Peppermint Bark Petit Fours

I’ve been wanting to try my hand at petit fours for a while now. They are just too cute! Layers of cake covered in jelly and frosting. Uh, yes please. Sign me up.

These are a little different than traditional petit fours. Basically, this is a super easy recipe for petit fours.We were excited to work with Ghirardelli Chocolate and play around with their peppermint bark squares as part of their “Celebrate with Squares” campaign. I thought it would be fun to use peppermint bark as the filling for these petit fours (instead of jelly or butter cream). So, just to be clear, this is chocolate bark covered in cake then drenched in more sugar.

Needless to say, I’m waaay into them and had to stop myself from eating the whole pan. I loved how these turned out! Trey and I went to a big potluck (it’s similar to Friendsgiving, hosted by our friend Jacki) and I took these to pass off onto all our friends—like little sugar-coated Christmas presents. We literally celebrated with squares. 😉

Peppermint Bark Petit Fours, makes around 27-30

For the cake: (this recipe is adapted from a cake roll recipe in Food Network magazine)
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
27-30 Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark Squares

First, sift together the flour, baking powder and cream of tartar. In a large bowl combine the eggs, sugar, water and vanilla extract. Use an electric mixer (or stand mixer) to beat on high for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is light and airy. Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture.

Cover the bottom of a jelly roll baking pan (10×15 inch with a lip) with parchment paper. Lightly spray the paper and exposed inside edges of the pan with cooking spray. Pour the batter into the pan, use a rubber spatula to make sure the batter is evenly distributed.

Bake at 375°F for 12-15 minutes until the edges begin to brown and pull away from the pan.

Allow the cake to cool for 30 minutes then flip out onto a clean work surface covered with a little powdered sugar or wax paper. In the above photo you can see the bottom of my cake. Cut off the edges.

Use the Ghirardelli peppermint bark squares to measure and cut the cake into 27-30 squares. Slice each cake square down the center, so you can make a peppermint bark sandwich, if you will. 🙂

Now to assemble our petit squares. 1.) Add a little frosting (store bought or a favorite recipe of yours) to the bottom of each cake square. 2.) Place the peppermint bark on the frosting and press in place. 3.) Add a little more frosting on top of the bark and press the top piece of cake in place. This will help your petit fours hold together once we get to dipping them. 4.) Roll out about one pound of marzipan very thin. Place all your prepared squares close together, spray one side of the marzipan with a little water and then place the wet side on top of the cakes. Press in place. If you refrigerate this for at least an hour (or overnight) it will help it stick to the cakes better. 5.) Cut the squares apart. Use kitchen shears to trim any excess marzipan off the edges. 6.) Dip each square in your prepared poured fondant (recipe follows). If you are adding any kind of sprinkles do so while the fondant is still wet.

I tried a couple different poured fondant recipes and the one that worked best for me was from Martha Stewart.

Petit Fours Frosting
9 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (I didn’t use clear and it didn’t really change my frosting color)

Combine all ingredients in a large glass bowl set over simmering water. Stir until the mixture is well combined and very thin. Hold petit fours by the top and bottom and dip each edge into the icing. Place on a  cooling rack set over wax paper. Use a spoon to pour icing on the top of the cake, so the entire square is covered (except the bottoms). Continue until you have covered all the squares. If you plan to add pipped frosting wait until the frosting dries (2-3 hours or overnight).

These are pretty labor intensive but SO cute and delicious once you’re done. My favorite part was adding the pipped frosting on the tops. I also felt pretty proud walking into the party with a huge tray of these, so I highly recommend them as a party trick or to take in to the office this month. Show off a little. 🙂 Happy (early) Holidays! xo. Emma

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Ingredients

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 cup flour
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• ▢ 3 eggs
• ▢ 1 cup sugar
• ▢ ⅓ cup water
• ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 27-30 Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark Squares

Petit Fours Frosting

• ▢ 9 cups powdered sugar
• ▢ ½ cup light corn syrup
• ▢ ½ cup water
• ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (I didn't use clear and it didn't really change my frosting color)

Instructions

• First, sift together the flour, baking powder and cream of tartar. In a large bowl combine the eggs, sugar, water and vanilla extract. Use an electric mixer (or stand mixer) to beat on high for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is light and airy. Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture.
• Cover the bottom of a jelly roll baking pan (10×15 inch with a lip) with parchment paper. Lightly spray the paper and exposed inside edges of the pan with cooking spray. Pour the batter into the pan, use a rubber spatula to make sure the batter is evenly distributed.
• Bake at 375°F for 12-15 minutes until the edges begin to brown and pull away from the pan.
• Allow the cake to cool for 30 minutes then flip out onto a clean work surface covered with a little powdered sugar or wax paper. In the above photo you can see the bottom of my cake. Cut off the edges.
• Use peppermint bark squares to measure and cut the cake into 27-30 squares. Slice each cake square down the center, so you can make a peppermint bark sandwich, if you will.
• Now to assemble our petit squares. 1.) Add a little frosting (store bought or a favorite recipe of yours) to the bottom of each cake square. 2.) Place the peppermint bark on the frosting and press in place. 3.) Add a little more frosting on top of the bark and press the top piece of cake in place. This will help your petit fours hold together once we get to dipping them. 4.) Roll out about one pound of marzipan very thin. Place all your prepared squares close together, spray one side of the marzipan with a little water and then place the wet side on top of the cakes. Press in place. If you refrigerate this for at least an hour (or overnight) it will help it stick to the cakes better. 5.) Cut the squares apart. Use kitchen shears to trim any excess marzipan off the edges. 6.) Dip each square in your prepared poured fondant (recipe follows). If you are adding any kind of sprinkles do so while the fondant is still wet.
• Combine all ingredients in a large glass bowl set over simmering water. Stir until the mixture is well combined and very thin. Hold petit fours by the top and bottom and dip each edge into the icing. Place on a cooling rack set over wax paper. Use a spoon to pour icing on the top of the cake, so the entire square is covered (except the bottoms). Continue until you have covered all the squares. If you plan to add pipped frosting wait until the frosting dries (2-3 hours or overnight).

Credits // Author and Photos: Emma Chapman.