Petit Fours (French Petit Fours Glacé)
Petits fours are miniature sweet treats. The name comes from the French for ‘little oven’, as historically bakers would use the lower setting on their ovens to cook delicate pastries and cakes. Petits fours are increasingly imaginative, and a fantastic way for chefs to show off their creativity and skill. Petit fours can usually be eaten in one or two bites and are traditionally served with afternoon tea or after a fancy meal. These small fancy pastries are divided into two categories: "sec" and "glacé". "Sec" meaning "dry" and "glacé" meaning "iced or frosted". For this recipe we're making Petit Fours Glacé. Any sponge cake recipe will do. I like to make the sponge match the icing colour, for instance, lemon sponge, yellow icing or chocolate sponge, brown icing. Or half and half for a black and white, Let your imagination run wild!
Almond Cake:
⅔ lb almond paste (300 g)
⅔ cup granulated white sugar (135 g)
⅔ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces (150 g)
½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
¾ cup (about 4 large eggs), at room temperature (190 g without shell)
⅔ cup all-purpose flour, unbleached (85 g)
¼ tsp. sea salt (1 g)
Jam Filling:
¼ cup apricot preservies, heated and strained (60 mL)
¼ cup seedless raspberry preserves, heated (60 mL)
Buttercream Filling:
9 oz unsalted butter, softened (250 g)
7 oz icing sugar (200 g)
Marzipan Topping:
3 Tbsp. apricot jam
7 oz marzipan (200 g)
White Chocolate Glaze:
8 oz white chocolate, coarsely chopped (230 g)
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (80 g)
1 Tbsp. vegetable shortening (13 g)
Royal Icing:
1 large egg white, at room temperature (30 g)
1 tsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1½ cups confectioners' sugar, sifted (180 g)
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C/170°C fan, Gas Mark 5). Butter a 17½x12½x1" (44x32x2.5 cm) baking pan and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
Almond Cake:
Place the almond paste in your electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, (or use a hand mixer) and beat until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until thoroughly combined. Gradually add the butter and continue to beat until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of your bowl as needed. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined. Finally, beat in the flour and salt.
Evenly spread the batter into your pan and bake for about 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 5-10 minutes. Run a knife or spatula along the sides of the pan and then gently slide the cake, along with the parchment paper, onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
Fillings:
You can use the jam or buttercream fillings, or a combination of both.
Trim the edges of the cake with a sharp knife and divide the cake into three equal pieces. Take one layer and flip it onto a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment or wax paper. Peel off the parchment paper and spread the apricot preserves evenly over the top of the cake. Take a second layer of cake and turn it upside down on top of the apricot preserves. Peel off the parchment paper and spread the raspberry preserves evenly on the top of the cake. Then take the last layer of cake and turn it upside down on top of the raspberry preserves. Cover the whole cake with plastic wrap and then place a heavy plate or baking pan on top of the cake. This is done to compact the cake layers. Place in the refrigerator to chill until firm (2-3 hours or even overnight).
Once the cake is firm, remove from refrigerator, and using a 1½ (4 cm) round cookie cutter, cut into shapes (you can also cut the cake into squares, rectangles, or diamonds). Place the mini cakes on a baking sheet, cover, and place in the refrigerator while you make the White Chocolate Glaze.
White Chocolate Glaze:
Put the white chocolate, butter, and shortening in a stainless steel bowl. Place over a saucepan of barely simmering water and heat until smooth. (Watch carefully as white chocolate can easily overheat.) Remove from heat.
Place your small cakes on a wire rack that has been placed over a baking sheet. Using a small ladle pour the chocolate glaze over the cakes, making sure that the glaze completely covers each cake. If your glaze gets too thick, place it back over the heat to thin it out. Any glaze that drips onto the baking sheet can be strained and then it may have to be reheated. Place the frosted cakes into the refrigerator for about 15 minutes so the glaze can harden and become firm.
Royal Icing:
Place the egg whites and lemon juice in a large bowl and whisk until frothy. Add the sifted powdered sugar and mix until smooth. If needed, add a few drops of water until you get the correct piping consistency. At this point you can add food colouring to the royal icing. Place the royal icing in a pastry bag fitted wth a small plain tip and decorate the tops of the cakes.
Store the Petit Fours in a covered container in the refrigerator for about 7-10 days. They can also be frozen for about a month. (If freezing, do not decorate with the royal icing.) To defrost, place in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.
Makes about 24 (1½", 4 cm) petit Fours.