Best Petits Fours Christmas Presents Recipes

CHRISTMAS PETITS FOURS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat eggs and egg yolks until slightly thickened. Gradually add sugar, beating until thick and lemon-colored. Combine flour and baking powder; gradually add to egg mixture with milk and butter, beating well after each addition. (Batter will be thick)., Spread evenly into a greased and floured 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. , Cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely. Cut a thin slice off each side of cake. Cut cake into 1-1/4-in. squares. Freeze cakes. , In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, water and cream of tartar. Bring to a boil, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 226°. Cool to 100°; beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. , Keeping glaze warm, dip cake squares into glaze with a two-tine fork, allowing excess to drip off. Place on wire racks over waxed paper. Add hot water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if glaze becomes too thick. Let dry completely. Decorate with frosting and sprinkles.

PETITS FOURS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 17-by-12-inch rimmed baking sheet; line with parchment paper. Butter parchment and dust with flour, tapping out excess; set aside. Into a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat 1 1/4 cups sugar and the almond paste on medium-low speed until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the butter, and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks and vanilla; mix to combine, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip egg whites until foamy. With the mixer running, gradually sprinkle in remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and beat until soft peaks form. Add a third of the egg-white mixture to the egg-yolk mixture, and fold with a whisk. Gently fold in remaining whites.
• Spread batter evenly on prepared sheet, and bake, turning pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack to cool completely. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 1 day.
• Invert the cake onto a large work surface, and peel off parchment paper. Using assorted 2-inch cookie cutters, cut out cakes. Place cakes on wire racks set over rimmed baking sheets; set aside.
• Place the white chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer over medium-high heat; pour over white chocolate, and let sit for 1 minute. Stir until mixture is smooth. Spoon melted chocolate over cakes, letting some run down the sides; spread with a small offset spatula to coat completely.Transfer glazed cakes to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Place a White Chocolate Cutouts on top of each cake; decorate with Royal Icing, if desired. Cakes can be refrigerated, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days.
• Petits Fours how-to
• A sheet of almond-flavored cake is cut into individual cakes with a set of 2-inch cookie cutters.
• Melted white chocolate, tinted in pastel shades, is spread over a sheet of parchment with an offset spatula; once set, the chocolate is cut with the same set of cutters into shapes that will top the glazed cakes.

PETITS FOURS CHRISTMAS PRESENTS

Steps:

• 1. In a large bowl, beat eggs and egg yolks until slightly thickened. Gradually add sugar, beating until thick and lemon-colored. Combine flour and baking powder; gradually add to egg mixture with milk and butter, beating well after each addition. (Batter will be thick). Spread evenly into a greased and floured 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely. Cut a thin slice off each side of cake. Cut cake into 1-1/4-in. squares. Freeze cakes. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, water and cream of tartar. Bring to a boil, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 226°. Cool to 100°; beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Keeping glaze warm, dip cake squares into glaze with a two-tine fork, allowing excess to drip off. Place on wire racks over waxed paper. Add hot water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if glaze becomes too thick. Let dry completely. Decorate with frosting and sprinkles. Yield: 70 petit fours.

PRETTY PETITS FOURS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream the butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. In a small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form; gently fold into batter., Pour into a greased 9-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely., Cut a thin slice off each side of cake. Cut cake into 1-1/4-in. squares. Place 1/2 in. apart on a rack in a 15x10x1-in. pan., In a large bowl, combine glaze ingredients. Beat on low speed just until blended; beat on high until smooth. Apply glaze evenly over tops and sides of cake squares, allowing excess to drip off. Let dry. Repeat if necessary to thoroughly coat squares. Let dry completely., For frosting, in a small bowl, cream the butter, shortening and vanilla. Beat in confectioners' sugar and enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Place 1/2 cup each in two bowls; tint one pink and one green., Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert #104 tip. Fill with pink frosting; pipe a rosebud on each petit four. Insert #3 round tip into another pastry or plastic bag; fill with green frosting. Pipe a leaf under each rose.

FLO BRAKER'S PETITS FOURS

Steps:

• Cut cake into 2 half-inch-thick layers. Brush raspberry jam over bottom layer and cover with top layer. (This step is optional; jam can be omitted.)
• Melt butter, shortening and chocolate in a heatproof bowl that fits snugly over (not touching) a 120-degree water bath. Stir until glaze is smooth and liquid.
• Place cake on a wire rack over a baking sheet or jellyroll pan. Spoon red-currant jelly into a small paper cone and set nearby. Pour white-chocolate glaze onto center of cake and spread evenly using a metal spatula. Sides of cake need not be glazed. Snip off tip of cone, and pipe thin lines of jelly 1/2-inch apart over the glaze. Lightly pull the tines of a fork across the lines of jelly to create a feathered effect. Set the cake aside at room temperature until the glaze sets, at least 1 hour.
• Trim the cake's edges with a long, sharp knife. Cut into 1-inch squares. To make squares neat, dip the knife blade into hot water and wipe it with paper towels after each cut. Decorate each petit four with a raspberry and piece of mint leaf.