Petit Fours are little, bite-sized, iced mini cakes. Traditionally they are made from almond sponge cake but a variety of other flavors can be used to make the sponge. If you are not a very good baker, or your time is limited, you can use bought pound cake instead of sponge.
Here are the recipes & directions for making an orange sponge cake (a favorite); simple syrup, chocolate buttercream frosting (I love the delicate orange sponge combines with the chocolate) and a poured fondant icing (orange flavored)
Instructions
1. RECIPES
Sponge Cake (orange)
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 6 tablespoons orange juice
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour one 9 inch round pan.
2. Separate the eggs while cold, then bring to room temperature.
3. Beat egg yolks, sugar and grated orange rind until light and fluffy. Mix flour and baking powder together in a separate bowl. Alternately add flour mixture and orange juice to the egg yolk mixture little by little.
4. In a separate large CLEAN bowl, with a CLEAN whisk or beaters, beat egg whites to stiff peaks, Fold into batter gently as to preserve fluffiness.
5. Pour batter into pan and bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) 50 to 60 minutes.
Simple Syrup
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup water
1. In a medium saucepan combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool.
Buttercream Frosting (chocolate)
• 2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 3/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 4 tablespoons water
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons rum
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. In the top of a double boiler, heat chocolate, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool to lukewarm.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and shortening until light and fluffy. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, cook sugar and water until sugar is dissolved.
3. In a separate medium bowl, beat egg yolks on high speed until thick and lemon colored. Slowly pour in the hot sugar liquid, while beating at medium speed until soft and well mixed. Combine the yolk mixture with the butter mixture and continue to beat for 5 minutes.
4. Beat in the rum and vanilla. Pour in the melted chocolate and beat until well mixed.
Pourable Fondant Icing (orange flavored)
• 6 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon orange extract
1. In a saucepan, combine confectioners' sugar, water and corn syrup. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it reaches a temperature of 92 degrees F (33 degrees C.) Mixture should be thin enough to pour, but thick enough to coat cake.
Step 1: Prepare and cook cakes; cool to room temperature
2. When the cakes have cooled, use a long serrated knife to split the cake into layers; gently saw your way through. Soak the cakes with the Simple Syrup by brushing on with a pastry brush until the cakes are thoroughly soaked.
3. Spread Buttercream Frosting on one cake layer and place the other layer on top. Cut the cake into whatever shapes you want your little cakes to be, again using a serrated knife.
4. Frost each mini cake smoothly with a thin layer of buttercream frosting (called a crumb coat) and place on a cooling rack with a cookie sheet underneath. Gently pour fondant over iced cake, flowing from center and moving out in a circular motion. Touch up sides with a spatula. Glaze on the baking sheet can be scraped off, reheated and reused; strain to remove any crumbs first before pouring.
Tags: sugar water, degrees degrees, white sugar, baking powder, bowl beat, butter shortening, cake into