![]() An assortment of petits fours | |
Type | Confectionery |
---|---|
Course | Dessert |
Place of origin | France |
Main ingredients | Varies by type |
A petit four (plural: petits fours, also known as mignardises) is a small bite-sized confectionery or savory appetizer. The name is French, petit four (French pronunciation: [pə.ti fuʁ]), meaning "small oven".
In 18th and 19th century France, large brick or stone (Dutch design) ovens were used to bake bread. Because the ovens took a long time to cool down after baking bread, bakers often took advantage of their stored heat for baking pastries. This process was called baking à petit four (literally "at small oven").[1][2]
Petits fours come in three varieties:
In a French patisserie, assorted small desserts are usually called mignardises, while hard, buttery biscuits are called petits fours.