The New Collection Of Chocolate Petit Fours

Summer Entertaining 

Southern Socials

The New Collection Of Chocolate Petit Fours

Summer entertaining opens many options when planning gatherings for lovely occasions. Begin by offering a menu filled with seasonal recipes from Fresh Herb Gazpacho, & Parmesan Canapé Shells filled with Caesar Salad With Fresh Herb Croutons. This classic lunch & party menu combination is appropriate to serve for a variety of celebrations & pairs well with a selection of small desserts. Petit fours have long been a party staple for special southern gatherings but preparing them in fresh new ways will not only have them taste great but elevate socials instantly. I’ll be sharing a classic chocolate cake style, Queen Of Sheba Cake handcrafted into beautiful petit fours this morning on WBRC Good Day Alabama. Be sure & join me for advice on how to elevate weddings & showers & look to The Essential Guide To Cake Terminology for additional pointers whether you plan to hire a professional or prepare them yourself.

Queen Of Sheba Petit Fours
makes 16 petit fours

A smidgen of flour binds the batter beautifully while using both almond flour & slightly larger, ground almonds provides a wonderful texture & taste to the dense, rich classic cake. 

1 1/4 cups 60% bittersweet chocolate morsels, divided
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar, divided
3 eggs, separated 
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup finely ground almonds 
3 Tbsp all purpose flour
A pinch of kosher salt
2 Tbsp bourbon or rum
1/2 cup heavy cream
Garnish: Sliced almonds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8-inch square pan, line with parchment paper then lightly grease the paper. Set aside. Microwave 3/4 cup chocolate in a medium bowl on High in 30 second intervals until melted. Whisk until smooth. Set aside. Beat the butter & 1/2 cup sugar with an electric stand mixer until light & airy, about 3 minutes. Occasionally stop the mixer & scrape down the bowl sides. Add the egg yolks. Mix just until incorporated. Combine the almond flour, the ground almonds, the all purpose flour & the salt in a small bowl. Set aside. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar & beat on High until stiff peaks form.

Fold the melted chocolate into the butter mixture, then blend in the almond mixture until incorporated. Fold the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Stir in the bourbon. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Spread the batter to the edges using an offset spatula. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until the center is just set & slightly puffed. Remove from the oven. Cool 10 minutes. Gently lift the cake from the pan using the paper as handles & transfer to an inverted quarter sheet pan. Freeze 30 minutes. 

Invert the cake onto a cutting board & remove the remaining piece of parchment paper. Invert the cake again so that the top side is facing upwards. Cut 16 {1 5/8-inch} circles from the cake. Place them on a wire rack with the bottom side facing upwards over a piece of parchment paper. Microwave the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate morsels & the heavy cream in a small glass bowl 30 to 40 seconds. Whisk until smooth. Spoon a bit of the glaze over each cake allowing it to spill over the sides. Tap the rack several times on the countertop to remove the air bubbles or pierce them with the tip of a wooden pick. Let stand 2 hours at room temperature or until set. Garnish, if desired. 

FROM THE KITCHEN OF BUTTERMILK LIPSTICK
{testing notes}

How To Make Chocolate Petit Fours

Petit fours should be on entertaining menus when special occasions are in order. Weddings, showers, garden parties & birthday celebrations are just a bit more elevated when these small confections are offered to guests. Buttermilk Petit Fours take a traditional approach to this notion & while a smidgen of cocoa powder or melted chocolate is a simple way to transform them, taking a cue from classic cake styles is not only effortless but a good way to integrate a variety of additional ingredients including nuts & jam. 

The Technique

Queen of Sheba Petit Fours & Sachertorte Petit Fours highlight two traditional European cakes & may be served with festive cocktails such as French 75’s, punch or coffee. Consider showcasing them together when hosting lovely summer parties.

Sachertorte Petit Fours
makes 16 petit fours

1 1/4 cups 60% bittersweet chocolate morsels, divided
1/3 cup butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
A pinch of kosher salt
5 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar, divided
1/2 cup peach or apricot preserves
1 Tbsp brandy
1/2 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease & flour an 8 x 2-inch square pan, line the bottom with parchment paper then lightly grease the paper. Set aside. Microwave 3/4 cup chocolate & the butter in a medium bowl on High in 30 second intervals until melted, about 1 minute. Blend until smooth. Set aside. Sift together the flour, the cocoa powder & the salt. Set aside. Beat the egg yolks with 1/4 cup sugar on High until ribbons form, about 4 minutes. Mix just until incorporated. Set aside. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar & beat on High until stiff peaks form.

Fold the melted chocolate & butter mixture into the egg yolk mixture & combine until blended. Fold in the flour mixture until smooth. Pour the chocolate mixture over the beaten egg whites. Carefully, quickly & throughly blend until smooth. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Spread the batter to the edges using an offset spatula. Bake 30 to 32 minutes or until a wooden pick tests clean when insert in the cake center & the cake begins to pull away from the sides. The cake will bake level to the top of the pan so be certain the measurements are precise. Remove from the oven. Cool 5 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan & cool on a wire rack.

Slice the cake in half using a serrated knife. Pulse the preserves in the food processor until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl & microwave on High 20 seconds or until warm. Brush the brandy over the split cake then brush the preserves over the surface. Top with the second piece. Cut 16 {1 5/8-inch} circles from the cake. Place them on a wire rack with the bottom side facing upwards over a piece of parchment paper. Microwave the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate morsels & the heavy cream in a small glass bowl 30 to 40 seconds. Whisk until smooth. Spoon a bit of the glaze over each cake allowing it to spill over the sides. Tap the rack several times on the countertop to remove the air bubbles or pierce them with the tip of a wooden pick. Collect the glaze in the bottom of the pan, rewarm in the microwave & continue the process, if necessary. Let stand 2 hours at room temperature or until set. Place a bit of chocolate in a piping bag fit with a small tip & pipe an “S” over each cake. Transfer to dessert plates.

The Tune
“In The Mood” The Andrews Sisters
httpa://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMyZf3F9o8Y

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Rebecca Gordon

Be sweet.