How to Make Petit Fours

Summary

In this 'Preppy Kitchen' video, John Kanell guides viewers through the process of making a classic petit four cake. The recipe begins with preheating the oven and preparing the baking sheet, followed by mixing flour, baking powder, salt, and cream cheese for the cake base. The butter and cream cheese are creamed together, sugar is added, and eggs with vanilla are incorporated. The cake is baked and then filled with vanilla buttercream and raspberry jam. The assembled cake is frozen before being cut into precise cubes and coated with a homemade white chocolate fondant. The final touch includes optional food coloring and buttercream decorations, resulting in a delicious and elegant dessert perfect for sharing.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video is a tutorial on making classic petit fours, which are small, dainty desserts.
• 📺 The host of the 'Preppy Kitchen', John Kanell, guides viewers through the process of making homemade petit fours.
• 🔥 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy release of the cake.
• 🧀 A special ingredient, eight ounces of cream cheese, is added to the cake batter for tanginess and body.
• 🍰 The cake batter is made by creaming room temperature butter and cream cheese, then gradually adding sugar and eggs.
• 🥚 Eggs and vanilla are mixed into the batter one at a time to ensure a smooth and fluffy texture.
• 🍞 The dry ingredients are combined with half a cup of milk in three batches to avoid overmixing the batter.
• 📏 The baked cake is cut into squares, ideally about an inch in size, for the petit fours.
• 🍓 The petit fours are filled with a vanilla buttercream and a layer of raspberry jam or other preferred fillings.
• 🍫 A white chocolate pourable fondant is prepared for the topping, which requires careful melting and mixing to avoid air bubbles.
• 🎨 The fondant can be colored with gel food coloring for a decorative touch, and it's poured over the petit fours for a glossy finish.
• 🌹 Decorative buttercream roses and leaves are piped onto the set fondant to complete the petit fours.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The main focus of the video is to teach viewers how to make a classic, dainty petit four, a type of small cake, with a detailed explanation of the process.

Who is the host of the 'Preppy Kitchen'?

The host of the 'Preppy Kitchen' is John Kanell, who teaches viewers how to make delicious homemade dishes.

What is the first step in preparing the petit four cake according to the video?

The first step is to preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 12 by 17 inch baking sheet with parchment paper.

What special ingredient is added to the cake mixture to give it a tang and body?

Eight ounces of cream cheese is added to the cake mixture to give it a tang and body, making it suitable for cutting into small squares.

What is the purpose of using room temperature butter in the cake recipe?

Using room temperature butter helps in the creaming process with the cream cheese, ensuring a smooth and well-mixed base for the cake.

How long should the cake bake in the oven?

The cake should bake in the oven for about 26 minutes, but it's important to check for doneness by its bounciness and listen for crackling sounds.

What type of filling is used for the petit fours in the video?

The video uses a simple vanilla buttercream as the filling for the petit fours, although it mentions other options like raspberry jam, lemon curd, or marzipan.

Why is it recommended to freeze the cake sandwiches before cutting them into petit fours?

Freezing the cake sandwiches makes it easier to cut them into clean and even petit fours without the cake or filling becoming too soft or messy.

What is the method used to apply the chocolate fondant to the petit fours?

The method involves placing each petit four on a fork and spooning the chocolate fondant over it, ensuring all sides are coated, and then tapping off the excess.

How can the fondant be colored for the petit fours?

The fondant can be colored by adding a drop or two of gel food coloring and mixing it in before pouring it over the petit fours.

What type of decoration is added to the petit fours after the fondant has set?

The video demonstrates making buttercream roses and leaves as a decoration for the petit fours after the fondant has set and dried.

Outlines

00:00

🍰 Preparing the Cake Batter for Petit Fours

In this paragraph, the video introduces the process of making a classic petit four cake. The host, John Kanell, from 'Preppy Kitchen', instructs viewers to preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. The cake ingredients include all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and a special ingredient, cream cheese, to give the cake a tangy flavor and stability for cutting into small squares. The butter and cream cheese are creamed together until smooth, then sugar is added and mixed until fluffy. Eggs and vanilla are incorporated one at a time. The dry ingredients are added alternately with half a cup of milk in three batches, mixing on low to avoid overmixing. The batter is spread evenly on the baking sheet, ensuring it's level and bubble-free, before baking for approximately 26 minutes, checking for doneness by touch and sound.

05:00

🎨 Assembling and Filling the Petit Fours

This paragraph focuses on the assembly of the petit fours with a vanilla buttercream filling. After baking, the cake is removed from the oven and allowed to cool. The host then demonstrates how to make a simple vanilla buttercream by creaming butter, adding powdered sugar gradually, and mixing in cream, salt, and vanilla extract until smooth. The cake is flipped onto a wire rack, the paper is removed, and the cake is cut in half for easier handling. The filling is applied using a cookie scoop, and the layers are assembled with the chosen filling, such as raspberry jam. The assembled cake sandwiches are then frozen for about 20 minutes to firm up before cutting into individual petit fours. The host also discusses the importance of maintaining a clean and even edge for the petit fours and provides a tip for marking and cutting the frozen cake into precise squares.

10:00

🍫 Creating and Applying the Chocolate Fondant Topping

The final paragraph details the creation of a white chocolate pourable fondant to top the petit fours. The process involves melting white chocolate using a double boiler method to prevent burning. Powdered sugar is sifted to ensure a lump-free fondant, and hot water and corn syrup are added to create a smooth mixture. The chocolate is then incorporated into the sugar mixture to form the fondant. The host advises against using a whisk or machine to avoid air bubbles, which can ruin the fondant's appearance. Once the fondant is ready, the petit fours are placed on a fork over a bowl, and the fondant is spooned over them to coat all sides. Excess fondant is tapped off, and any bubbles are popped. The host also suggests adding gel food coloring for a decorative touch and emphasizes the need for the fondant to set for about an hour before further decoration. The video concludes with the host decorating the petit fours with buttercream roses and leaves, and mentions plans to box up the treats as gifts for friends.

Keywords

💡Petit Four

A petit four is a small, decorative cake often served at parties or as a dessert. It is known for its dainty size and elegant presentation. In the video, the main theme revolves around making these classic petite fours, which are described as delicious and easy to share with family and friends.

💡Preheat

Preheating refers to heating an oven to a specific temperature before placing food inside to ensure even cooking. In the context of the video, preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit is the first step in baking the petit four cake, setting the stage for a consistent baking process.

💡Parchment Paper

Parchment paper is a non-stick paper used in baking to prevent food from sticking to the pan. In the video, it is essential for lining the baking sheet to ensure the cake releases easily after baking, highlighting the importance of preparation in baking.

💡Cream Cheese

Cream cheese is a type of cheese that is soft, mild, and slightly tangy. It is often used in baking to add richness and tanginess to recipes. In the video, cream cheese is a special ingredient in the petit four cake batter, contributing to the cake's unique texture and flavor.

💡Creaming

Creaming is a process in baking where butter and sugar are beaten together to create a light and fluffy mixture. In the video, the host emphasizes the importance of creaming the butter and cream cheese thoroughly before adding sugar, which helps achieve a smooth and well-aerated cake batter.

💡Vanilla Buttercream

Vanilla buttercream is a type of frosting made with butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and sometimes cream or milk. It is used to fill and decorate cakes. In the video, the host uses a simple vanilla buttercream as a filling for the petit fours, showcasing its versatility and delicious taste.

💡Fondant

Fondant is a type of sugar paste used to cover and decorate cakes, giving them a smooth and professional appearance. In the video, the host makes a white chocolate pourable fondant to cover the petit fours, demonstrating how to achieve a glossy finish on the cakes.

💡Buttercream Roses

Buttercream roses are a type of cake decoration made by piping buttercream into rose shapes using a specific piping tip. In the video, the host decorates the petit fours with buttercream roses, adding a beautiful and elegant touch to the finished cakes.

💡Assembly

Assembly in baking refers to the process of putting together the various components of a recipe, such as layers of cake with filling. In the video, the host describes the assembly of the petit fours, including the layering of cake with buttercream and jam, and the subsequent freezing and cutting process.

💡Freezing

Freezing is the process of subjecting food to sub-zero temperatures to preserve it or to change its texture. In the video, the host freezes the cake sandwiches before cutting them into petit fours, which helps to firm up the filling and makes the cutting process neater and more precise.

💡Decoration

Decoration in baking refers to the process of enhancing the appearance of baked goods with icing, fondant, or other embellishments. In the video, the host discusses various decorations for the petit fours, including the use of fondant and buttercream roses, to create a visually appealing final product.

Highlights

Introduction to making a classic petit four with no intimidation.

Preheating the oven to 350 and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy release.

Using all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt for the cake base.

Adding cream cheese for tang and body to the petit four cake.

Room temperature unsalted butter and cream cheese are creamed together for a smooth mixture.

Gradual addition of granulated sugar to the butter and cream cheese mixture.

Incorporating eggs and vanilla into the mixture to create a light and fluffy base.

Alternating addition of dry ingredients and milk to the egg mixture to avoid overmixing.

Baking the cake on a parchment-lined sheet for even thickness and easy cutting.

Listening to the cake for doneness and ensuring it's bouncy to the touch.

Creating a simple vanilla buttercream filling for the petit fours.

Assembling the cake with buttercream and raspberry jam for a cake sandwich.

Freezing the assembled cake for ease of cutting into precise petit four squares.

Trimming and marking the cake for clean and even petit four pieces.

Making a white chocolate pourable fondant for coating the petit fours.

Pouring the fondant over the petit fours using a fork for an even and mess-free coating.

Adding color to the fondant with gel food coloring for a decorative touch.

Allowing the fondant to set for an hour to firm up before adding decorations.

Decorating the petit fours with buttercream roses and leaves for a finishing touch.

Suggesting the petit fours can be made in advance and frozen for later use.

Final presentation of the decorated petit fours and their packaging as gifts.

Transcripts

- If you've ever wanted to make a classic,

dainty petit four but were too intimidated to try,

then today's video is for you.

And if you like this video,

don't forget to hit that like button and subscribe.

You're watching "Preppy Kitchen," where I, John Kanell,

teach you how to make delicious,

homemade dishes to share with your family and friends.

These petit four will be ready before you know it.

So let's get started.

First off, preheat your oven to 350,

and line a 12 by 17 inch baking sheet with parchment paper.

Our cake is in gonna bake in this

and you want it to release super easily.

So parchment paper is a must.

For the cake, I'm measuring out three cups, or 360 grams,

of all purpose flour,

one and a quarter teaspoons of baking powder,

and half a teaspoon of salt.

Give it a quick whisk and set aside.

The cake for these petit four is the most,

just delicious cake,

but we're gonna add a special ingredient,

eight ounces of cream cheese.

This will give our cake a wonderful bit of tang,

but also a body,

because we have to cut this into tiny little squares,

and it can't be a blow-away, super fluffy cake.

To my stand mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment,

I'm adding one and a half cups of unsalted butter.

That's 339 grams.

And it should be room temperature.

We're gonna cream the eight ounces of cream cheese

with the butter.

It'll get really nice and smooth,

so do not skimp on this initial creaming time

before we add the sugar.

You want it to be really well mixed in

with no little nodules of butter

or cream cheese hanging around.

So right now it looks great.

For me, but for you, you see a lot of white streaks,

I'm assuming, so we're gonna scrape the bowl down.

One more mix and then we're gonna add the sugar.

(mixer squeals)

Now we're gonna add two cups, or 400 grams,

of granulated sugar.

Two and a quarter cups, hello.

Mix on high for about two minutes.

This looks like light, fluffy, beautiful clouds right now.

I wanna show you.

Look at that.

That is a light, fluffy, beautiful mixture.

Best practice, which I'm following today,

is to crack five eggs into a bowl, no shells.

No shells at all for you.

We're gonna add these eggs,

along with two teaspoons of vanilla, in one at a time,

mixing on high.

And we will scrape the bowl down

because it's gonna be eggy and amazing on the inside

and just butter, sugar on the outside.

Two teaspoons of vanilla.

You have to see this.

Yellow on the inside of white on the outside.

Just like I said, scrape the bowl down.

At this point, your mixture might look a little broken.

You'll see nodules of butter in a matrix of eggs.

Don't worry about that.

We're gonna keep mixing

and as we add the flour, it'll all come right.

Mix, mix, mix.

A little mixing later,

the egg mixture has come together more.

I'm gonna start adding the dry ingredients,

along with a cup of milk, half a cup of milk,

half a cup of milk,

and adding the flour and half a cup of milk

in three alternating batches,

just like you would for a normal cake,

but we're gonna mix on the low, actually the lowest setting,

and repeat.

Last of the flour and the last of the milk.

I'm gonna stop this right now and it's not combined yet.

We're gonna finish this off by hand.

The main complaint I get from people making cakes at home

is that their batter is over mixed

and the cakes is kind of tough and gluey

and not as fluffy and melt in your mouth.

Now we can pour this out onto our prepared pan

and bake it up.

Get all that better onto this baking sheet.

Spread this cake batter out

because it needs to be pretty level

before it goes into the oven.

So to get it all the way into all the corners.

Your petit fours should be about an inch cube.

Mine are an inch and a quarter.

Some up to an inch and a half, that's a little a big.

So you wanna make sure that this is gonna be really even,

and get all those big bubbles out.

'Cause big bubbles will mean you have voids

in your petit four and that's not okay.

Nice and smooth.

I'm gonna give this a couple well taps

to work out any bubbles.

And now this goes into the oven, 350 for about 26 minutes.

That's how much it is on my oven,

but check to make sure that it's bouncy to the touch

and listen to the cake.

Just put your ear to it like this.

If you hear a lot of crackling,

it needs to go back for an extra minute.

It should be fairly quiet.

Listen to your cakes.

My cake is out of the oven and we're about to cut it.

But before that let's make our fillings.

This smells so good.

You've got to make this cake recipe.

When you make petit fours, the world is your oyster.

You could fill them with anything.

Today I'm using a simple vanilla buttercream.

A lot of petit fours have royal icing decorations.

I'm gonna make mine from buttercream

because it tastes better.

So I'm making a little bit of extra buttercream today.

Meaning I want one full cup of butter.

We're gonna give this a good cream.

Once that butter's nice and creamy,

we're gonna add about four cups of powdered sugar.

Start off with two cups, add the rest as you go.

You do not want a massive sugar cloud in your face.

Not today.

As this mixes up, I'm gonna add a few tablespoons of cream.

You could also use milk if preferred.

Quarter teaspoon of salt,

about two teaspoons of vanilla.

We're gonna add the rest of the cream right now,

about two more tablespoons.

Mix on high for about three minutes.

Scrape that bowl down and mix, mix, mix.

My buttercream is done so let's assemble these petit four.

Get a wire rack.

Flip the cake over.

We're gonna use this in the next step,

so don't put your baking sheet away yet.

Remove the paper.

This smells so good.

In a lot of recipes you'll see this, cut it in half,

and flip it over and they'll bake these in multiple sheets

so the cake is thinner,

but when you do that you don't get the maximum absorption

of the filling into the cake.

So I like to just cut it, it's better.

Do not trim the cake yet.

We're gonna trim this after it is assembled.

So right now we can just leave this as is.

I'm gonna cut this in,

gonna cut this in half, but exactly.

Virgo feelings.

Cut your cake in half.

I'm using a nice, sharp, serrated knife.

And we're gonna cut this in half, one more time,

just so it's manageable.

You could leave it as is,

or even have one mega cake if you want.

But that's really reserved for the people who have

the cake cutting knives.

I don't have one for some reason.

Cut your cake in half carefully

and just eyeball it.

All right.

Once your cake's cut up, we're gonna make a cake sandwich.

I'm using a cookie scoop to get some frosting

onto this cake.

I don't want to rip it.

Once you have some good coverage,

use a little spatula or a knife and just smooth it out.

Repeat that process on the other side

with your other filling.

In this case, it's that raspberry jam,

but it could be lemon curd, marzipan, another type of jam,

anything you'd like.

Now I'm using an offset spatula

just to help me flip this over.

Like that.

Press it down a little bit just so has really good contact.

Give it a little bit of a wrap,

and let it hang out in the freezer for maybe 20 minutes

or so while we make our pouring fondant,

or you could even do this overnight

or a couple days ahead and just cut these

and make them later on.

My sandwiches are all frozen up.

And in the meantime, I marked a piece of paper,

this is actually plastic,

but at 1.25 inch intervals so I can cut really easily.

I don't wanna have to have my measuring tape out

like last time.

Virgo feelings.

We're gonna begin by trimming our pieces up

because the edges are super unclean and messy,

and you can see how beautifully this cuts when it's frozen.

You don't want to have soft cake or soft filling

when you do this part.

Now begin by adding little tiny marks.

You can use a knife or whatever you want,

just so you know where to cut.

Mark it on both sides.

And this will be your guide.

Right now I can already hear the comments.

You're like, "Right, right, right, that's a lot of work."

It is a little bit of finicky work, but here's the deal,

you don't have to make a hundred petit four.

You could make one block of this,

freeze the rest for another time, it freezes for months,

and then make them later,

or just enjoy a delicious cake sandwich.

That's all they are.

Let me tell you a little secret.

These guys look perfect right now,

and they really are very nice cubes,

but if they get too warm before the fondant goes on,

they might start slipping and sliding.

So we're gonna put these back into the freezer

while we make our topping.

And they're gonna be in a perfect grid too.

So just throw these onto a wire rack

that's over a baking sheet.

This will be the setup for later,

so you're just saving herself a step later on.

These guys and the rest of the cut ones

are gonna go into the freezer,

and then we're gonna make our white chocolate,

pourable fondant.

We're gonna give this chocolate a good chop.

Try and get fine pieces.

And in the meantime, I have some water set to simmer

over a small pot.

In a small pot.

This can go into a small bowl,

and we're gonna melt that over the simmering water

with steamed heat.

I don't recommend using a microwave to melt white chocolate

because it will burn and you'll be sad.

I'm gonna sift out three and a half cups

of powdered sugar right now.

It's about 420 grams.

This is gonna be the fondant, kind of like the base,

so you don't want any lumps in here,

because fondant should have a nice, smooth,

glossy finish.

Stir the chocolate occasionally just so it melts evenly.

Into my sifted sugar I'm adding a third of a cup

of hot water fresh out of the microwave.

We're gonna pour that in and then at the corn syrup.

Now I need that one quarter cup of corn syrup.

This'll hold it together and give me a nice gloss.

Fold this together.

You do not want to use a whisk.

You do not want to use a machine.

Fold together gently because if you use anything else,

you'll have a thousand billion little air bubbles

and your fondant will look horrible.

So be gentle with it.

My chocolate's nice and melty.

I'm taking it off heat.

That can hang out there though.

Let's get this all incorporated before we add the chocolate.

Okay, just a little bit of mixing later

and I have a beautiful,

pourable fondant without the chocolate,

the chocolate's next.

Get every drop of chocolate out,

one, because you don't want to waste,

but, two, it'll make cleaning so much easier.

Now we're gonna stir this in just until you have a nice,

smooth, even, combined, amazing chocolate fondant.

Okay, just a couple of minutes of mixing later

and I have a wonderful ivory fondant,

and that's gonna be very pourable.

This is ready.

We're gonna get to assembly now.

I'm so excited.

So cold out of the freezer.

So cold.

Okay.

Here's the deal,

a lot of recipes tell you to pour the fondant

over this cooling rack that's on here.

That is a nightmare.

It's gonna be super messy.

You're gonna waste all the fondant.

We're gonna do it a very easy way.

So get your fork out.

Daintily place that petit four right on top of the fork.

And you're gonna hover this over your bowl.

I need a spoon, where's my spoon?

Spoon this over the top,

and you're gonna want to have one big dip

and then tilt your cube so you get all the sides.

Tap the excess off.

If you see any bubbles on top, just pop them.

If you want the bottom covered as well,

you can either dip it like this or dip it using your fork,

and you'll get complete 360 coverage,

which is great if you're letting these hang out someplace

for quite a bit of time and you want them to stay fresh.

If you want a little bit of color for your fondant,

that is so easy.

Just add a drop or two of gel food coloring,

mix it in, and keep pouring.

I like to do like half of mine white, half of them pink,

and it gives you some variation of color.

Once you've completed all the petit four

and they're covered in fondant,

you're gonna give them some time to set up

so they're easily held.

It could be an hour or so,

because this needs some time just to firm up and dry out.

Once the fondant's set up,

you can do anything you want for decoration.

I'm gonna make buttercream roses because I love roses,

and I haven't piped them in quite a while.

I have a little bit of extra buttercream leftover.

I colored some pink, I colored some green,

and I left some white.

Using a small pedal tip it's a 101,

and I'm just gonna pipe a tiny little rose

right on the center and then a couple of leaves

and that's it.

It doesn't have to be perfect.

It's really just the suggestion of a tiny rose.

Repeat for the remaining ones,

and when you get tired, just do a different, simple design.

If you like this video, check out my French playlist.

(light music)

It's as delicious as it is beautiful.

The rest of these are gonna get boxed up

and sent, just because presents, for some local friends.

I'll see you in the next video.