Orange Petit Fours

I decided to try making petit fours for my Mother’s Day Tea Party this year. I found this Betty Crocker recipe, so armed with all the ingredients and my daughter, Bashful, by my side, we set to work. While I baked up the petit fours and got them glazed, Bashful set about rolling the gummy candies and cutting out adorable little flower and leaf shapes to place on top of each one. Don’t they look cute? I think she did an excellent job!

Petit Fours (pronounced peti fur) are a confectionery typically made of tiny little pound cakes or sponge cakes that are glazed and decorated. The name petit fours is French in origin and literally means “small oven.” They can be covered with fondant or coated with any flavor of frosting or glaze. Sometimes they’re filled with jam, chocolate, buttercream frosting, or whipped cream. Decorated with piped rosettes, hearts or ribbons, chocolate swirls, fondant flowers, dragees, nonpareils, or any tiny edible ornamentation, they make a sweet and elegant addition to a baby or bridal shower, afternoon tea, or dessert table.

ORANGE PETIT FOURS
(Makes 54 petits fours)

Cake:

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 tsp. grated orange peel
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp. orange-flavored liqueur (can substitute orange juice)

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Spray bottom and sides of 15x10x1-inch jelly roll pan with baking spray with flour.
2. In large bowl, beat all cake ingredients except liqueur with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
3. Pour batter into pan, spreading evenly to edges.
4. Bake 22 to 28 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched in center.
5. Brush liqueur over top of cake.
6. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.
7. To avoid cake crumbs when adding icing, freeze cake 1 hour before cutting.

Icing:

• 8 cups powdered sugar
• 3/4 cup pulp-free orange juice
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 2 tsp. almond extract

1. In large bowl, beat icing ingredients on low speed until powdered sugar is moistened.
2. Beat on high speed until smooth.
3. If icing is too thick, add more orange juice, a teaspoon at a time, until icing is pourable.

Decoration:

• gum drops
• orange jellies

1. Sprinkle sugar onto work surface.
2. Roll gum drops and orange jellies flat with a rolling pin.
3. Cut out tiny flower and leaf shapes with a sharp paring knife,

Assembly:

1. Place cooling rack on cookie sheet or waxed paper to catch icing drips.
2. Cut cake into 9 rows by 6 rows.
3. Working with one piece at a time, remove cake square from pan and place on cooling rack.
4. Spoon icing evenly over top of cake square, letting icing drip down sides till cake is completely coated. (Icing that drips off can be reused.)
5. Place a little gum drop or orange jelly flower on top of cake square.
6. Let stand until icing is set, about 2 hours.
7. Store in single layer in airtight plastic container.

[Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker]

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