JOB SHEET 4.1.

Title: Prepare and Display Petit four

Performance Objective: Given the ingredients, tools, materials and equipments

the trainee should be able to perform and exhibit petit
fours.

Supplies/Materials : Sponge cake, sugar, vegetable shortening, marshmallow,

gelatin, cold water, corn syrup, glycerin, eggs, vanilla, confectioner sugar, butter
and almond extract.

Equipment : Gas range, mixing bowl, wire whisk, industrial mixer or hand mixer,
rubber scraper, knife, cookie cutter,.pastry bag, rolling pin, plates and cupcake
stand.

Steps/Procedure:

1. Prepare your bake cake.

Allow your cake to cool.  Using a cake leveler,
slice off a very thin layer of cake off the top.  If
you have a steady hand, you can do this
freehand.

Cut the cake in half vertically and horizontally –

so that you end up with 4 smaller 4.5″X 6.5″
rectangular cakes

You should have 3 thin sections of cake.

(You will reassemble them in just a moment.)
Place the bottom layer on top of a piece of non-
stick foil, and using a pastry brush – tap on
about 1-2 T. worth of liqueur 
Spread a few tablespoons of filling over your
first layer.

Top with the second layer and repeat.  Place the

final layer on top, and soak that with a little bit
of liqueur also.

Frost the top of the cake with a thin layer of

frosting, then wrap in foil and freeze overnight.
(Make sure you don’t skip this step!  You want
the cake to be frozen so that it is easier to cut
and holds together when your pour the fondant
over it.)  Repeat with the remaining 3 sections
of cake – feel free to use other flavors and mix
it up if you like.
The next day, take one section of cake out of the
freezer, and using a clean ruler as a guide, mark
off a one-inch grid pattern.  Cut off the sides,
then cut out the grid so that you end up with 12
one-inch squares with smooth/straight edges.
Set aside the cake scraps for a snack, then re-
wrap the cake squares in foil and put back in the
freezer for at least another 30 minutes.

To make the poured fondant, melt the

shortening in the microwave.

 Add about 5 cups of powdered sugar, and stir

to make a paste
Carefully add about half of the hot water, and
stir until it is almost uniform (you will have a
few lumps).

 Put the bowl back into the microwave for

another 30 seconds, then add more hot water
and sugar until you have a pourable consistency.
(Microwave to loosen it up for a few seconds
when needed.)  Use a whisk to break up all the
lumps and get the fondant very smooth.  Add
the salt and flavoring.

To dip your petit fours, use a dipping fork (or

my “free” dipping fork – a plastic fork with the
inner tines broken off).  Remove one of the foil
packets containing cake squares from the
freezer.  Place one frozen square on the fork,
then hold over the bowl of fondant

Use a large spoon to scoop fondant over the

square – several times – making sure you coat
all sides.  Let the excess fondant drain off.  
(You will get a few crumbs in the fondant – but
most will slide right off and will not show up in
your final product.)  Microwave for 15 seconds
every so often to loosen up the fondant if it gets
too thick, and whisk often.  If you want to tint
your fondant for a section of cake, put some of
the fondant into a glass Pyrex measuring cup
and stir in 1 drop of food coloring.  You may
have to microwave for a few seconds more
often, as the smaller quantity will get thick
faster.

Use a skewer to push the petit four off the

dipping fork onto a wire rack to set.  Let your
Petit Fours rest on a rack (oil the rack with a
little bit of vegetable oil to prevent sticking)
until the coating has solidified.

Once your petit fours are all coated, and the

fondant is set – you can decorate.  You  can pipe
all sorts of patterns on the petit fours – but the
easiest (but also elegant looking) design is just a
simple drizzle in a contrasting color.  I used the
leftover white fondant as a drizzle over the
colored petit fours (Microwave the leftover
white fondant in a Ziploc bag for a few seconds
 and snip off a tiny bit of the plastic bag corner,
then use the bag to drizzle over the surface of
the Petit Fours).  To make the chocolate drizzle,
I just added a few teaspoons of unsweetened
cocoa powder to the leftover white fondant –
then put that into a Ziploc bag to use as a drizzle
over the white petit fours.  For the tiramisu
flavored petit fours, I dusted a little bit of cocoa
powder over the top and added a coffee bean.
Be creative!

Place your petit fours into small paper cupcake

liners for a more elegant presentation.  Store in
the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.

Assessment Method:
 Oral-recitation
 Written examination
 Direct observation
 Performance Criteria Checklist
Job Sheet 4.1.

CRITERIA
YES NO
Did you….

1. Sponges and bases are prepared, cut and assemble

according to standard recipes and enterprise
requirements and practices.

2. Fillings are prepared with the required flavors and

consistency.

3. Fondant icing is brought in accordance with the

required temperature and established standards
operating procedures.

4. Decorations and designs are used in accordance with

the establishment standards and procedure.