French Genoise for Petits Fours

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   Set oven at 350 degrees F. Grease and lightly flour ANY 1 of the following for your needs: two 9-inch layer-cake tins three 7-inch layer-cake tins one 11 x 16 jelly-roll pan for petite fours two shallow 10-inch layer-cake tins NOTE: For petits fours you must use ONE 11 x 16 jelly-roll pan.

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   You must use 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour if you are making petite fours.

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   FOR THE CAKE: In a large bowl combine eggs and sugar.

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   Stir for a minute, or until they are just combined.

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   Set bowl over a saucepan containing 1 or 2 inches of hot water.

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   Water in pan should not touch bowl; nor should it ever be allowed to boil.

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   Place saucepan containing bowl over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until eggs are lukewarm.

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   Heating the eggs help them whip to greater volume.

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   It is not necessary to beat them continuously as they are warming.

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    They should, however, be lightly stirred 3 or 4 times to prevent them from cooking at bottom of bowl.

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    When eggs feel lukewarm to your finger and look like a bright yellow syrup, remove bowl from heat.

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    Begin to beat, preferably with an electric mixer.

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    Beat at high speed for 10 to 15 minutes, scraping sides of bowl with a rubber spatula when necessary, until syrup becomes light, fluffy, and cool.

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    It will almost triple in bulk and look much like whipped cream.

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    It is the air beaten into the eggs that gives genoise its lightness.

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    Sprinkle flour, a little at a time, on top of the whipped eggs.

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    Fold in gently, adding slightly cooled, clarified butter and vanilla.

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    Folding can be done with electric mixer turned to lowest speed, or by hand.

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    Best done by hand.

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    Be especially careful not to overmix.

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    Pour batter into prepared pans, of your choice above.

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    Bake in preheated oven 25 to 30 minutes, or until cakes pull away from sides of pans and are golden brown and springy when touched lightly on top.

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    Remove from pans immediately and cool on cake rack.

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    Almost all petits fours freeze well before they are iced.

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    Not all petits fours require an icing glazed with fondant.

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    This is tricky to make and use.

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    Traditionally, petits fours are served in small, individual paper cases.

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    FOR THE PETITS FOURS: To make the little iced geometric cakes most people think of as petits fours, bake a sheet of genoise for petits fours in an 11 x 16 jelly-roll pan.

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    The baked sheets of cake should not be more than 3/4 inch high.

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    If possible, bake the cake a day ahead so it can be cut more easily.

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    Cut the cake in half, making 2 layers, each 8 x 11.

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    Spread 1 layer with a thin layer of apricot or raspberry jam.If desired, any butter cream may be substituted for jam.

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    Place second layer on top of first.

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    If butter cream is used, chill cake slightly.

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    Brush top with hot apricot glaze.

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    Trim off all crisp edges.

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    Allow glaze to dry for a few minutes.

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    Then, using a long knife with a serrated edge, cut cake into even 1-inch shapes; cubes, rectangles, triangles, etc.

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    A ruler may be used for making cakes of equal size.

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    Rounds can be cut with a cooky cutter, although there is much waste.

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    Wipe knife edge off with a damp sponge after each slice.

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    Place 1/3 of the little cakes on a cake rack, leaving some space between them.

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    Set rack in a shallow pan.

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    Warm the fondant or mock fondant.

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    Flavor it with vanilla or a liqueur.

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    When lukewarm, spoon or pour plenty of icing in the center of each cake so that it will run down and coat sides.

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    Excess will drip into pan under rack.

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    Scrape up drippings and return them to pan of vanilla fondant.

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    Add coffee to flavor fondant.

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    Reheat what is now coffee fondant to lukewarm.

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    If necessary, thin it with a little syrup or water.

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    Arrange another third of the cakes on a second cake rack.

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    Place rack in shallow pan.

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    Cover tops and sides of the little cakes with coffee fondant.

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    Scrape icing up and return in to pan.

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    Flavor remaining coffee fondant with chocolate.

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    The chocolate flavor and color will now dominate.

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    Place remaining cakes on a third rack and cover with chocolate fondant.

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    Allow all the cakes to dry about 10 minutes.

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    Loosen from racks with a spatula.

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    Place each in a tiny paper case and, if desired, decorate.

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    Simple decorations can be very beautiful: crushed bits of crystalized violets or green pistachio nuts; or prepare ad additional 1/2 cup of fondant, coloring it as you like.

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    It should be a little thicker than the fondant used for pouring.

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    Fill a paper cornucopia with the colored fondant and cut a tiny hole in the pointed end.

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    Make dots, lines.

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    scrolls; a variety of patterns can be improvised.

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    Each little cake needs no more than the tiniest bit of decorations.

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    FOR THE APRICOT GLAZE: Heat apricot jam in a saucepan until it is boiling.

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    Stir in preferred flavoring.

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    Use glaze while it is hot.

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    Mock Fondant: Much easier to make than real fondant, and more quickly prepared, this recipe provides an excellent substitute if you have on hand a jar of the basic simple syrup, which keeps almost indefinitely.

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    For best results, pour mock fondant over cake which has first been lightly brushed with hot apricot glaze.

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    BASIC SIMPLE SYRUP: 2 1/2 cups sugar 3/4 cup white corn syrup 1 1/4 cups water Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in a large saucepan.

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    Stir over low heat until sugar is completely dissolved.

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    When it looks clear, wash down sides of saucepan with a brush dipped in cold water.

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    Place lid on saucepan for 5 minutes so that steam will further dissolve any sugar crystals.

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    Remove lid.

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    Raise heat.

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    Boil for 5 minutes without stirring.

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    Cool syrup, pour into jars, and cover tightly.

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    Store for future use.

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    Note: if sugar has not been thoroughly dissolved, the syrup, after a week or even less, may form large crystals in the bottom of the jar.

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    The presence of crystals will not hurt the syrup, but it is wasteful, because the more crystals the less syrup you will have.

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    MOCK FONDANT: 1/2 cup cooled basic simple syrup 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately) 1 teaspoon egg white 1 teaspoon melted butter Place syrup in a saucepan.

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    Add enough sifted confectioners' sugar to make a fairly stiff paste.

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    It should be a bit too thick to pour or spread by itself.

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    Place saucepan over low heat and warm, stirring constantly till fondant is lukewarm.

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    Be careful not to overheat, or the icing will not be shiny.

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    Beat in a teaspoon each of egg white and melted butter.

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    If icing is still too thick, add additional syrup or flavoring liquid to thin it.

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    If it becomes too thin, add more confectioners' sugar.

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    This is enough mock fondant for the top of a 9-inch layer cake.

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    Flavor with any one of the following, or any flavor of your choice: 1 ounce melted unsweetened chocolate 1 tablespoon extra-strong coffee 2 tablespoons rum 2 tablespoons any liqueur 1 teaspoon vanilla.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.