Petit Fours for Easter
by ....RaeDi
Petit Fours
Spring is in the air and this is the time of year when all things that have been dormant come back to life in full color. What beautiful colors we see in the flowers, the blossomed trees and shrubbery. Where ever you look there is such splendor.
Easter is the most sacred holiday of Christians; in fact it is what I consider the holiest day in our faith. Easter is truly a day of new beginnings. It is a day to celebrate life, but not just life, but everlasting life. With my commitment in my faith, it gives me hope, through Jesus; we get to live, live for eternity. It was at this time that Jesus died on the cross; the blood He shed has cleaned me of my sins, the same for all Christians and those that accept Him into their lives as Lord and Savior. He was buried and rose again three days later, thereby giving everlasting life for all of us who believe in Him.
I went out and picked some of my flowers growing in my gardens to put in several rooms in my home. It brings such joy to me to see and smell them. I try to keep cut flowers in my home throughout the season. They not only add color, but it brings cheers to the room that they grace. I had a few flowers left over that I used for the pictures of the Petit Fours.
I have wanted to make Petit Fours for some time now and finally decided to just do it. I have made them before; but I want to make them without pre-made sugar flowers. Why did I put it off, I am not talented with the pastry bag. I have artistic abilities but cannot use a pastry bag. I am a perfectionist and it is hard for me to make something when the flowers that grace them are not as pretty as the real thing, what a sore site when I am trying to put borders on something. I have looked into it and there will be classes in decorating with the pastry bag this fall and I will be the first one on the list, it is about time that I took the time to learn how to hold and use a pastry bag.
For these petit fours I used a ‘Sara Lee’ all butter pound cake (the only time I use a pre-made cake.) For those that do not know where to get them they are in the frozen section at the market. I let it thaw just a little while on the counter before I slice it into 1 inch wide slices that I then cut my 1” squares and circles. I do not bother to cut the top and sides off. When I made the slices I laid them flat and used my inch cutters to cut them out around the top, sides and bottom. It was a lot less work, one of the reasons I did not make my own pound cake.
Once I have all my petit cakes cut, I make sure there are no crumbs left on them and I then put them into the freezer on a jelly roll pan, it is easier to work with them frozen and when you pour the glaze on it seems to set up quicker.
Petit Four Icing/Glaze:
Ingredients:
- 9 cups of confectioners’ sugar
- ½ cup of water
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (use the clear if you can find it, if not I used the regular this time it does keep it from being a white glaze…
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- Food coloring, (optional) I used Ateco Spectrum Food Gel Paste
To Prepare Icing:
Combine all icing ingredients in the top of a double boiler. Heat all the ingredients over boiling water until the glaze is noticeable lukewarm, whisking constantly. Once it is heated I take the pan off the water and set aside and quickly get the cake out of the freezer and place the cakes directly on my cooling rack with a jelly roll pan underneath to catch the dripping of the excess glaze from the little cakes as I glaze them.
I use a small ladle filled with glaze and I hover over each petit fours and as I start to pour glaze onto the cake and I use a circular motion while hovering over the little cake until it is covered. Once I have them all glazed once I do it again. Then I take the glaze that has settled into the jelly roll pan (make sure there are no cake crumbs in the glaze) and if it is still warm (if not I put it over the hot water for a just a bit and it heats up real fast, whisk it while it heats) I do the same thing for the third time. It gives them a nice luster look.
I let them dry for several hours before adding the flowers and trims, but this time I put them in a box with lid to finish them tomorrow. Do not refrigerate, it will make the glaze sticky and I have been told grainy too.
I had left over buttercream frosting in the freezer that I thawed out and then beat it good, I divided it into four different bowls and then I tinted it with pink, purple, blue, and yellow and put each color into its own pastry bag. I have made the petit fours before several times and always used the already made sugar flowers however this time I did not buy any pre-made flowers to force myself into using the pastry bag. I did simple little flower on each of the petit fours.
They have nice color, but I cannot wait for the decorating classes so I can be confident in what I am doing. There has to be an easier way for someone too who has medical problems that cause the hands to shake and jerk, hopefully.
These were a lot better than they looked. It was a wonderful Easter, filled with food that was exceptional delicious with lots of leftovers. Happy Easter to all….
They look beautiful! I need to learn how to use my piping bag too – I’m on the look-out for a helpful website with hints and tips for using it. Until then I’ll just have to keep baking and practising!
Chocolate Rum Raisin Fudge, cannot wait to try this…but I too was told to wait a while before making anything sweet, I am happy with just one serving so that leaves quite a few left and I have orders to wait for the next dessert. Thank you for your sweet words about my Petit Fours, it is funny…just a little flower on each and I was worn out. If you find a nice site that gives good directions on the pastry bag will you let me know! I have been surfing for a while no luck. I too will not give up, that is why I did not buy the sugar flowers it forced me into doing these simple flowers. I took a spin at your site and will come back when I have a little more time. We will have to keep in touch and give any pointers we come across to the other, your friend….RaeDi
You make it sound so easy…. but I’m not sure I could make anything that pretty. Very nice post.
After visiting your site, these would be no problem for you….RaeDi
Wow, they look great!!!
Thank you for stopping by, hope to see you again….RaeDi
Those are absolutely magnificent, RaeDi!!
I love very few things more than petits fours. They are so labour-intensive that I’ve never made them myself.
My chef daughter made them for me one Mother’s Day. I ate them. All of them. In short order. And then my tummy was very unhappy.
When it comes to moderation – not in my petits fours vocabulary!!
You are so sweet, thank you. I have made them several times and each time it gets easier. This was the first time for me using the pastry bag and making the flowers. I bet little Truffles would love one and then have a sugar high for awhile… They are easier to make than most think! Next ones I make will be pistachio cream filled, but I will wait until after I have had some classes in using the pastry bag….RaeDi
I can barely look at the photos, they make me drool so!
But now thinking of pistachio cream? Sigh…
And oh yeah, Truffles would snarf them down, given half a chance. She can’t stop at just one. Of anything!
She is too cute, I could just steal her, but I could not ~ she loves her Momma and Pops. But what I could do is spoil her….RaeDi
Reblogged this on Santa Claus & Company – The Festivity Consultants.
Thank you so much, spent a little time at you blog and loved it… full of all kinds of wonderful. I will be back and am now following you… hope you can stop by again!