PETIT

FOURS
Prepared by: Maria Merllan Estrellante Mier
History of Petit Fours
• In 18th and 19th century France, gas ovens did not exist.
Large brick (Dutch design) ovens were used, which took a
long time to heat up to bake bread, but also to cool down.
Bakers used the ovens during the cooling process, taking
advantage of their stored heat, for baking pastry. This was
called baking à petit four (literally
"at small oven"), a lower
temperature that allowed
pastry baking.
Petit fours and their characteristics
• Petit fours are small bite-sized pastries or confections
served after a meal. The French word petit four means
“small oven” and refers to the very small, secondary
oven in which the pastries were baked. They’re also
known as sweetmeats, fancy cakes, bonbons, or
confections.
• Petit fours are typically one to three bites in size and
have a variety of shapes and decorations. Common
types of petit fours include cakes, cookies, chocolate
pieces, and meringues. A petit four is a small bite-sized
confectionery or savory appetizer, or a small cake or
piece of pastry. The name is derived from the French,
petit fours, meaning "small oven".
• Petit fours were traditionally baked in a smaller oven next to the main
oven, called the petit four oven, although they are now often baked in
standard ovens. Some modern commercial bakeries mass-produce
frozen petit fours for sale to consumers; these products are often
frosted and decorated with colorful piped royal icing.
• Petit fours may be covered in powdered sugar or icing, with
decorations on top. The cakes can be filled with fruit preserves or
buttercream.
Types of petit fours
1. Hazelnut: These are the classic petit fours, with a light, creamy filling. These
petit fours tend to be less sweet than other varieties.
2. Almond: Almonds in chocolate are another classic option. It comes in two
flavors: almond and pistachio.
3. Pistachio: A touch of orange accentuates this delicacy. It's more delicate than
the other varieties, but it's still very rich in flavor.
4. Coconut cream: Traditionally these petit fours are made from coconut, but
almond and pistachio versions are also available. This is an extremely decadent
treat for chocolate lovers.
5. Chocolate /ganache - a soft mixture of chocolate and cream can be
presented in a base of hard chocolate.
6. Marzipan – can be used as a base for petit fours
7. Choux paste - is made by boiling water and fat
8. Sponge – is baked in thin sheets and they are layered’ together with
flavoured filling that will act as an adhesive to hold the sheets of sponge
together.
9. Shortbread - a mixture of flour, fat, and sugar, enriched with egg, and has
a short base for petit eating quality.
10. Pastry – savoury pastry like puff pastry can make a suitable base for
petit fours when a sweet filling is used.
 Fillings for petit fours

Ganache - a mixture of chocolate and cream.

Buttercreams - can be flavoured to the desired standard, adds
a good mouthfeel, and cuts well when cold
Icing Fondant - is used to glaze petit four. It is kneaded with
flavoured and coloured as desired. You can roll it out, cut, and
dip in it chocolate or roll and dip it in
• CHOUX PASTE – meaning cabbage paste. A unique from a
small drop of choux paste batter can get 3x height. Choux
paste is leavened by steam and baked in a hollow shell that
can be filled with filling. It is baked in a very hot oven in
which the heat from the oven coagulates the gluten and
protein from the eggs to set the structure and make a firm
shell.
KINDS OF CHOUX PASTE

1. Beignet – deep fried, often topped with sugar

2. Boschebol - a large dutch profiterole, filled with whipped
cream and coated entirely with chocolate
3. Chouquette - a small portion of choux pastry sprinkled with
pearl sugar and sometimes filled with custard or mousse
4. Croquembuche - a French dessert consisting of choux pastry balls
piled into a cone and bound with threads of caramel
5. Éclair - an oblong pastry filled with cream and topped with icing
paste
6. Gougère - a baked savory pastry made of choux dough mixed with
cheese
7. Lady's navel - made from balls of choux pastry which are given a
dimple, deep-fried, and then soaked in syrup.
8. Nun's puffs - the choux is pan-fried before baking
9. Profiterole - a French dessert choux pastry ball filled with
whipped cream, pastry cream, custard, or ice cream
10. Paris-Brest - made of choux pastry and a praline-flavored
cream, shaped round like a wheel for the bicycle race for
which it is named
Varieties of Petit Fours

Petit fours come in three varieties:

• Glazed - iced or decorated tiny cakes
covered in fondant or icing, such as small
éclairs, and tartlets
• Salted - savory bite-sized appetizers usually served at cocktail
parties or buffets
• Dry - dainty biscuits, baked meringues, macarons, and puff
pastries
In a French patisserie, assorted small desserts are
usually called mignardises, while hard, buttery biscuits
are called petit fours.
What is a petit four made of?

• A petit four is a small cake, typically made of sponge cake and

decorated with frosting. The word "petit" translates to "little" in
French. To make a petit four it is usually cut into squares, a half-
moon-shaped slice, or an octagon shape. It can be filled with
whipped cream or other fillings (such as chocolate mousse) as well.
• A petit four is traditionally made for special occasions such as
birthdays, anniversaries, and other festive occasions.
• Petit fours are also known as wedding cakes in France (the French
word for Petit Four means "wedding cake"), and that is where the
term petit four derives from. To make a wedding cake in France it is
necessary to have a professional decorator who has studied the art of
decorating cakes for many years. The size of the wedding cake will
be proportionate to the size of the celebration and the number of
guests expected at the party. This can affect how much time you or
your decorator will have to spend on each petit four you make.
Difference between petit fours and fondant fancies

• Petit fours and fondant fancies are both small, simple cakes. They're often
served at afternoon tea or other functions where they can be eaten by
hand. Petit fours are small bite-sized sweets that can be made from
biscuit, sponge, or choux pastry, and are often coated in icing or
chocolate.
• Petit fours are small individual pastries that are made from a sponge cake
base, with a variety of toppings, glazes, and frostings. They can be dipped
in chocolate or covered in fondant icing, marzipan, or royal icing.
• They come in an enormous variety of shapes and colors, and
with the addition of sugar paste flowers and other
decorations, can be highly decorative.
• Fondant fancies (also known as petit fours glacés) are small
iced cakes that have a layer of icing on the top and bottom.
They are often covered with fondant icing which is rolled out
to cover the cake. Many fondant fancies also have piped
decorations on them.
Iced petit four
• Iced petit four is a small cake that is traditionally served on a special
occasion such as a wedding or as an afternoon snack with tea. The cakes
are less than two inches in diameter and are served in rows of three or four.
There are many variations of iced petit fours, but they commonly include
two layers of cake, a layer of frosting, and an outer coating of icing.
• Iced petit fours may be prepared for the baker's use or sale. The preparation
process is time-consuming, which makes the cakes expensive to purchase
from a bakery. They are popular additions to dessert tables at weddings and
other events.
What are small French cakes called?
• Macarons are small French cakes traditionally made of almond flour, sugar, and
egg whites with filling sandwiched between two cookies.
• "Macaron" is the French spelling that has become common in English, though
"macaroon" is also often used. This is not to be confused with the coconut
macaroon, a different cookie.
• They can be made from a variety of recipes, including sponge cake and almond
cake, and are often covered with icing or fondant in a wide array of colors. They
are usually served with coffee at the end of a meal. The cakes may be glazed or
topped with marzipan, icing, or fondant in a wide array of colors and decorated to
look like real or fanciful objects such as flowers, fruits, animals, and insects. Petit
fours can be displayed on tiered cake stands in bakeries and eaten at home.
Should petit fours be refrigerated?
• The answer to this question is a definitive "it depends." Some people say
that keeping petit fours chilled will make them taste better, while others say
it doesn't matter. Whichever camp you're in, there are a few things that you
need to keep in mind when refrigerating your petit fours.
• First, the most important thing to remember is that petit fours are baked
goods and not cooked food — as such, they should be eaten as soon as
possible after being baked. Therefore, if you keep them cold for a long time,
they'll likely be stale by the time you eat them.
• Second, keep in mind that because petit fours contain eggs and
other proteins, they can get a little oily when refrigerated. That
doesn't necessarily mean that they've gone bad or don't taste
good — it's just something you should be aware of if you
frequently refrigerate them.
Caramelized petit fours
• To understand caramelized petit fours, you must first understand petit fours.
The name Petit Four is French for “small oven” and refers to any small pastries
or cakes that are assembled in stages. Plain petit fours are typically white cake
squares that are covered with a layer of fondant. The fondant is often almond
flavored, but can also be chocolate or any other flavor.
• Caramelized petit fours have a topping of caramelized sugar, adding an extra
layer of crunchy sweetness to the already sweet little cakes. They can be served
as finger food at fancy parties, or individually wrapped and given as gifts.
Best way to display caramelized petit fours

1. Caramelize without baking -- Heat sugar with water and

lemon juice until caramelized, then coat your cakes with this
caramel. You will have to heat them gently on an oiled surface
until they absorb all the caramel and are coated well.
2. Make cake moist and soft -- Make sure you make a moist
recipe for your petit fours. There are many recipes available
online. Also, ensure that you pour the batter into small tins so
that they remain soft and moist when baked.
3. Store properly -- Store the petit fours in air-tight containers
with a few drops of brandy or rum so that they retain
moisture. Increase the level of alcohol depending on how
long you want to store them.
Types of decorations are best for petit four

• In the case of petit four, you can use many types of decorations.
• Icing, chocolate, dragées, and mini-candies are among the most
common ones. There's a large selection of decorative mini
candies that come in various shapes and colors.
• Be creative with your decoration: use your imagination to create
beautiful designs.
• Petit fours are little square cakes, which are baked in a square
pan and cut into squares.
• So these Petit fours are small cakes that are typically served at
weddings or other special events. Since they're only a few bites
each, it's important to make them as eye-catching as possible.
The easiest way to do this is by decorating the tops of your
petit fours with royal icing. Spread royal icing over the top of
each petit four using a spatula or butter knife, then use
decorative tips to create patterns on the icing. Choose a
contrasting color for the icing so it stands out against the petit
four itself.
CUTTING TYPES OF PETIT
FOURS

1. Square cut
2. Diagonal cut
3. Oval cut
4. Triangle cut
METHOD OF GARNISHES OR CHOCOLATE

1. Assembly
2. Lay the sponge sheet on a sheet of baking paper
3. Spread a thin layer of apricot jam over the sponge sheet
4. Place a second sheet of sponge on top
5. Press firmly into place
6. Remove any loose sponge crumbs
7. Spread a second layer of apricot jam thinly over sponge sheets
8. Take a third sheet of sponge and turn it over so the bottom of the sponge
sheet is on top
9. Lay the sponge sheet on top and place the second sheet of paper on top
and press the sheets of sponge firmly together
10. Place a metal tray on top and allow layered sponge sheets and apricot
jam to bond.
11. Buttercream products need to stand in a cool environment until they are
firm.
 THANK YOU 
-ma’am Lyn