Petit four

{{Short description|French confection}} {{more footnotes|date=March 2011}} {{Infobox food | name = Petit four | image = Petits.fours.wmt.jpg | image_size = 300px | caption = An assortment of petits fours | alternate_name = | country = France | region = | creator = | course = Dessert | type = Confectionery | served = | main_ingredient = Varies by type | variations = | calories = | other = }} thumb|right|French assortment of petits fours

A '''petit four''' ({{IPA|fr|pəti fuʁ}}; plural: '''petits fours''' {{IPA|fr|pəti fuʁ|}}) is a small bite-sized confectionery or savory appetiser. The name is French for "small oven". They are also known as '''mignardises''' {{IPA|fr|miɲaʁdiz|}}, in England '''fancies,''' and '''dainties''' in the prairie provinces of Canada.

== History and etymology == In 18th and 19th century France, large brick or stone ovens were used to bake bread. Because the ovens took a long time to cool down after baking bread, bakers often took advantage of their stored heat for baking pastries. This process was called baking {{lang|fr|à petit four}} (literally "at small oven").<ref>{{cite web |last1=Olver |first1=Lynne |author1-link=Lynne Olver |date=June 24, 2012 |title=history notes{{mdash}}cookies, crackers & biscuits |url=http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodcookies.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050111180512/https://www.foodtimeline.org/foodcookies.html |archive-date=January 11, 2005 |website=The Food Timeline}}{{cbignore|bot=InternetArchiveBot}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Jebirashvili|first1=Revaz|title=The History of Petit Fours|url=http://petitedesserts.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/history-of-petit-fours.html|website=Mini Desserts|date=3 February 2011|access-date=10 February 2015|archive-date=10 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150210162808/http://petitedesserts.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/history-of-petit-fours.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Types == Petits fours come in three varieties:

* ''Glacé'' ("glazed"), iced or decorated tiny cakes covered in fondant or icing, such as small éclairs, and tartlets * ''Salé'' ("salted"), savory bite-sized appetizers usually served at cocktail parties or buffets * ''Sec'' ("dry"), dainty biscuits, baked meringues, macarons, and puff pastries

In a French pâtisserie, assorted small desserts are usually called ''mignardises'', while hard, buttery biscuits are called petits fours.<gallery mode="packed" widths="200" heights="150" caption="Different categories of petit four"> File:Three yellow Easter petits fours.jpg|Petit four glacé File:Pataclette.jpg|Petit four salé made of potato and cheese File:Weihnachten 2020 Weihnachtsplätzchen 34.jpg|Petit four sec with chocolate coating </gallery>

== See also == * {{portal-inline|Food}} * List of French desserts

== References == {{Reflist}}

==Further reading== * Garrett, Toba. ''Professional Cake Decorating''. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons, 2007. p. 226. * Kingslee, John. ''A Professional Text to Bakery and Confectionary''. New Delhi, India: New Age International, 2006. p. 244. * Maxfield, Jaynie. ''Cake Decorating for the First Time''. New York: Sterling Pub, 2003. p. 58. * Rinsky, Glenn, and Laura Halpin Rinsky. ''The Pastry Chef's Companion: A Comprehensive Resource Guide for the Baking and Pastry Professional''. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons, 2009. p. 214.

Category:French pastries Category:French cakes