How to Make Petit Fours

The below recipe incorporates the Valentine’s Day colors of red, pink, and white and makes an elegant dessert (perfect for a Valentine’s Day tea!). Visit our Valentine’s Day Symbols page to learn more about the symbolism and meaning of the colors of red, pink, and white for Valentine’s Day.

Ingredients:

Cake
1 Box Cake Mix (Pound cake is best!)
Eggs and Oil, according to cake mix directions
Raspberry Preserves, optional

Frosting
Buttercream Frosting, canned or Wilton Recipe

Poured Fondant
3/4 cup water
3 tablespoons corn syrup
2 lbs. powdered sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
food coloring, optional

Decorations
Valentine M&M’s or Melting Chocolates
Mini Paper Baking Cups

Directions:

Petit Fours are such a special treat. They are fun to make, but make sure to allow two different days to make them. The fondant goes on best when the cake has had time to freeze.

Day 1
1. Line a jelly roll pan (10×13″ or 11×15″) with wax paper and spray generously with oil. Make sure the wax paper hangs over the edge, so it is easy to remove cake when cooled.
2. Make cake according to package directions. Cooking time is usually reduced 15-20 minutes for a jelly roll pan
3. When cake is completely cool, cut it into 8 equal pieces (see step 1).
4. If you want a raspberry layer in the middle, carefully cut through the middle of each cake piece with a serrated knife (see step 2) and spread with raspberry preserves (see step 3).
5. Spread a thin layer of buttercream frosting on each cake piece (see step 4).
5. Place a sheet of wax paper on top of the frosting, making sure to get all the wrinkles out (this will help to make a nice flat surface).
6. Stack cake pieces (see step 5), wrap in plastic wrap, and place it in freezer for at least 12 hours (this is important for minimizing the crumbs when you pour the icing on the cake).

Step 1	Step 2	Step 3	Step 4
Step 5	Step 6	Step 7	Step 8

Day 2

1. Make fondant: Mix water and corn syrup together over low heat in a saucepan.
2. Gradually stir in powdered sugar. Mixture should become clear and glossy. You can add the extract and food coloring right before you are ready to pour it.
3. The bottom of the pan should never get too hot to touch it (it is important that you don’t over heat or the mixture will get gritty and lose its shine).
4. While the fondant is warming, remove cake from the freezer. Cut each piece into 16 equal pieces (see step 6).
5. Arrange the small cake pieces on a wire rack which is placed on top of a cookie sheet.
6. Test the consistency of the fondant by pouring it over one of the cake pieces. Start in the middle and then circle around the edges until all sides are covered (see step 7). They don’t need to be perfect — if you serve them in mini paper baking cups, the sides are mostly covered.
7. If necessary, adjust the amount of water or powdered sugar to reach desired consistency for the fondant.
8. You can pour the fondant generously over the cake pieces and then scrape the drippings on the cookie sheet right back into the pan. Continue warming the fondant to keep it pourable.
9. Decorate the petit fours with M&Ms or sprinkles. Or, you can melt colored chocolates in a ziploc bag, cut off a tip, and drizzle over the petit fours.
10. Allow the petit fours to dry, and then place them in mini paper baking cups.

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