Types of Petit Fours

A Petit Four is a small, bite sized dessert often associated with the elite. It is served with coffee, tea, or even sometimes wine and has been made popular by the royal Afternoon teas hosted both in England and France

History of Petit Fours

Petit fours literally translates to 'small oven' in French. In the days before electric ovens, bakers used to bake their breads and cakes in coal-fired ovens which would get extremely hot. When the fire was at its hottest, it was ideally used to roast meat and bake french loaves of bread. This temperature was referred to as Grand four Think of it as your 220°C oven. As the day went on and the fire died out, the oven would begin to cool. This was referred to as Petit Four. A cooler temperature meant that it was ideal to bake smaller items such as cookies, small cakes, and delicate pastries. Thus, the bite sized treat we know today as Petit Fours were invented.

Types of Petit Fours

Petit fours can be broken down into 3 main types, each composed of its' own ingredients and personality.

Petit Fours Sec

Sec - Dry

These are generally dry biscuits baked at a low temperature for a prolonged period of time. They can be served as is, or even sandwiched with a filling such as ganache or a fruit preserve. Popular examples include Shortbread, Macarons, Langue de chats, Cigars, and Tuile

Petit Fours Glaces

Glace - Iced

These are the most well known form of petit fours. A small piece of cake, generally almond flavoured, cut into a desired shape. Square is the most common but heart shaped and circles are also popular. It is layered with jam, buttercream, or ganache, before being topped with marzipan and enrobed in a fondant glaze. They are delicately decorated with edible flowers, royal icing piping, or small fresh fruit.

Petit Fours Frais

Frais - Fresh

These are the type of pastries that are designed to be eaten the same day that they are made as they los their quality quite quickly. Examples include cream filled pastries such as choux or tartlets, or can also be sponge based like financiers or madeleines.

Petit Fours Déguisés

Déguisés - Disguised

These consist of either fresh or dried fruit dipped in sugar or chocolate. Traditionally, marzipan was also shaped and coloured to look like fruit. This is where the 'diguised' name comes from.