This is our favorite classic Petit Four Glaze petit fours! When preparing for our "How to Make Petit Fours" video tutorial, we tried out SO many different recipes for glazes. Most were ruled out for problems with consistency, flavor, firmness of the glaze, etc.

Finally, we decided to try the simplest recipe of all...this recipe, and it was the BEST! I love it when that happens. You can see the pretty petit fours that we made below...aren't they cute?!

This is the first batch of petit fours that I ever made that actually turned out like they were supposed to. I was so happy to finally figure out the "right" way to make petit fours, and a big part of that was the glaze!

You will love this Classic Petit Four Glaze Recipe! MyCakeSchool.com.

For years, just the idea of making petit fours was enough to give me nightmares. I avoided them at all costs because no matter how many hours I put into making them, they never had a consistent look.

In our free video tutorial on making petit fours, we share the techniques that have made the process SO much simpler for me, and I have a feeling that you are going to love making these sweet little cakes in no time.

Beautiful Petit Fours by MyCakeSchool.com

Petit Four Glaze

We love this easy Petit Four Glaze! Also, learn how to make petit fours in our free tutorial below.

Ingredients

9 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar (sift then measure) (945 g)
½ cup (164 g) light corn syrup
½ cup water (118g)
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract (4g)
½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)

Instructions

In a heatproof bowl set over (but not touching) simmering water, mix sugar, corn syrup, ½ cup water, and flavoring together until warm and smooth. I like a thin consistency and so approximately 115 degrees F was the temperature that worked well for us. Don't worry if you do not have a candy thermometer..I just wanted to give you an idea. I prefer a nice, thin consistency.
Stir in enough food coloring until desired color is reached. Do not overheat.

Notes

*As you can see in the photo, the cakes were frosted on top before glazing so that the tops would not be transparent. These are from our cake video tutorial on Petit Fours!
This glaze behaves just as it should, and sets after several minutes so that it becomes dry to the touch. This thin coating will keep your little cakes nice and moist, and I love the elegant matte semi-transparent finish.

*As you can see in the photo, the cakes were frosted on top before glazing so that the tops would not be transparent. These are from our cake video tutorial on Petit Fours!

This glaze behaves just as it should, and sets after several minutes so that it becomes dry to the touch. This thin coating will keep your little cakes nice and moist, and I love the elegant matte semi-transparent finish. (However, you can dust over them with pearl dust using a dry brush if you'd like, as you can see in my photo below!)

Perfect Petit Four Glaze Recipe by MyCakeSchool.com

When we make petit fours, we use our FAVORITE Pound Cake recipe which you can find here!: Classic Pound Cake Recipe! Not only is this a fantastic pound cake recipe, but the density of pound cake makes for a clean and uniform cut when slicing your squares!

I can tell you from experience that trying to dip a square of cake with ragged edges makes for a very sad little petit four, haha. Still delicious...you'll just want your guests to avert their eyes. Stick to the dense cakes for these cuties!

We hope that you give this petit four glaze a try! This is a classic recipe that has been floating around for years, and for good reason. Super simple! Enjoy!

How to Make Petit Fours

Don't miss our step by step video tutorial on how to make petit fours the EASY way!

This is a video that was reserved for our members only for years, but we recently switched it to our free video tutorial section. We hope that you enjoy learning how to make these tiny cakes! Free Petit Fours Video Tutorial- How to make them the EASY way!

36 Comments

Hello. Can I bake individual cakes in a mini square silicone pan instead of a cutting up a sheet cake? Will that result in the mini cakes being too dry? Thanks.

Melissa Diamond says:

November 2, 2023 at 3:31 pm

Hi Michelle, I'm sorry that we missed your question- yes, I don't see why not!

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My poured fondant is drying sticky any idea why?? I’ve tried many different recipes, use very minimal water to thin it out

Melissa Diamond says:

November 2, 2023 at 3:34 pm

Hi Ivy- I don't know why that would be. We just haven't experienced it. It seems that if they sit out long enough at room temperature, any stickiness should dry and set up. How long have they been sitting out? I'm sorry that you are having this issue.

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Hi cn you make the petit fours 2-3 weeks
ahead and freeze them unfrosted. Thanks

Melissa Diamond says:

February 12, 2024 at 4:52 pm

Hi Asheema, yes as long as they are wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil, the unfrosted petit fours can be frozen for up to a few months!

Reply

You can use Sara Lee poundage for a no-bake experience.

In your video, you scored the top of the frozen cake/frosting. When do you cut all the way through?

Melissa Diamond says:

March 23, 2024 at 10:35 am

Hi Erin, right after that- as long as the thin layer of frosting on top is still firm from chilling.

I thought that we filmed that part but in a quick scroll through of the video, I'm not seeing it. You can cut your squares all at once, or you may prefer to just go row by row as you are ready to dip. The key is keeping them chilled not only for neat edges when cutting, but also for dipping.

I just checked and we actually show a bit more of the slicing process in the beginning of our Christmas Petit Fours video if you'd like to see. We used a very long knife for the long cut, but any thin, sharp knife will do the job. ;0)

https://www.mycakeschool.com/christmas-decorating-tutorial/

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