Petit Fours (Easy Recipe!) - The Big Man's World ® (2024)

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Learn how to make petit fours, the classic French dessert. Decorated with flowers, it’s a perfect recipe for any occasion!

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Ever heard of petit fours before? We love them in our household. For those of you who aren’t sure what they are, petit fours are small bite-sized desserts made from soft cake and originated in France.

Table of Contents
  1. Why this recipe works
  2. What are petit fours made of?
  3. How to make petit fours?
  4. What are the different types of petit fours?
  5. Tips to make the best recipe
  6. Storage instructions
  7. More elegant desserts to try
  8. Frequently asked questions
  9. Petit Fours (Recipe Card)

Why this recipe works

  • Quick and easy. Okay, so this dessert may look incredibly fancy but I promise you, it is one of the easiest ones you’ll ever make.
  • Simple ingredients. No hard-to-find or difficult ingredients are needed. And you definitely don’t need to be a pastry chef to make this!
  • Perfect for entertaining. Mini desserts (or any mini foods) are always a hit, and these will steal the show!
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What are petit fours made of?

Don’t let your eyes deceive you- These desserts may look fancy but the ingredient list is simple and has things you can find at any basic grocery store (or your pantry!). Here is what you’ll need:

  • Butter. Softened to room temperature.
  • Superfine sugar. Or use powdered sugar
  • Vanilla extract. A must for this dessert.
  • Eggs. Room temperature.
  • Self rising flour. Skip the expensive pre-packaged kind and make your own.
  • All purpose flour. Sifted to ensure there are no clumps.
  • Milk. I used whole milk but any milk works.
  • Powdered sugar. For icing
  • Corn syrup. Makes the icing softerand easier to decorate with.
  • Vanilla extract.
  • Water.
  • Decorative flowers. Optional, but we added some edible flowers.

How to make petit fours?

Step 1- Make the batter

Add butter, vanilla extract, and sugar to an electric mixer and blend until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Mix in the flour and then add milk to make a smooth batter.

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Step 2- Bake the cake base

Transfer the batter to a pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. Once the cake is baked, transfer the cake to a wire rack and let it cool completely.

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Step 3- slice the cake

Trim the edges and make small slices of equal size. Keep the cake on the wire rack.

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Step 4- Prepare the icing mixture

Add water to a large saucepan to create a water bath. Place a heatproof bowl over the water bath and add vanilla extract, powdered sugar, cold water, and corn syrup. Mix for 5 to 7 minutes or until it becomes smooth and runny.

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Step 5- ice the cake

Generously pour the icing mixture on the cake slices until completely covered.

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Step 6- decorate and serve

Decorate the icing-coated slices with flowers and allow a few minutes for it to set.

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What are the different types of petit fours?

While these glazed mini cakes are the original recipe, they come in other varieties with different names:

  • Palmiers – Also known as palm trees pig ears, are French pastries.
  • duch*esses – It’s a classic petit fours type, made from almonds, chocolate, and hazelnuts.
  • Sable beurre – These are traditional French butter cookies made using salted butter and shortbread-type of dough.
  • Macarons – These are gluten free petit fours, as they use nut flour.
  • Freeze the cake slices before coating them with icing. This helps the icing firm up easier and quicker.
  • Do not over-mix the cake batter. Over-mixing will cause a build-up of gluten which in turn, will yield a gummy cake.
  • If you notice the top of the cake browning too quickly, add some tin foil to it during the baking process.

Storage instructions

To store. Place the cakes in a shallow container and keep them at room temperature for three days or refrigerate it for up to seven days.

To freeze. Leftovers can be stored in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

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More elegant desserts to try

More dessert recipes

Cherry Cheesecake

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Brownie Bites

Opera Cake

Pear Cake

Strawberry Cheesecake

Frequently asked questions

Why do they call it petit fours?

They are made using a specific heat setting, due to which they got this name. In French, petit fours mean “small oven,” but they are not cooked in a small oven. The name indicates a low-temperature setting obtained when the fire has almost dried out, but there is still some heat on the oven walls; it was known as a petit four or small oven.

Can I use cake mix to make these?

Yes, you can make cake mix to make these instead of using the instructed batter. You can try a vanilla cake or snickerdoodle cake.

Are these gluten free?

As they contain all purpose flour, they aren’t gluten free.You can experiment with using a gluten-free baking flour.

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Petit Fours

5 from 49 votes

These petit fours are delicate and miniature French desserts featuring a glazed sponge cake with a decorative topping. They make the perfect bite sized treat.

Servings: 12 servings

Prep: 1 minute min

Cook: 1 hour hr

Total: 1 hour hr 1 minute min

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Ingredients

Glaze

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced. Grease a loaf pan and set aside.

  • Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla until fluffy. Add the eggs in, one at a time, until mixed in. Sift in the flours and then stir through the milk until combined.

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  • Transfer the mixture to the pan and bake for an hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean. If there is over-browning, cover the pan with tin foil.

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  • Turn it out on a wire rack and let it cool completely.

  • Trim the edges of the cake and cut it into 6 1 ½ inch slices. Cut 2 squares from each slice. Place the cakes on a wire rack.

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  • Create a water bath by adding water to a large saucepan. Place a heatproof bowl over it and add the powdered sugar, corn syrup, vanilla extract, and cold water. Stir for 4-7 minutes, until smooth and runny.

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  • Carefully pour the icing mixture over one of the cake squares until completely covered. Top it with a decorative flower. Repeat the process until all the cakes are covered.

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Notes

TO STORE. Place the cakes in a shallow container and keep them at room temperature for three days or refrigerate it for up to seven days.

TO FREEZE. Leftovers can be stored in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Petit FourCalories: 196kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSodium: 25mgPotassium: 19mgFiber: 0.02gVitamin A: 68IUCalcium: 14mgIron: 0.2mgNET CARBS: 39g

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Author: Arman Liew

Tried this recipe?Give us a shout at @thebigmansworld or tag #thebigmansworld!

Petit Fours (Easy Recipe!) - The Big Man's World ® (2024)

FAQs

What are the 4 types of petit fours? ›

There are several types of petit* fours: petit* fours salé (“salted,” or savory appetizers), petit* fours sec (“dry” as in cookies and macarons), petit* fours frais (“fresh,” referring to highly perishable items like éclairs and madeleines which must be eaten that day when kept at room temperature), and petit* fours ...

Why are petit fours so expensive? ›

Petit Fours are, and are perceived to be, a gourmet product, a luxury. They are bite-sized pieces of art, crafted with meticulous attention to detail and ingredients of the highest quality. This perception of value allows a premium pricing, justified by the craftsmanship and quality involved.

What is an example of a petit four? ›

Popular examples include sable beurre, palmiers, duch*esses, and macarons. They might also have a jam, ganache, or dried fruit filling. Petit* fours glaces: Tiny cakes that are topped with marzipan and then enrobed in either fondant or chocolate.

Do you put petit fours in fridge? ›

Petit fours should be stored in an airtight container. They will keep at room temperature for two days or refrigerated for up to a week. They may also be frozen for two to three months.

What is the unique name for petit fours? ›

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.

How long will petit fours stay fresh? ›

The consensus is that if you're storing them at room temperature, you should consume them within two or three days. On the other hand, storing petit* fours in the refrigerator allows them to stay fresh for a longer period, up to three to five days.

What does petit fours mean in English? ›

plural petit* fours or petit fours ˌpe-tē-ˈfȯrz. pə-ˌtē-, -ˈfu̇r(z) : a small cake cut from pound or sponge cake and frosted.

How many petit fours per person? ›

We recommend about 2-3 pieces per person if you're ordering small desserts like half-sized brownies, bars, petit fours, and other "finger" sized treats. If you're thinking about doing larger desserts like cupcakes or tartlets, 1-2 per person should suffice.

Do petit fours freeze well? ›

Cover the rectangles tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw, then continue with the recipe. Prepared petit fours freeze well for up to 3 months without white chocolate topping.

Do petit fours go before or after dessert? ›

Mignardises and petit four are bite-sized desserts usually served at the end of the meal.

What is a tiny cake called? ›

What are petit fours? Petit fours are delicate little cakes that originated in France. Their name translates to “small oven” in English as petit fours were baked with the residual heat of brick ovens used for breadmaking in the past. The bakers would use the lower heat to make pastries, and thus their name was coined.

What are the two main types of petit fours? ›

Petit* fours come in three varieties: Glacé ("glazed"), iced or decorated tiny cakes covered in fondant or icing, such as small éclairs, and tartlets. Salé ("salted"), savory bite-sized appetizers usually served at co*cktail parties or buffets. Sec ("dry"), dainty biscuits, baked meringues, macarons, and puff pastries.

What are the two types of petit fours? ›

There are three classifications of baked petit fours, namely petit four sec, petit* fours frais, and petit four glacé. Petit four sec, sec meaning 'dry', consists of an endless variety of small biscuits, and macarons that are baked at a low temperature for a long time.

What are the 5 characteristics of petit fours? ›

Petit* fours have numerous characteristics, including light, delicate, crisp, and refreshing. The common defining characteristic of petit* fours is that they can be eaten in one or two bites.

What is the most common type of cake used as a petit four bases? ›

The name “petit four” is French, which translates to “small oven”. There are many types of Petit Fours, but the most common are little cakes (often with some sort of filling) which are glazed and decorated. For the cake, you can use any basic white cake, vanilla cake, or pound cake recipe – just bake in a 9″ X 13″ pan.

What is an example of a petit four salé? ›

Other petit fours salé to try:

Savoury tartlets. Puff pastry pinwheels. Mini pizzas. Savoury palmiers.

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