TWIST IN THE TALE: Toppings in trendy flavours for broad appeal. Photo: Fauchon PR. RIGHT: GOURMET PATISSERIE IN THE MAKING: Piping the basic mix into silicone moulds before baking. Photos by Jayaram
By Aney Mathew
Like in every other facet of life, fads and trends exist in the world of culinary creations, too. While seasons have come and gone, petits fours have held their own over for years, both regionally and internationally.
Petit four is French for ‘mini oven’ — it is a miniature dessert that can be created in a rich variation of flavours with creative decorations. With savoury or salty minis making their way to the scene, the boundary between salted and sweet varieties soon became blurred and the varieties offered have broadened.
Today, these bite-sized minis are considered confectionery appetizers and desserts that are simple to make, stylish little delicacies that are perfect to be served in buffets and a treat for any elegant dinner party. They add a special touch to showers, open houses and teas.
Simply put, these little guys are a great way to have a little bite of everything, for lesser calories (if you are counting, that is).
Considered a heritage of the golden age of French gastronomy (dating back to the beginning of the XIX century), petits fours claim to have a unique history.
Lore has it that buffet lunches were introduced as a symbol of conviviality during the time of Napoléon Bonaparte, who detested the long ritual of sit-down dinners; preferring action, he liked to move around to meet his guests. Thus the petits fours were born — as ideal mini treats that could be served during buffets.
If you are wondering why appetizers would be called little ovens, here’s the answer. Back in the day (around the 18th century), French bakers had huge brick ovens that were used to roast and bake everything from meat and vegetables to cakes and different types of breads. These ovens were usually coal fired and got very hot. They took a while to heat up — and a while to die down.
There was no real dial on the oven to dictate temperature. In reality, there were two settings; the first was blazing hot and called grand four (big oven). When the fire began to die down, the oven still retained the latent heat in the coals that resided in stone/brick walls. This is what was referred to as petit four (small oven). This lower temperature was ideal for baking individual pastries and bite-sized appetizers to serve with tea. So now these little minis are commonly referred to as petits fours.
So how has the ambiance been for these sweet minis here in Qatar? How have they been received?
“Petits fours have been the rage for years now, not only in Qatar but also in the Middle East. They have become a ‘must-serve’ item on our clients’ list for all their special occasions,” confirms Joumana Galayini, General Manager for Fauchon Paris, Doha.
“Unlike the general terminology, in a French patisserie like ours, petits fours are usually categorised as Petits Fours Sec (dry) and the Petits Fours Frais (fresh). The former are basically the hard, buttery biscuits, that most people call cookies and the latter is the line of fresh petits fours. The uniqueness of our fresh petits fours lies in the exceptional composition and fresh ingredients. Egg, butter and almond paste make up the basic ingredients; but the almond paste we use makes our product distinct,” says Pradeep Hewage, the Executive Pastry Chef at the patisserie.
“Our Petits Four Frais, are unique and famous; they have actually been created in-house here in Doha and have caught on very well with our customers. In order to make them more appealing to the clientele, we’ve worked on a more trendy shape, with more infusions and introduced toppings that are more pleasing to the Middle Eastern palate, through the use of dry fruits and nuts. As a result of the success we’ve had, our petits fours have been introduced in other Fauchon Paris outlets in the region with just a change in the toppings,” explains Joumana.
Together, Joumana and Pradeep have worked on traditional and creative flavours, as well as on ideas for presentation of the products to suit local demand. They have also successfully maintained a universal approach to meet the taste of the international clientele.
The ideas have worked so well that Joumana has been awarded the title of ‘Queen of Retail’. The products have become such a success that Fauchon Paris, Doha, has won the prize for the best sales in the Middle East for the past two years in a row, from among the various outlets of the brand in the region.
With Ramadan being observed by the vast majority of our readers, Fauchon Paris, Doha has shared the recipe for one of their much sought after petits fours, as a special treat.
It looks fairly simple to put together and variations can be made by changing the toppings, using various nuts, dry fruits and fresh fruits. So if you are looking for something new to impress your guests with, go ahead and try these haute couture minis.
