plastic consistency. Its texture allows it to be rolled out with a rolling pin like dough or molded into shape of fruits. Miniature bite-size confections which came from the French word “petit which means small or little” and “four means oven’’ A paste or confection, icing or filling made of meringue and gelatin and other stabilizer. Marzipan came from Italy that is primarily used to cover cakes and mould flower. INGREDIENTS QUANTITY PROCEDURE Marzipans can be modelled into various fruit, vegetables, animals, and flower shapes. The most popular items are small marzipan fruits served as petit fours or candles. To store marzipan, wrap it in a plastic cling wrap and place it in an airtight container. To make small fruits, divide the paste into equal portions first. Carefully cut the rectangle into 4 rows of 8 to make 32 equals pieces of knife. Begin by rolling each piece between the palms of your hands into around into around ball that is perfectly smooth and free of seams and cracks. Then start molding the balls with your fingers into the shapes of pears, apples, and other fruits. The best way to make realistic looking fruits is to use real fruits as models Imitate the shapes of the real fruits as closely as possible. You can add special effects using ordinary tools or special modelling tools. Let the fruits dry overnight before coloring. Flowers such as carnations and roses can be used to decorate cakes as well as display pieces. Steps in making Marzipan Strawberry
1. Roll the ball of marzipan
into a strawberry shape with the palms of your hands. 2. Indent the stem end of the strawberry with an appropriate tool. 3. Roll the strawberry in sugar to stimulate the textured surface of the real berry. 4. Cut out a leaf shape for the stem end and fasten it in a place using an appropriate modelling tools. Step in making Marzipan Orange
1. Roll a piece of marzipan into a ball.
2. Using a marzipan modelling tool, make an indentation in the ball to resemble the stem end of the orange. Step in making a Marzipan Rose
1. Taper a ball of marzipan which will
serve as the base of the rose. 2. Mold the ball with the tapered end pointing up which will serve as the center of the flower. 3. For the petals, roll a log of marzipan and cut equal pieces. Flatten these into small disks. 4. Flatten the disks and taper the edges to paper thinness with the back of a spoon in a circular motion. 5. Wrap the petal around the base. Leave one edge free so the second petal can be inserted under it. 6. Attach the second petal. 7. Continue same fashion until the rose is the desired size. Cut the rose from the base with a sharp knife. Storage plays an important role in the production and serving of petit fours. The environmental and individuals characteristics of each items needs to be taken into consideration. If the item is susceptible to humidity, it should be held airtight, vacuum sealed when possible. To maintain its freshness which is a defining characteristics of a petit fours, it is produce as close to serving as possible. Caramelized petit four may have a shelf life of roughly 1 to 2 weeks. Fresh petit fours are kept for shorter periods of time. Which varies by product. Freezing is a good option for many of the bases and dough which can be made up ahead of time held until ready to bake or assemble. Caramelized sugar can be used to coat petit fours before they are served. Caramelized petit fours are mainly roasted nuts and dried fruits with marzipan. Any product that is coated with caramel needs to be dried. Strawberry and grapes can be dipped in caramel but only have a life span of a couple of hours. The product is best consumed within 30-40 minutes is best. The main problem here is the moisture from the inside of the fruit weeps out and the hard caramel falls off the product. Caramelized nuts and marzipan work better if the product is dry to carry the caramel better. Put the product to be caramelized on a tray. Any fruit that is to be dipped in caramel needs to be dry and its skin needs to be intact. Remove all the string and pith of orange. Grapes need to be in small cluster of 2 or 1. Nuts should be slightly roasted. Prepare the equipment needed before the making of the caramel. Having a prepared surface to place the caramel dipped product is also important. An oiled surface will allow the caramel to cool and then not bond on the surface. If hot caramel is placed onto unprepared surface it will stick to the surface. The product will then crack when attempting to remove the product from that surface. Dissolve a portion of sugar in some water, 4 parts sugar to 1 part of water. Slowly heat until boiling. Stir occasionally to dissolve sugar before solution boils. When solution reaches boiling point, add 10% liquid glucose of sugar weight. Stir gently to dissolve glucose. Skim any scum that rises to the top. Wash sides of pot down with pastry brush and cold water. Allow solution to cook until temperature reaches 160C. Do not stir the solution while it boils as this may cause crystallization to occur. As solution rises above 160C it will begin to change color to light amber color. Dip the product into the hot caramel. Take a dipping fork into oil and then pick up the product and let it drop into the toffee. Use the oil covered tines of the fork to roll the product in the hot caramel. Remove the product from the caramel. The caramel covered product should slide off the fork onto the prepared surface that has been smeared with oil to prevent sticking. Allow to caramel to cool before removing to paper cup for storage. Some product can be dipped by holding bottom of product and dipping 2/3 of the product into hot caramel. Care needs to be taken here as the danger of burning finger is high. Hold product above the caramel and allow excess to flow back into pot. Sit product on oiled surface to cool. Have a bowl of cold water when working with hot caramel. Hot caramel can cause damage skin on contact. Avoid whipping hot caramel off as it will just cause more damage. Place the affected area into the cold water. This will cool and set the caramel. It can then be peeled of with minimal damage to skin surface. The damage is already done and blister will ensure. This technique is about minimizing further damage to other parts of the body. Attractive presentation of petit fours catches customers attention. To make it looks more attractive, arrange it neatly. A neat uncluttered, clean and tidy display is essential. This greatly affects the visual impact and appreciation of the viewer and will tempt the customer indulge. All varieties of petit fours are best served fresh. Use of ceramic plates and platters, glass, mirrors, trays is effective in buffet style service. The recommended serving is 3-4 pieces per plate. Caramelized petit fours need to be served fresh and in paper containers. This make it easy for the customer to handled them. Store petit fours in proper temperatures and conditions to maintain maximum eating qualities, appearance and freshness. Package petit fours in accordance with established standards and procedures.