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Chapter 18
Petits Fours and Confections
CHAPTER
18
Introduction: History and Evolution of Petits Fours
• Petits Fours: miniature cookies, tartlets and cakes
• Refers to small size and delicacy – can be adapted from many traditional items
• Traditional and contemporary
• Mignardise, friandise, amuses bouche
CHAPTER
18
Introduction: History and Evolution of Petits Fours
• Categories of Petits Fours
– Petits Fours Sec
– Petits Fours Glacé
– Petits Fours Frais
– Petits Fours Déguisé
– Petits Fours Prestige
CHAPTER
18
Introduction: History and Evolution of Petits Fours
• Categories of Petits Fours
– Petits Fours Sec
• Dry and crisp cookies that are not filled
• Icebox, molded, piped or sheet cookies
• Common dough: shortbread, sable Breton, puff pastry
• Parisian macaroon
– “curing” in refrigerator
– Filled with butter cream or ganache
– The color represents the flavor
CHAPTER
18
Introduction: History and Evolution of Petits Fours
• Categories of Petits Fours
– Petits Fours Glacé
• Bite-sized cakes with a thin glaze
• Thin layer of marzipan on top of the cake
• Delicate piping on top surface
– Petits Fours Frais
• Served on the day they are made
• Éclairs, tartlets, Parisian macaroon with fresh fruits
• Almond cakes, madelines and financiers
CHAPTER
18
Introduction: History and Evolution of Petits Fours
• Categories of Petits Fours
– Petits Fours Déguisé
• Fresh, dried or candied fruits coated in cooked sugar, fondant or chocolate
• The fruits can be wrapped in marzipan
• The moisture softens the sugar
• Considerations for Dipping Fruits in Sugar
– The fruits must be properly cleaned and completely dried
– Fruits with high moisture content should be coated in marzipan
CHAPTER
18
Introduction: History and Evolution of Petits Fours
• Categories of Petits Fours
– Petits Fours Prestige
• Smaller version of contemporary entremets or other desserts
• Advanced techniques
CHAPTER
18
Storage and Service• Considerations depend on the individual
characteristics of each item
• Temperature and humidity control
• Freezing of the bases and doughs
CHAPTER
18
An Introduction to Sugar Confections
• Chocolate confections
• Flour confections
• Sugar confections
• Sugar Confections in History– The method to extract sugar from sugar cane was
established in India
– Persians, Arabs, Spanish and countries in North Africa adapted the technique
– Used as a sweet flavoring in medicine, electuaries and sold pills
CHAPTER
18
An Introduction to Sugar Confections
• Sugar Solutions
– Lowers the ratio of water by boiling the solution
– Before thermometer was invented, the degree of cooking was determined by dropping a small amount of sugar in cold water and feeling the texture
CHAPTER
18
An Introduction to Sugar Confections
• Sugar Solutions
– Saturation of sugar
• Solution is saturated when the maximum quantity of sugar is dissolved water
• Supersaturated solutions
• Agitations or foreign material (seed) can cause crystallization
CHAPTER
18
An Introduction to Sugar Confections
• Sugar Solutions– Crystallization
• Crystalline and non-crystalline confections
• Guideline to avoid crystallization
– Avoid Impurities
– Cooking Temperature
– Sugar Grains
– Agitation
• Doctors
– Glucose
– Inverted sugar
– Acids
CHAPTER
18
An Introduction to Sugar Confections
• Sugar Solutions
– Caramelization and the Maillard Reaction
• Sugar caramelizes when it is heated above 320°F
• Changes the sweet flavor into richer, nutty and bitter flavor
• Maillard reaction occurs when protein and sugar are combined under heat
• Leads many familiar flavors such as caramels, bread, coffee beans, chocolate, dark beers
CHAPTER
18
Categories of Sugar Confections
• Crystalline confections
• Non-crystalline confections
• Aerated confections
• Jelly
CHAPTER
18
Categories of Sugar Confections
• Crystalline Confections
– Sugar crystals are formed during the process
– Based on supersaturated sugar solution
– Crystal size is determined by how quickly the sugar solution was cooled down
– The number of crystal depends on the level of agitation during the cooling process
CHAPTER
18
Categories of Sugar Confections
• Crystalline Confections
– Fondant
• Pastry fondant
– Used as a glaze
– Less viscous, more fluid
• Confectionary fondant
– The crystals are finer and viscosity is greater
– The sugar syrup cooked to higher temperature
– Able to take up additional flavorings and oils
– Can be poured into starch molds to set until firm
CHAPTER
18
Categories of Sugar Confections
• Crystalline Confections
– Fondant
• Technique for Fondant
– Combine the ingredients and cook to the required temperature
– Stir in salt at the end of cooking process
– Cool the mixture on a granite slab to 122°F
– Place the seed on top of the syrup if using
– Agitate to a desired level
– Keep in an airtight container and allow to mature overnight
CHAPTER
18
Categories of Sugar Confections
• Crystalline Confections
– Fondant
• Starch Molds for Fondant Fillings
– Used to form a fine crust on soft fondant
– The fondant is melted to 150°F and liqueur or flavoring is added
– The mixture is deposited into the starch molds and allowed to set
– Technique for fondant
CHAPTER
18
Categories of Sugar Confections
• Crystalline Confections
– Fudge
• Based on the formulation of fondant with additional ingredients, such as dairy products, fat, nuts and chocolate
• The additional ingredients affect on stability by altering the texture, appearance and shelf life
• The fudge should be enrobed or wrapped immediately after cutting
– Technique for fudge
CHAPTER
18
Categories of Sugar Confections
• Crystalline Confections
– Liqueur Cordials
• A fine crystalline shell surrounds liqueur-flavored supersaturated sugar solution
• Can be molded in chocolate
• Alcohol content of the liqueur affects on the rate of crystallization
• Technique for Liqueur Cordial
CHAPTER
18
Categories of Sugar Confections
• Crystalline Confections
– Dragees
• Roasted nuts that are coated in sugar and then coated again in a smooth sugar or chocolate coating
• Cook in a round-bottomed copper pot
• Technique for Dragee
– Panning
• The process for coating confectionary centers (i.e. nuts)
• Soft sugar panning, hard sugar panning, chocolate panning
CHAPTER
18
Categories of Sugar Confections
• Non-Crystalline Confections
– No crystal formation during the cooing process
– Dairy products are common ingredients which triggers the Maillard reaction
– Tips to prevent the crystallization
CHAPTER
18
Categories of Sugar Confections
• Non-Crystalline Confections
– Hard Candies
• Minimal water content in the final product creates the texture
• Glucose is added to prevent crystallization and to make the sugar moldable
• Acids prevent crystallization but also retracts moisture
• Pulled sugar technique
• Hard candy technique
CHAPTER
18
Categories of Sugar Confections
• Non-Crystalline Confections
– Brittles
• Crunchy sugar confection with added nuts or seeds
• The sugar is cooked to a high temperature to evaporate the maximum amount of liquid, caramelized flavor and color
• Baking soda lightens the texture
• Brittle process
CHAPTER
18
Categories of Sugar Confections
• Non-Crystalline Confections
– Caramel and Toffee
• The difference is the moisture content at the end of the cooking process
• The texture of caramel ranges from soft to hard
• Toffee is usually hard and crunchy
• Common dairy ingredients: cream, milk, evaporated milk or condensed milk
• Process for caramel and toffee
CHAPTER
18
Categories of Sugar Confections
• Aerated Confections
– Consist of a stable foam
– Marshmallow and nougat
– Added gelling agents
– Ingredients responsible for stabilizing the structure
• Cooking of egg whites while whipping
• Gelatin whipped with sugar
CHAPTER
18
Categories of Sugar Confections
• Aerated Confections
– Marshmallows
• Derived from Egypt, originally used for medical purposes
• Marshmallows made with or without egg whites
• Egg whites and gelatin stabilizes the light structure
• Process for Marshmallow with Egg Whites and Gelatin
• Process for Marshmallow with Gelatin
CHAPTER
18
Categories of Sugar Confections
• Aerated Confections
– Nougat
• A dense aerated confection with various textures
• The temperature controls the texture of the final product
• Nougat de Montelimar
• A caution on the temperature of additional ingredients
• Process for Nougat
CHAPTER
18
Categories of Sugar Confections
• Jellies
– Many varieties are commercially available
– Consist of a supersaturated sugar solution, flavorings and binding agents
– Gelatin, pectin, agar and starch
CHAPTER
18
Categories of Sugar Confections
• Jellies
– Jellification Ingredient Technology
• A supersaturated sugar solution in the formula provides the sweetness, texture and shelf life
• The amount of moisture in the mixture determines the softness
• Flavorings
– Range from natural fruit juices or puree to acidic powders
– Acid may be needed for a proper jellification in pectin-based jellies
CHAPTER
18
Categories of Sugar Confections
• Jellies
– Jellification Ingredient Technology
• Binding Agents
– Gelatin
» Most common gelling agent in confection industry
» Thermo-reversible
» 4.5-7.5% of the total weight of the candy
» Protein in gelatin denatures above 176°F/80°C
» Acid and certain natural enzymes in some fruits can denature protein
CHAPTER
18
Categories of Sugar Confections
• Jellies
– Jellification Ingredient Technology
• Binding Agents
– Agar Powder
» Substituted with gelatin when animal product can not be used
» Extracted from seaweed and red algae
» Thermo-reversible
» Only 0.5-1.5% of the total weight of the candy
» Short and rubbery texture
» Hysteresis
CHAPTER
18
Categories of Sugar Confections
• Jellies
– Jellification Ingredient Technology
• Binding Agents
– Pectin
» Yellow Pectin (apple pectin)
» Pectin NH
» Medium Rapid Set Pectin
» Heat triggers the jellification properties
» Solid content
» Acid level
CHAPTER
18
Binding Agents: Pectin• Jellies
– Jellification Ingredient Technology
• Pates de Fruits
– Fruit juice or puree, sugar, glucose, yellow pectin and an acid
– Slightly firm in texture but still tender
– The color range from opaque to translucent
– The concentration of sugar solution affects on the texture
– The process must be closely followed to yield the desired property of the candy
– Pates de Fruits Method
CHAPTER
18
Conclusion• Petit fours items can include a miniature
version of the items already offered
• More labor cost but less ingredient cost
• Maintain a balance of products for presentation and display