Petit Fours

The other day I was riffling through a dessert book I borrowed from the library, when something caught my eye: Lamingtons!

And then I thought...well, why not just make petit fours?

I feel bad; I think Dad is getting fat off of all the desserts I'm making. Mom is certainly not enjoying the baking craze.



Sponge Cake

Ingredients:

-4.5 oz (1 cup) all-purpose flour
-1 oz (1/4 cup) cornstarch
-1/4 tsp baking powder
-1/4 tsp salt
-4 eggs
-5.5 oz (3/4 cup) superfine sugar
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1.25 oz butter, melted and cooled slightly

1. Sift the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl.
2. Using an electric mixer, whisk the eggs, sugar, and vanilla until the mixture drips from the whisk in a long, smooth ribbon.
3. Gently fold 1/2 wet mixture into the flour mixture. Add the butter into the remaining wet mix, then add once again into the flour.
4. Grease a 8-in square pan, then dust surface with flour.
5. Add batter into the pan and bake 20-25 min at 350F until the surface is springy.
6. Cool on a wire rack, then cut into 1-in cubes.

Ganache

Ingredients:

7 oz semisweet/dark chocolate
1/2 cup milk

1. Heat a small pot of water over the stove at medium/low heat.
2. Pour the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl, then set the bowl on top of the pot.
3. Slowly pour in the milk in small batches, mixing each time until the chocolate is smooth and runny.
4. Remove from heat. Throw each sponge cake cube into the ganache, turning so that an even coat is applied to all sides. Gently slide a fork under each cube, lift, and slide onto a surface covered with foil or parchment paper. Allow to cool.

Toppings (just roll the cubes in a bowl of whatever you want while the ganache is still slightly runny):

1. Lamingtons - dried, shredded coconut
2. Mocha - unsweetened cocoa powder + chocolate-covered espresso bean
3. Fruit toppings
4. Roasted peanuts