Petit fours? - my kids love these little cakes at Christmas -

[hedgehog]

but I'm stuck between buying ones I can afford made with hydrogenated vegetable oils and who knows what else and being unable to bring myself to buy the good ones that cost $1 or more apiece.

So, has anyone here ever made them? Can you make them ahead and pop them into the freezer?

[Warpy]

1. Here's how to make them

http://allrecipes.com//HowTo/petit-fours/Detail.aspx

I know you can freeze a genoise for about a month. I don't know how the frosting would hold up on the mini cakes, or how well they'd freeze and thaw, but I imagine it would depend on the type of icing you used. Buttercream might be the most stable. Soaked cakes might not freeze and thaw as well, and soaking in sugar or brandy syrups is part of the point of using a genoise for the cake.

The problem with home freezers is that they freeze things slowly, allowing large ice crystals to form. Stuff that can be fast frozen often won't survive home freezing. A major case in point is some of the more delicate white fish.

[The empressof all]

2. I have found them easist to make using pound cake.

I've used home made loaf or the frozen Sarah Lee and just slice it thin and then into quarters. Then it's just a matter of brushing with syrup, filling and icing. They really don't have to be perfect and the icing covers up the imperfections pretty well

[hedgehog]

4. What a great idea! All the recipes assume you start with a

thin flat cake and try to cut it horizontally. Starting wit a loaf cake and then turning the slices to lie flat makes a big difference!

The left over pieces would be perfect for a trifle!

[The empressof all]

5. And if it's partially frozen...

You can really slice it very thin. I like lots of layers to hold that frosting. Actually, I often just use ganache and make it into a combo petit four/truffle.

[Warpy]

6. That's what I'd do were I so inclined

I always loved Sara Lee cake back in the good old days when I thought I could eat wheat.

[The empressof all]

7. Yeah...I can't do it anymore either

But that stuff was like crack to me. When I was Pregnant with my daughter I use to make a layer of Sarah Lee Pound Cake, Crunchy Peanut butter and Bananas. Then I'd top it off with a cup of Orange Juice. (Preferably fresh squeezed). There was something about the soggy, sticky, mushy mess that just hit all the right buttons for me.

Sometimes I'd throw some chocolate chips in....:hide:

It's just something that I will never forget....I still wear it on my hips. :rofl:

[grasswire]

3. I've used this Martha Stewart petit fours icing with good success

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/petits-fours-icing