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 An assortment of petits fours | |
| Type | Confectionery |
|---|---|
| Course | Dessert |
| Place of origin | France |
| Main ingredients | Varies by type |
A petit four (plural: petits fours, also known as mignardises) is a small bite-sized confectionery or savory appetiser. The name is French, petit four (French pronunciation: [pə.ti fuʁ]), meaning "small oven".
History and etymology
In 18th and 19th century France, large brick or stone ovens were used to bake bread. Because the ovens took a long time to cool down after baking bread, bakers often took advantage of their stored heat for baking pastries. This process was called baking à petit four (literally "at small oven").
Types
Petits fours come in three varieties:
- Glacé ("glazed"), iced or decorated tiny cakes covered in fondant or icing, such as small éclairs, and tartlets
- Salé ("salted"), savory bite-sized appetizers usually served at cocktail parties or buffets
- Sec ("dry"), dainty biscuits, baked meringues, macarons, and puff pastries
In a French pâtisserie, assorted small desserts are usually called mignardises, while hard, buttery biscuits are called petits fours.
See also
References
- Olver, Lynne (June 24, 2012). "history notes—cookies, crackers & biscuits". The Food Timeline. Archived from the original on August 4, 2012.
- Jebirashvili, Revaz (3 February 2011). "The History of Petit Fours". Mini Desserts. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
Further reading
- Garrett, Toba. Professional Cake Decorating. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons, 2007. p. 226.
- Kingslee, John. A Professional Text to Bakery and Confectionary. New Delhi, India: New Age International, 2006. p. 244.
- Maxfield, Jaynie. Cake Decorating for the First Time. New York: Sterling Pub, 2003. p. 58.
- Rinsky, Glenn, and Laura Halpin Rinsky. The Pastry Chef's Companion: A Comprehensive Resource Guide for the Baking and Pastry Professional. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons, 2009. p. 214.
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