Petit fours

Ingredients:

Cakes

• 4 large eggs, chilled (see Note)
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 110 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1.5 cups premium flour, sifted
• Special equipment: 4cm diameter cookie cutter, pastry bag with a plain medium tip

Ganache

• 280 g white chocolate, finely chopped
• 0.5 cups heavy cream
• Gel food coloring of desired color
• Sprinkle of desired color

Preparation:

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly spray a 18 x 13-inch baking sheet with cooking spray. Line the sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, baking powder, and salt on high speed until the mixture is pale and very thick (it leaves a whisk mark), about 10 minutes (see Note). Reduce the mixer speed to medium and add the butter and vanilla extract to the bowl. Mix thoroughly, about 10 seconds. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add all of the sifted flour.
   
   

   Culinary advice

   
   The eggs should be very cold; keep them in the refrigerator until ready to beat. Cold eggs help minimize the risk of overbeating and ensure an airy batter. Be sure to beat the egg mixture for the full 10 minutes. Aerating the eggs helps the cake rise and gives it structure.
3. Knead the dough for about 5 seconds. Gently fold the dough once or twice with a silicone spatula, then transfer it to the prepared baking sheet. Spread it evenly with a spatula using wide, gentle movements to keep the dough airy.
   
   

   Note

   
   When measuring flour, spoon it into a dry measuring cup and remove any excess. Scooping flour directly from the bag with a measuring cup will compact it, resulting in dry baked goods.
4. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until the top is light golden brown, 15-18 minutes. Let cool on the pan for 10 minutes, then turn the pan out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
5. Using a 4 cm round cookie cutter, cut out about 80 mini-cakes from the base. Store the scraps in an airtight container and serve with tea.
6. Ganache:
   
   In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to a simmer. Place the white chocolate in the bowl of a stand mixer and pour the hot cream over it. Stir with a heatproof silicone spatula until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir in enough food coloring to achieve the desired color. Refrigerate the bowl until the ganache cools completely, about 20 minutes. Return the bowl to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
   
7. Transfer the ganache to a pastry bag fitted with a medium round tip. Pipe 1 teaspoon of ganache onto half of the cake layers. Top each layer with the remaining empty cake layers. Pipe another 1 teaspoon of ganache onto each petit four and sprinkle each cake with a pinch of colored sprinkles. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 24 hours.