Petit Fours: Definition, Types and Characteristics

• Petit fours are small, tastefully decorated biscuits and cakes.
• The main components of a petit four can be cakes, cookies, chocolates, and meringues.
• Any bite-sized cake and bread can be a petit four with attractive flavors and stylized decorations.
• A petit four is also known as mignardises, pronounced "mean-ya-deez"
• Mignardises are small bite-sized confections or savory appetizers.
• In French, "petit four" ([pə. ti fur]) means "small oven".

Characteristics of Petit Fours

• Petit fours are small appetizers that are delicate and attractive.
• They should be small enough to be swallowed in one or two mouthfuls.
• Petit fours can be made from a large cake, sliced into bites, and decorated with different designs, ingredients, and toppings.

Different Types of Petit Fours

Petit Fours Sec (Dry)

• Petit fours sec are unfilled cookies with a signature dry, crisp texture.
• They are baked at a lower temperature for longer.
• Examples include small fancy cookies or biscuits, sablé, beurre, palmier, and macarons.

Petit Fours Frais

• "Frais" means "fresh" in French.
• Petit fours frais are moist treats best eaten fresh and should be eaten the same day for quality.
• Examples include choux pastry items like mini éclairs, fruits tarts, and cream puffs.

Petit Fours Glacé (Glazed)

• Glazed petit fours are covered with fondant icing.
• They are generally glazed with fondant or dipped in chocolate before the final decoration is added.

Petit Fours Salé (Salted)

• "Salé" means "salted or savory".
• Petit fours salé are bite-size appetizers usually served in cocktails, before dinner, and in buffets.
• Examples include cheese biscuits, savory tartlets, puff pastry pinwheels, and mini pizzas.

Petit Fours Déguisés

• Consists of fresh or dried fruit dipped in a sweet coating such as chocolate or cooked sugar.
• Roasted nuts are preferable for nuts, and dried fruits with marzipan are best for caramelized petit fours.

Marzipan Based Petit Fours

• Marzipan is a multi-purpose paste.
• Marzipan-based petit fours are attractive and popular for color and appearance with a toothsome taste.
• Marzipan, also known as "almond paste", is a sweetened mixture of ground almonds, liquid glucose or egg whites, corn syrup or sugar syrup, and either icing or caster sugar.

Types of Petit Four Bases

• Shortbread: A mixture of flour, fat, and sugar enriched with egg with a short eating quality due to higher fat content.
• Pastry: A dough predominantly made from flour, salt, and a relatively high proportion of fat, with a small amount of liquid.
• Sponge: Baked in thin sheets and layered together with flavored filling to hold the sheets together.

Flavors of Fillings for Petit Four Bases

• Jams: High in moisture, used to enhance flavor, add moisture, and bind the product.
• Ganache: A mixture of chocolate and cream, often used as a type of frosting.
• Butter cream: Made by creaming together fats like butter, margarine, or vegetable oil and sugar.

The Best Way to Store Petit Fours

• Store in an air-tight container.
• Consume within two or three days when stored at room temperature.
• Storing the petit fours in the refrigerator allows them to stay fresh for three to five days.