PETTIE FOUR

A petit four (plural: petits fours, also known

ias mgnardises) is a small bite-sized
confectionery or savory appetizer.

The name is French, petit four (French pronunciation: [pə.ti

fuʁ]), meaning "small oven".
In 18th and 19th century France, gas ovens did not
exist. Large brick (Dutch design) ovens were used,
which took a long time to heat up to bake bread, but
also to cool down. Bakers used the ovens during the
cooling process, taking advantage of their stored
heat, for baking pastry. This was called baking à
petit four (literally "at small oven"), a lower
temperature which allowed pastry baking
 The perfect bite-sized treat,
these Petit Fours are lovely at
parties, weddings, tea time, and
more! A soft cake with raspberry jam
and buttercream layered in-between
and topped with a white chocolate
coating, these petit fours are so
delightful!
These petit fours are a versatile dessert as
they are welcome at everything from baby
showers to birthday parties. They are
delightful served alongside afternoon tea
sandwiches. They have a reputation for
being a fussy dessert as they’re so small
and delicate, but the cakes are actually
quite simple! There’s nothing overly
technical here, and my step by step photos
and tips make it super easy to create them
yourself. Be prepared to impress your
guests after whipping up a batch of these
lovely petit fours.
The History of the Petit Four
The French name “petit four” has nothing at all to do with the number
four. The moniker actually comes from the baking method originally
used to make these sweet treats. During the 1800s in France, an oven
was little more than a large stone cabinet with a fire lit underneath it.
Under these circumstances, temperature control was essentially non-
existent. As a result, French bakers had only two oven “settings”:
blazing hot, and cooling down.
The blazing hot setting was reached when the coals under the oven were
burning at maximum capacity. This mode of cooking was referred to in
French as “grand four” – translated in English, “big oven” – and was used
primarily to cook meats. Once the fire under the stone oven was
extinguished, much of the heat was retained. Consequently, it took a very
long time for these ovens to cool down. This cooling process, when the oven
still retained some latent heat, was referred to as “petit four,” or “small oven.”
The trapped heat was just enough to cook tiny, individual pastries.
Petits 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 cocktail

parties or buffets

•Sec ("dry"), dainty biscuits, baked meringues, macarons, and puff

pastries
Types of Petit Fours

Within the petit fours category come

a host of variations. There are the
traditional mini cakes as well as
many other tiny French desserts that
fall under the umbrella of “petit
fours.” Here are a few of the different
types:
Petits fours sec: These are dry cookies
baked at a low temperature for a long time.
Popular examples include sable
beurre, palmiers, duchesses,
and macarons. They might also have a jam,
ganache, or dried fruit filling.
Petits fours glaces: Tiny cakes that are
topped with marzipan and then enrobed in
either fondant or chocolate. This type of
petit four is usually elaborately decorated
with intricate piping. These are often the
images that come to mind when people
think of the traditional petit four.
Petits fours frais: These petits fours are any small
pastries that must be eaten the same day they are made
because they lose significant quality the longer they sit.
Examples include sponge cakes, such as madeleines
and financiers, as well as cream-filled pastries
like eclairs and tartlets. They are typically moist, hence
the need for same-day consumption.
Petits fours deguises: Desserts in
this category consist of fresh or dried
fruit that is dipped in a sweet coating
such as chocolate or cooked sugar.
Examples include chocolate covered
strawberries or candied citrus fruits.