Hello all, My DD informed me last night that a lady called and wants to know if I make petitfours. I tried to call this woman back, but the line was busy. Any how here is my delimma... I HAVE NEVER MADE PETITFOURS!!
I am sure I can do it I just don't know where to start and what todo exactly. I know I can bake a sheet cake and cut them out from it but how do I fill them and frost them so that they look elegant. I mostly decorate with buttercream and royal icing. I have made MMF only once and have not needed to use it since. I read pourable fondant under some of the pictures here, but have never dealt with it before.
I would like to tell this lady that I can do it, but I need helpful hints and suggestions from ya'll before so I can decide before I commit completely. I am going to tell her that I will have to call her back after doing some figuring after she tells me what she is after.
Also, how much would you charge for 1" square petitfours??
TIA, Dawn
These are extremely time consuming. they are so much work, most people sell them only by the dozen, around $25 a dozen.
There are several long threads about petit fours. Pound cake works best to minimize crumbs. The freeze it before you cut it, then quickly get it back to the freezer.
Adding Candymelts to the poured icing helps them not be so transparent.
If you are uncomfortable, it's ok to tell her "I'm sorry, I dont' make those". If you have the name/number of someone who does make them, you will look great if you help her find them.
I tell people that I dont' do cupcakes and I dont' do cheesecakes. I am not everything to everybody.
http://www.wilton.com/recipes/recipesandprojects/wedding/petaledpetitfours.cfm
Here are some instructions from wilton
I like using these petit four molds from Sweet Expressions: http://cgi.ebay.com/Tiffany-Box-Petit-Four-Kit-1-Cake-Decorating_W0QQitemZ300140060939QQihZ020QQcategoryZ79631QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem
They make very nice looking and easy to do petit fours that are covered in candy melts/chocolate.
If you are uncomfortable, it's ok to tell her "I'm sorry, I dont' make those". If you have the name/number of someone who does make them, you will look great if you help her find them.
I tell people that I dont' do cupcakes and I dont' do cheesecakes. I am not everything to everybody.
Indydebi...that is probably what I am going to do as I still can't get a hold of her by phone yet anyhow.
MommyEdzards...thanks for that link...I would eventually like to try petifours and I like what I am reading in this link you gave me.
miriel.... thanks for the link to the molds, but can't really afford to buy molds at this point , but will keep them in mind.
Thanks to you ALL for the suggestions.
Dawn
I have never done these before either, but I have someone ordering them monday and I am so nervous... dummy me said I would do a dozen for 8.50 because I thought hey, I can just bake a cake and cut them out with a biscuit cutter 
and then use poured fondant, OMG what an idiot... maybe I should call her back and ask if I could just do mini's instead... what exactly is a petitfour that make it so different anyway@
I have a couple pics in my photos, they are time consuming but not that bad once you get them cut.
I baked mine on a cookie sheet, froze the cake, cut them into 1-1/2 inches square.
Made a poured fondant, put the frozen cakes on a large retangular cooling rack. And laddled the fondant over each one, let the extra fondant fall onto an empty cookie sheet below.
It really was not to bad.
Let me know if I can help any further.
Ladiva
Here's how I did mine. I too baked on a cookie sheet. Two layers. Let cool on wire racks and cover with simple syrup. Once cool, I filled and stacked. The filling was just a fruit preserve. It doesn't take much! You want a very thin layer (learned that the hard way!) Not nearly as thick as you would fill a cake. Then I froze until solid and cut into 2" squares. Trust me, freezing the cake makes cutting much easier and neater, especially if you use an electric knife.
Now when it comes to coovering them, I tried the poured fondant and WHAT A MESS!! I will never do it again. The best thing I can suggest is melted chocolate or candy melts. You usually only need one coat and it sets up great. Good luck! Don't let petit fours intimidate you. You can do it.
Sorry I just got back on, I did not fill them and they still ended up being a nice height.
I charged $1.25 for the ones you see in my photos as a favor to a lady I work with (son was graduating). My usually price is 2.00-9.00.
Let me know if you have any further questions.
Ladiva
I use just enough batter to fill the cookie sheet 2/3 full. You want to level the layers if they are rounded. It works best when your layers are as flat and even as possible.
As for pricing, for 1" squares I usually charge $1.00 each depending on the detail of decorations. For 2" squares, I start my prices at $2.00 each. Hope that helps!
By the Way, frstech, what part of Longview do you live in? I'm in the Pine Tree area.
I baked mine on a cookie sheet, froze the cake, cut them into 1-1/2 inches square.
You baked on a cookie sheet??? did you fill and layer to get the height???
I call my pans cookie sheets as well, but I think the technical term is jelly roll pan.
I use just enough batter to fill the cookie sheet 2/3 full. You want to level the layers if they are rounded. It works best when your layers are as flat and even as possible.
As for pricing, for 1" squares I usually charge $1.00 each depending on the detail of decorations. For 2" squares, I start my prices at $2.00 each. Hope that helps!
By the Way, frstech, what part of Longview do you live in? I'm in the Pine Tree area.
Misdawn...Sorry I can only get on at work. Thanks for the tips for filling the pans & Pricing. I used to live in Spring Hill, but now I live just in the edge of Gilmer,but I work in Longview. PM me if you ever want to get together and talk cake.
It's been a long while since I've done any petit fours but I make mine using a regular sponge cake. A pound cake would be more dense and easier to cut. I bought petit four cutters but ended up cutting them out by hand. Depending on how many you have to do, it is easier to have a second set of hands helping you, as they are pretty time intensive.
I baked, cut and then brushed each square with a pastry brush to insure there were no crumbs. After that I used apricot preserves that had been heated and strained and coated each one. This insures the cake is moist. Finished them by pouring a fondant mixture over (recipe from Wilton). When they were dry, I decorated each with a rosebud.
I charged $1.00 each which was comparable to the bakeries in town that I was living in (very few even offered them). I'll post a picture of mine. They were done for a Fall bridal shower a year ago and the bride-to-be wanted me to match one or more of her napkin colors, also in the photo.
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