Pretty Petit Fours
For the Dough:
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk
3 egg whites
For the Glaze:
2 pounds confectioners' sugar
2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons orange extract
For the Frosting:
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
2 tablespoons shortening
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups confectioners' sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons milk
Gel, liquid or paste food coloring
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, shortening and sugar. Beat
in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to
creamed mixture alternately with milk. In a small mixing bowl, beat
egg whites until soft peaks form; gently fold into batter.
Pour into a greased 9-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F
for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center
comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a
wire rack to cool completely.
Cut a thin slice off each side of cake. Cut cake into 1-1/4-in.
squares. Place 1/2 in. apart on a rack in a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in.
pan.
In a mixing bowl, combine glaze ingredients. Beat on low speed just
until blended; beat on high until smooth. Apply glaze evenly over
tops and sides of cake squares, allowing excess to drip off. Let
dry. Repeat if necessary to thoroughly coat squares. Let dry
completely.
For frosting, in a mixing bowl, cream butter, shortening and
vanilla. Beat in confectioners' sugar and enough milk to achieve
desired consistency. Place 1/2 cup each in two bowls; tint one pink
and one green.
Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert
#104 tip. Fill with pink frosting; pipe a rosebud on each petit
four. Insert #3 round tip into another pastry or plastic bag; fill
with green frosting. Pipe a leaf under each rose. |