Grade

TLE - HE
BREAD AND PASTRY PRODUCTION
QUARTER 4 - MODULE 1

PREPARE ICED PETIT FOUR

 I. Introduction
This module covers the knowledge, skills and attitude required to be
able to prepare and display petit fours to a level of high and consistent
quality.

Lesson PREPARE AND DISPLAY PETIT FOUR GLACE

PETIT FOUR

A petit four is a fancy French dessert that is essentially a mini pastry.

This type of pasty is typically served with coffee, tea or wine and is an
elegant treat that can even be served at a wedding. The name literally
means ―small oven‖ and comes from the way in which the tiny treats were
traditionally cooked. There are three types of traditional petit four—petit four
glace, petit four sec and petit four frais. Each type is composed of its own
class of ingredients and showcases its own personality.

II. Module Content

TYPES OF PETIT FOURS

Petits Fours Glace

Petits fours glace are the most common type of petit fours that you will
find within the United States. These small pastries are made from sponge
cake or pound cake with layers of chocolate, fruit or butter cream in the
center. These cakes are then cut into small shapes such as squares,
rectangles, circles, hearts or diamonds. The shapes are glazed with a
pourable fondant, icing or ganache glaze.

Petits Fours Secs

Petits fours secs are created with cookies rather than cake. The
traditional type of cookie used is shortbread, which is a crisp, buttery
cookie. Petits fours secs can also be created using butter or sugar cookies.
A filling is added between two cookies. Fillings include fruit preserves,
chocolate or a nut paste such as almond or praline. Petits fours secs can be
left as is or glazed with ganache, fondant or icing.

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Petits Fours Frais
This type of petit four is created with mini pastries. The most common
types of mini pastries are fruit tarts, éclairs or cream puffs. Cream puffs and
éclairs are typically filled with buttercream or pastry cream, while fruit tarts
are made with custard and then topped with fresh fruits. Some petits fours
frais are also made with marzipan and look like truffles. Petits fours frais are
not typically glazed, but some éclairs and cream puffs will have a chocolate
glaze placed on top to finish them off.

Decorative touches on petits fours vary. Petits fours can be left

without decorations and served or even sprinkled with a light dusting of
cocoa powder or powdered sugar. Petits four glaces typically have some
type of decoration on top of each miniature cake, with the most common
types being miniature flowers, scroll work or chocolate swirls. Decorations
do not have to be elaborate. Something as simple as a strawberry, orange
peel or candied nut on top of a petit four will do the job.

PREPARE ICE PETIT FOURS

1.1 Prepare Petit Four Bases

Petits Fours glacé are generally either glazed with fondant or

dipped in chocolate before the final decoration is added.
The term glacé is also used to indicate any iced pastry such
as a small tartlet or those made from pate a choux or meringue.
They must be small enough to be consumed in one to two bites.
Small almond cakes may also be wrapped in marzipan or modeling
chocolate and served as petit fours.
Petit four bases can be made from any edible
product.

Normal products used are:

• Sponge
• Cake
• Shortbread
• Pastry
• Chocolate
• Marzipan • Choux pastry.
Main requirement of a petit four base is that it is strong enough to 'hold' the
petit four when it is picked up by the customer to be eaten.
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Sponge
Normally sponge is baked in thin sheets and they are layered'
together with flavoured filling that will act as an adhesive to hold the sheets
of sponge together.

The sponge sheets can be plain or flavoured.

The sheets can be just a carrier for the filling, especially chocolate.
When the sponge sheets are layer with the filling they are stored for a
period of time for the sheets and filling to bond and then
the sheet is cut into small pieces:
• Cut into a variety of shape
• Most economical is square or rectangular
• Half moon, triangular or diamond
shape
• Round or oval is less efficient as there is more
wastage with these shapes.
Cake
Cake can be baked in shallow trays of depths of 1-2cm,
topped with soft topping then cut to shape desired
similar to Sponge sheets.

Shortbread
A mixture of flour, fat and sugar, enriched with egg and has a 'short' eating
quality. A firmer variety of shortbread with a formula of 2:1:1.
• 2 parts flour, 1 part sugar, 1 part butter or fat.

This formula produces a firmer shortbread that will resist the migration of
moisture from the filling to the base. It will then hold together better when
the customer picks the petit four up in their fingers.

Pastry
A savoury pastry like puff pastry can make a suitable base for petit fours
when a sweet filling is used.

Chocolate
When working with ganache, a soft mixture of chocolate and cream
can be presented in a base of hard chocolate. This
chocolate has been melted and 'tempered' then
spread thinly onto parchment paper and allowed to

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 set. At the point of setting, it is cut into shapes with
a warmed metal knife or cutter.

Marzipan
Marzipan can be used as a base for petit fours.

Choux pastry
Choux pastry is made by boiling water and fat, adding flour and cooking
panada.
• As the panada cools, eggs are incorporated.
• This batter is then piped to size and baked.
• The baked cases are then filled with desired flavoured creams then
decorated.
• The pieces are small.
• Variety of filling is limited only by the imagination.
(Panada is a dish consisting of bread boiled to a pulp and flavoured.)

1.2 Cut and assemble bases for petit four glace

Bases for petit four glacé
Before you can assemble your petit fours the basic principle is the same.
Mise en place, ’everything in place’ before you start.

Normal
• Sponge sheets, plain vanilla flavour
• Binding agent, normally jam, apricot
• Flavoured butter cream.

Chocolate
• Sponges sheets, chocolate

• Raspberry jam
• Ganache.

Classical Opera cake

• Marzipan and butter enriched sponge sheets
• Ganache
• Coffee flavoured butter cream.

Normal Assembly
What is needed?

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 • Sponge sheets that are approximately 5mm thick, 3 or 4,
depending on thickness
When assembled the combined height will be approximately 3cm high
(1.25 inches)
• Apricot jam, smooth texture, no lumps • Baking paper 2 sheets.

Method of Assembly
• Lay 1 sponge sheet on a sheet of baking
paper
➢ This is to make it easy to move around
the bench
➢ Make sure the paper the sponge sheet
was baked on is removed
• Spread a thin layer of apricot jam over the
sponge sheet
• Place a second sheet of sponge on top
• Press firmly into place
• Remove any loose sponge crumbs
• Spread a second layer of apricot jam thinly over sponge sheets
• Take a third sheet of sponge and turn over so bottom of sponge
sheet is on top
• Lay sponge sheet on top and place 2nd sheet of paper on top and
press sheets of sponge firmly together
• Place a metal tray on top and allow layered sponge sheets and
apricot jam to bond
➢ If using butter cream the product needs to be cooled so the butter
cream sets firm
• Product needs to stand, while being weighted down for at least 2
hours
• Butter cream products need to stand in cool environment until
they are firm.

Cut bases to the desired shape

The biggest shape that these petit fours are cut into is square.

Why? Less waste.

Any shape can be used but accuracy of cutting is essential. Minimizing
waste will increase yield therefore profits increase.
• Size
• Variety of shapes
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 • Consistency in size and shape.

Shapes to cut

A lot of product can be lost when a curved

shape is used. Up to 20%.

Triangle shapes

Square cut

1.3 Prepare and flavor fillings to required consistency

Fillings will vary according to selling price, storage requirements and

marketplace requirements.
• Jams, various flavours
• Ganache
• Butter creams.
Jams
Jams are high in moisture and carry good flavours. The role is to bind, add
flavour and moisture to a product that is normally dry in texture. These do
not need refrigeration.

Jam needs to be blended until a smooth consistency is achieved, no lumps,

as they will tear at the fabric of the sponge sheet.

Ganache
Ganache is a mixture of chocolate and cream. It is well liked
but it is expensive to produce. Ganache will carry alcohol
flavours well to add interest to the petit fours.
These can stand in non-refrigerated areas. Ganache needs

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to be allowed to cool to room temperature and then blended until smooth.
When ganache is agitated it must be worked quickly as it will set.

Butter creams

Butter creams can be flavoured to desired standard adds good mouth feel
and cuts well when cold.

It needs to be chilled before cutting. It will then need to stand in non-

refrigerated environment for short periods of time.

Butter creams are versatile for decorating the tops of petit fours as they can
be flavoured and easily piped. But it damages easily when at room
temperature.

When butter cream is made it needs to be kept at a temperature that will

not give adverse reaction to customers.

To use butter cream it needs to be pliable and smooth.

1.4 Prepare petit four glace for glazing

Glazing should include:

Jams
Jam can be used as a glaze but it needs to be applied when it is boiling. It
needs to be applied thinly and then given the opportunity to dry. Care
needs to be taken when cutting.

Creams
Creams make a food topping. If using fresh cream then the product will
need to be kept chilled and time spent at room temperature is kept to a
minimum.
Chocolate
Chocolate makes a good glaze but is difficult to cut.
Structure can be modified to make the cutting easier and
make eating quality softer.

Modern techniques will spray chocolate to coat. Give

interesting textural interest to finished coating.
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Fondant

Fondant is the classic enrobing agent. If it is tempered correctly, it should

give a brilliant shine to make eye appeal to the customer.

Ganache
Ganache is excellent. Consistency can be adjusted to
suit needs. To apply any of these glazes the petit four
needs to have sharp edges and smooth lines.
Surface needs to be dry and free of moisture. If the
surface is not dry then the glaze may not bind to the
surface of the petit four.

III. Activity Proper

A. MATCHING TYPE
Directions: Choose the letter of the best answer in Column B that
corresponds to its definition or description in Column A. Write your answer
on your test notebook/paper.

Column A Column B
____ 1. Everything in place. a. Ganache
____ 2. It is a mixture of chocolate and cream. b. Mise en Place
____ 3. A dish consisting of bread boiled to a pulp and c. Panada
flavored. d. Petit four
____ 4. Sponge, Cake, Shortbread, Pastry, Chocolate, bases
Marzipan and Choux pastry. e. Shortbread

____ 5. A mixture of flour, fat and sugar, enriched

with egg and has a 'short' eating quality.

B. FILL IN THE BLANKS

Directions: Complete the sentence by supplying the correct word/s.
Choose the word/s inside the box. Write your answer on your test
notebook/paper.

United States sponge cake buttercream Diamonds pourable

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 Petits fours glaces is the most common type of petit four that you will
find within the (1.)_______________. These small pastries are made
from (2.)_____________ or pound cake with layers of chocolate, fruit or (3.)
______________ in the center. These cakes are then cut into small shapes
such as squares, rectangles, circles, hearts or (4.) ______________. The
shapes are glazed with a (5.) ____________ fondant, icing or ganache
glaze.

Answer key
A. 1. B 2. A 3. C 4. D 5. E
B. 1. United States
2. Sponge Cake
3. Buttercream
4. Diamonds
5. Pourable

Reference:
Bread and Pastry Production NCII –Tourism_ CBLM_-
_BPP_Prepare_and_Display_petits_fours, Edition 2012 POLYTECHNIC
COLLEGE OF DAVAO DEL SUR, INC.

III. Summative Evaluation

Name: ________________________________ Date: ____________

Grade & Section: ______________________ Score: ___________
I. MULTIPLE CHOICE
Directions: Read each statement carefully. Choose the letter of the best
answer that corresponds to each statement. Write your answer on your test
notebook/paper.
1. Which statement best describes Petit Four?
a. French dessert c. Small oven
b. Mini pastry d. all of the above
2. What are the types of Petit Four?
a. Sec, Glace, Frais c. Sec, Glace, Frias
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 b. Sec, Glade, Frais d. Sec, Glace Fairs
3. It is the classic enrobing agent.
a. Buttercream b. Fondant c. Ganache d. none of these
4. These petit fours are created with cookies rather than cake. The
traditional type of cookie used is shortbread, which is a crisp, buttery
cookie.
a. Sec b. Frais c. Glace d. none of these
5. 2 parts flour, 1 part sugar, 1 part butter or fat. What base has this
measurement in making petit four glace?
a. Cake b. Pastry c. Shortbread d. Sponge
6. Where was Petit Four originated?
a. Australia b. France c. Spain d. none of these
7. What does petit means?
a. Large b. Medium c. Small d. none of these
8. This type of petit four is created with mini pastries. The most common
types of mini pastries are fruit tarts, éclairs or cream puffs.
a. Frais b. Glace c. Sec d. none of these
9. These small pastries are made from sponge cake or pound cake with
layers of chocolate, fruit or buttercream in the center.
a. Frais b. Glace c. Sec d. none of these
10. What base is a mixture of flour, fat and sugar, enriched with egg and
has a 'short' eating quality?
b. Cake b. Pastry c. Shortbread d. Sponge

II. CHECK MATE

Direction: Read each statement with care. Put a check ( ) on the statement
that states a fact and (x) if it is a fake news.

___ 1. Butter creams cannot be flavoured to desired standard adds good

mouth feel and cuts well when cold.
___ 2. A lot of product can be achieved when a curved shape is used.
___ 3. Classical Opera cake, sponge sheets that are approximately 7mm
thick, 3 or 4 depending on thickness.
___ 4. Jam can be used as a glaze but it needs to be applied when it is
boiling.
___ 5. Glazes use din petit four includes ganache, fondant, chocolate, jams
and creams.

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III. ESSAY (5 Points each)
Directions: In 50 words, explain briefly what is asked. Your answer will be
scored using the rubrics below.

Q1: What is Mise en Place? How it is being done?

___________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
_________________________________________

Q2: Why is it important to do mise en place before baking?

____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________

Scoring Rubric:
5 Answers the question briefly, clearly and directly to the point in 50
words.
4 Answers the question briefly, clearly and directly to the point in 49-40
words.
3 Answers the question briefly, clearly and directly to the point in 39-30
words.
2 Answers the question briefly, clearly and directly to the point in 29-10
words.
1 Answers the question correctly in 10 words and below.

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