A small oven and a big family
The name is French for small oven, usually explained as a holdover from the days of brick ovens: once the large breads and roasts were done, bakers used the cooling heat for small, delicate items. In French pastry, petits fours describe a whole category of small sweets, and they are often served after dinner with coffee. Bakeries divide them into a few groups:
- Petits fours glacés: glazed or iced, including the layered, fondant-coated squares Americans picture first, along with mini éclairs.
- Petits fours secs: dry items such as tuiles, sablés, financiers and macarons.
- Petits fours frais: fresh ones with cream or fruit, like tiny tarts and choux, meant to be eaten the same day.
- Petits fours salés: savory bites, such as mini quiches or cheese puffs.
How the glazed squares are made
The classic American version starts with a dense cake, often almond or a firm vanilla sponge, baked thin in sheets. The baker layers it with jam or buttercream, sometimes adds a thin layer of marzipan on top, chills it and cuts it into one or one-and-a-half inch squares. Each piece is then coated in poured fondant, a warm, glossy sugar icing, and finished with a piped flower or initial.
That process is slow and exacting, which explains the price. Expect roughly $2 to $4 per piece for classic glazed petit fours and more for detailed custom work. Good ones have clean, straight sides, a thin, even shell of icing and distinct layers inside. Thick, lumpy fondant or a dry interior are signs of shortcuts.
Shops vary the formula. Some skip the marzipan and seal the cake with a thin crumb coat of buttercream instead, which is softer and suits guests who dislike almond paste. Others dip the squares in tempered chocolate rather than fondant, giving a snappier shell and a less sugary bite. Flavors have widened too, from raspberry and apricot fillings to lemon, coffee and pistachio, and many bakers can tint the icing to match invitations or table linens.
Planning a tray for a shower or tea
For a tea or shower with other sweets and savories, plan on two to four pieces per guest. As the only dessert at an afternoon event, figure four to six. Mixing styles works well: glazed squares for color, a few sablés or financiers for crunch, and mini fruit tarts for freshness.
Order glazed petit fours at least a week ahead, longer for wedding season or custom colors and monograms. Many bakeries set minimums of two or three dozen per design. Glazed and dry varieties keep at cool room temperature for a few days in an airtight container; anything with cream or fresh fruit stays chilled and is best eaten the day it is made.
