How to make petit fours?

I think you could basically just use any cake recipe or maybe

even a good box mix. Bake in sheet pan, divide

the cake in half when done and cooled. Make a good unique filling,

( a raspberry or orange buttercream would be wonderful with a

white cake, and a coffee flavored or peanut butter flavored buttercream with a chocolate cake) and make it like

a layer cake. You could even divide your cake into 4 thin layers with you wanted.

Cut into small squares or rectangles or fancy shapes with cookie cutters.

Melt colored or whitechoc. and dip the cake bites into it,

decorate.. you got petit fours.

Petit four means litte oven translated into english and where a way for Pastry chefs to use up there left overs and cut them into bite size and serve them. If we are talking petit fours now they are usually labor intens, nicly iced little bite size cakes. But again, it can be as simple as a bite size brownie with a capucchino mousse in the middle, a strawverry tartelett. If you want to get a book, look for any pastry book

a very easy way i use in the markets you can buy little cup cake liners for petite fours and then i use different cake mixes and i made holders that were square to hold the liner in so they remain square...........you bake them the same as cup cakes only smaller...then you can use the pointed tip for cake decorating and a pastry bag and fill with whatever filling you want...raspberry jam,,,any thing along that line works ....then i icing then removed from the paper the same as you would a cup cake........you also pour dipping choc over them......after they are baked you can really experminent with them.....i bake about 4 different box cake mix and freeze them before i add icing for later useand there is some neat cake mixes on the market...and i have found that they are as good as i can bake from scratch....the red velvet is good....after they are iced ....use a small tube and put small stars...or dot...or swirls.........i good little trick i use is freeze them after baked....then you can trim them to be flat and square....so you have no big expense by having to buy expensive equipment that you may only use 1 or 2 times a year.........just remember to make sides to set them in from foil...it will be just long rows in a glass baking dish or pan depends on how many you want to do......if you have any question ....send a e mail cheers...

Petit fours ( little ovens in French) are a generic name for small-bite biscuits or pastries usually very coloured and very rich in contents. They are the ultimate expression of the patisserie world and can be served before a meal or to accompany the coffee and digestives.

They range from wafer thin tiles (Fr. tuiles) to cat's tongues (Fr. langue de chat) to miniature cakes cloaked in fondant. They require a lot of patience, careful watching while in the oven and an artistic flamboyant presentation with layers of chocolate, glazed fruits cut into curious shapes, nuts, butter creams, rosettes and icing sugar scrolls. Served in small paper cups - or tin foil cups for the chocolaty ones - adds a professional touch. Besides the normal tools for pastry and confectionery you will need a piping bag for the decorations.

As for recipes try almond petit fours - same recipe as for macaroons but piped through bag into small thumb size cakes.

Or try the genoise-type of whisked cakes with its many different recipes - soaked in brandy with jam layers (Australia) latt sockerkaka - flavoured with almond, vanilla and orange (Sweden) torta margherita - layered with meringue,fresh fruit and whipped cream ( Italy) or gateau d' Isigny - butter cream, raspberry jam and fondant icing (France).

Remember to make evrything no larger than 1/2 inch all around and that you'll have to slave many hours before they come out right.

Bon apetit!

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Cheesecake Petit Fours with Creamy Strawberry Glaze Recipe courtesy Sandra Lee

Recipe Summary

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Inactive Prep Time: 4 hours

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 1 to 2 dozen (depending on size of cut-outs)

1 store-bought plain-flavored cheesecake

1 (12-ounce) jar strawberry jam

3 tablespoons sugar

2 ounces cream cheese

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 (1-pound) jar store-bought icing (any flavor or color you desire)

Fresh strawberries, for garnish

Fresh mint leaves, for garnish

Special Equipment: round or square cookie cutters, star tip

Place cheesecake in freezer until partially frozen, about 3 to 4 hours.

Using your cookie cutters, press out mini cheesecakes and place on a cookie sheet lined with waxED paper. To smooth the sides of the cheesecake, you may dip a small knife into hot water. Place cakes in the refrigerator.

In a medium saucepan, heat jam, sugar, cream cheese, and lemon juice over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and ingredients are fully combined. Once dissolved, whisk ingredients to combine. Let mixture come to a rapid boil and continue cooking for 5 minutes; the mixture should coat the back of a spoon. Let cool for 2 to 3 minutes and then strain. Pour glaze over cheesecakes and let set. For a professional look, transfer glaze to a squeeze bottle and pipe a star shape over cheesecakes.

Place icing in a large resealable plastic bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe icing over cheesecakes. Garnish with strawberries and mint.

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Orange Petits Fours with an Almond Pastry Cream and a Fresh Orange Glaze Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2000

Recipe Summary

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours 55 minutes

Yield: about 32 petits fours

For the Cake:

1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 sticks butter, at room temperature

3 1/2 cups sugar

2 large oranges

3 large eggs, at room temperature

2 3/4 cups cake flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 1/2 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

To Assemble:

1 cup Almond Pastry Cream, cold, recipe follows

4 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted and crushed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper. Butter the entire pan with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Using an electric mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the remaining 1 1/2 sticks of butter and 2 1/2 cups sugar together. Zest the oranges over the bowl and mix thoroughly, reserving the oranges. Add the eggs 1 at a time, and mix well. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder. Add the flour alternately with the milk. Mix well. Add the vanilla. Pour into the prepared pan. Place in the oven on the middle rack. Bake until the top is golden and the cake springs back, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes in the pan. Place a piece of parchment paper over the rack and carefully invert the cake onto a wire rack. Allow the cake to cool completely.

For the orange syrup: In a saucepan, combine the juice of the oranges (about 1/2 cup) and the remaining 1 cup of sugar. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool completely. Brush the top of the cake with the orange syrup. Let the cake sit for 10 minutes. To assemble, cut the cake in half, crosswise. Spread the almond cream, evenly, over one cake. Place the other cake on top of the pastry cream and slightly press the layers together. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until the filling has set, about 2 hours. Using a serrated knife, trim of the edges of the cake and cut the cake into an even rectangle. Cut into individual cakes, 1 1/2 by 2 inches. Place the individual cakes on 2 wire racks, over a half sheet pan lined with parchment paper, about 2 inches apart from each other. In a mixing bowl, combine the powdered sugar, orange juice and some of the milk. Whisk until smooth. Pour the frosting over each cake letting the excess drip down the sides of the cake. Using a knife, spread the frosting evenly over the sides of the cakes. Sprinkle the top of each cake with the crushed almonds. Place the cakes back in the refrigerator and allow the frosting to set,

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Cake Petit Fours Recipe courtesy Sandra Lee

Recipe Summary

Difficulty: Medium

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Yield: 8 servings

1 store-bought pound cake

1 small jar seedless strawberry jam

1 pint strawberries, sliced

1 (1-pound) container vanilla frosting

Red, green, and brown food coloring

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup milk

Ice cream (any flavor you desire), frozen hard

Slice cake into 1/4-inch thick slices. Spread jam on the cake slices and then top with sliced strawberries. Cut cake slices into 1-inch circles and stars and set aside.

Separate the frosting into 3 bowls and add food coloring to reach desired colors (1 to 2 drops of red to make pink, 1 to 2 drops of green to make seafoam and 1 to 2 drops of brown to make cream). Make a glaze by combining the sugar and milk in a medium bowl. Separate the glaze into 3 bowls and tint each to match the frosting colors.

Place cake cut-outs on a wire rack. Fill 3 resealable plastic bags fitted with a star tip with each color of frosting and then pipe desired frosting over. Using a melon baler, add a scoop of ice cream and then sandwich the cut-outs. Drizzle glaze over cut-outs. Let glaze set. Pipe a star on the top of each petit four with the corresponding color of icing. Garnish with a small strawberry slice.

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Black and White Chocolate Petit Fours Recipe courtesy Jacques Torres

Recipe Summary

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Yield: Approximately 2 dozen

1/2 pound (2 sticks) plus 1 1/2 tablespoons butter

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Pinch salt

Dash vanilla

1 extra-large egg white

2 cups cake flour, sifted

1/4 cup cocoa powder

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla into the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix at low speed. When combined, add egg white then barely incorporate the flour.

Divide the mixture in half. Add the cocoa powder to one half and the cornstarch to the other half. Place each batter a separate pastry bag, then place both bags inside a larger pastry bag fitted with a 3/4-inch star tip.

Pipe rosettes or drops onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.