispus’, which oddly means ‘curled, wrinkled’ and ‘curly haired’.

It’s popularity has boomed over the years, with superfans of the dessert often enjoying it with toppings such as chocolate sauce and fruit.

While there’s a temptation to pronounce it like ‘crates’ with a ‘p’ instead of a ‘t’, remember that the ‘s’ in crêpes is silent.

Incorrect: KRAYPS

Correct: KREHPS

Dulce de leche

Smooth, sticky and irresistibly sweet, are just a few ways to describe this thick caramel-based dessert.

As the first dessert on our list to be made up of three words it is most certainly bound to trip you off your feet.  

Ironically it’s made up of just two ingredients – sugar and milk – and is heated over several hours, allowing the sugar to blend and caramelise.

It originates from Latin America, with the ‘ce’ in ‘dulce’ being pronounced as ‘say’ not ‘che’.

Incorrect: dul-che-de-leh-chay

Correct: dool-say-de-leh-chay

Croissant

The ‘crois’ in ‘croissant’ refers to the crescent shape, and the correct pronunciation is closer to ‘kwah-sahn’ (Stock image)

You’re likely to hear this delightfully flaky French pastry requested almost every morning at coffee shops around the world.

While there’s probably no counting the numerous ways it been mispronounced, we’ve found the correct way to say it.

Remember that the ‘crois’ in ‘croissant’ refers to the crescent shape, and the correct pronunciation is closer to ‘kwah-sahn’.

Incorrect: cross-aunt

Correct: kwah-sahn

Nutella

This gooey chocolate spread goes with practically everything and you’re likely to find it in most households.

The sweetened hazelnut cocoa spread was created by Italian candy company Ferrero and includes the ingredients sugar and palm oil.

Nutella often gets mispronounced by way of a ‘nut’ sound at the beginning instead of a soft ‘noo’ sound – who would’ve thought it?!

Incorrect: nut-ella

Correct: noo-tell-uh

Pain au chocolat

A pain au chocolat is a popular chocolate pastry from France, often accompanied by a fresh cup of coffee. 

Although, to an English speaker, it’s tempting to pronounce the first word like the sensation of pain, it’s important to remember the spelling is actually the French word for ‘bread’. 

Simply replace the word ‘pain’ with ‘pan’ and soften the ‘ch’ to make a ‘shh’ sound instead.

Here’s a tip: Let the words roll off your tongue and try to imitating this in your pronunciation when next you order the pastry.

Incorrect: payn-oh-choc-o-laht

Correct: pan-oh-shoh-koh-lah

You’ve probably eaten your favourite sweet treat in every flavour and version available – but have you ever taken the time to check you’re pronouncing it correctly?

Nougat

Nougat is a chewy confection made from sugar, nuts, and sometimes egg whites – and you’ll either love it or hate it.

Unsurprisingly, people tend to overemphasise the ‘g’ sound, which should instead be uttered more softly. In addition, the t is mostly silent.

Here’s a tip: Think of it as a soft ‘noo’ followed by a gentle ‘gah’ and keep practicing.

Incorrect: new-gat

Correct: noo-gahh

Mascarpone

Mascarpone is a soft and sumptuous Italian cheese, which works best in both sweet and savoury dishes alike.

The correct way to say it involves saying a soft ‘car’ sound and making a slight elongation of the final syllable. It should sound like this: ‘mah-skar-poh-neh’.

Incorrect: mas-car-pohn

Correct: mah-skar-poh-neh

Petit Fours 

Both opulent and tiny, the petit fours are bite-sized pastries or sweets served after a meal.

Originating in France, they come in various flavours and designs, adding a touch of elegance to any tea party or dessert spread. 

While the incorrect ‘peh-teet for’ might sound charming, the correct pronunciation is ‘puh-tee foor’.

Incorrect: peh-teet for

Correct: puh-tee foor

 

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