Petits Fours, in French, means “small ovens” but they actually are little fancy pastries or cookies served after an elegant meal or for an afternoon tea. The wholegrain polenta and almond meal in these delightful pastries blend beautifully with the rich extra virgin olive oil and fresh orange juice and give it a Mediterranean Middle Eastern flair. Their rich sweetness and hint of orange flower blossom remind me of a North African traditional pastry made with semolina and dipped in honey, called makroud, that my mom used to make for the Jewish holidays. The consistency is different, and there is no honey in these (although you’d swear there was!) but something about them just floods me with warm happy memories of my childhood. They are truly unique and always get such high praise from my guests. They are gluten-free too, so fantastic for a big crowd!
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 cage-free eggs
- ½ cup stoneground polenta
- ½ cup almond meal
- 1 tsp baking powder
- juice and zest of one large orange (about ½ cup)*
- ½ tsp orange blossom water (see below)
- Preheat oven to 350 and line 2 mini cupcake pans with mini silicone cupcake holders.
- Place the olive oil, sugar and eggs in a bowl of an electric mixer and beat until creamy.
- Add the polenta, almond meal and baking powder and mix again briefly.
- Add the orange juice, orange zest and orange blossom water and mix again thoroughly--The batter will be very "liquid-y" and that's the way it should be!
- Pour the batter into a batter dispenser and stir again with a spoon to make sure the polenta stayed thoroughly mixed in the transfer.
- Pour the batter into each little cupcake holder by pulling the release handle, making sure to fill it only half way.
- Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes and let cool completely before unmolding.
mini silicone cupcake holders are a must for this recipe so that you can un-mold the petits fours more easily.
Because the batter is “liquid-y”, it’s best to use a batter dispenser for this recipe.
Orange Flower blossom water (Eau de Fleur d’oranger) is used in Middle Eastern cooking in both savory and sweet foods. It is a natural extract made from the distillation of orange blossoms. It is what gives my petits fours this wonderful exotic flavor. I get mine in France but you can easily get it here : http://www.lepanierfrancais.com/french-orange-flower-water/?gclid=CNOBxereg8ECFRJk7Aod2xsA9g or even on amazon too!
Gloria Williams says
January 8, 2019 at 4:53 pmCan i use lemon istead of orange, ?
I thought I would.
Catherine Katz says
January 8, 2019 at 8:34 pmHi Gloria,
I am not sure because a lemon may be a little too acidic for this recipe but let me know if you try and you love it, I always love to explore other options! 🙂
Mary Billingsley says
December 28, 2017 at 12:31 pmHello and Happy Holidays
I have a silly question. To make this recipe, do I use the dry corn meal that I use for polenta or already made up polenta?
Thanks,
Mary
Catherine Katz says
December 28, 2017 at 9:35 pmIt’s not a silly question at all Mary! I use the dry polenta, right out of the package! No pre- preparation needed at all!
Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you need anything else!
I always love great questions!
Love
Catherine
martine says
July 26, 2017 at 1:37 pmhello! to morrow , I have a lunch with friends and I ‘ll bring your delicious petits fours! they are in my oven!!!we are going to nous ré ga ler!!! bonnes soirée et thanks a lot for this delicious cakes! martine de France
Catherine Katz says
July 31, 2017 at 8:48 amÇa me fait plaisir Martine!!:)
martine says
June 1, 2017 at 3:30 ambonjour Mrs Cuisinicity, c’est ma maman qui adore vos petits fours moelleux à souhait et si savoureux, merci pour elle! elle vous embrasse!
PS nous sommes deux à les savourer! ah!ah!
Catherine Katz says
June 4, 2017 at 9:31 amMerci Martine!! C’est merveilleux! 🙂
martine says
February 10, 2017 at 6:34 ambonjour de l’Est de la France! je viens de refaire vos petits fours à la polenta et c’est toujours aussi délicieux! moelleux à souhait, avec ce soupçon de fleur d’oranger fort agréable! je vais en faire à ma mère qui a quelques problèmes dentaires, elle se régalera! merci Catherine et bonne journée ….moelleuse et délicieuse!! martine de France
martine says
February 10, 2017 at 2:31 amun goût de revenez-y! c’est devenu un classique maintenant chez moi!! allez zouuuuuuuu, je m’y colle once more!! bonne journée de l’Est de la France où il fait encore bien froid!!! martine de France
Sue says
December 17, 2016 at 6:00 pmYet another must-make! Off to the grocery store tomorrow! Absolutely love your recipes!!!
Deb says
July 13, 2016 at 8:18 amI have recently been introduced to your web site and I have tried several recipes, all of which are superb! I am interested to make the orange polenta Pettit fours but would prefer it in a loaf pan. Might you have specs on baking in loaf pan, i.e. Oven temp, how long to cook?
Thank you!
Catherine Katz says
July 13, 2016 at 4:37 pmThank you so much Deb! That makes me so happy to hear! I am not sure if the petits fours will work well in a loaf pan because I am afraid I have never tried and cannot say for sure. These are intentionally wonderfully “sticky” which is why I like to make them individually in silicone baking cups so that they unmold perfectly. It’s not to say that it won’t work but what I would recommend, if you’d like more of a cake, is to try using a spring-from baking pan, lined with parchment paper. I hope this is helpful!! Please let me know how it went for you, I aways love to hear and care very much! 🙂
Tracey says
December 15, 2015 at 6:52 pmCatherine is polenta corn meal or grits ?
Tracey says
January 8, 2016 at 7:17 pmI FOUND IT !!! 🙂
martine says
October 20, 2014 at 3:43 pmah! ah! je comprends mieux pourquoi c’était moins translucides que les vôtres! à refaire avec du sucre blanc !! merci
martine says
October 20, 2014 at 7:41 ambonjour , une p’tite question du lieutenant Colombo: “mettez-vous du sucre blanc ou roux? ” …merci et à la prochaine! Martine de France
Catherine Katz says
October 20, 2014 at 10:24 amDu sucre blanc, Martine de France!
Catherine Katz says
October 3, 2014 at 6:36 amC’est merveilleux!
martine says
October 3, 2014 at 4:47 ambonjour , vous aussi , vous êtes un sergent Colombo? …en effet, oui, je suis née en Algérie , il y a fort longtemps…. mais j’en garde un souvenir souvent olfactif , des parfumas qui me reviennent , des couleurs aussi …. les p’tits mekrods de s USA sont une p’tite piqure de rappel de mon enfance! merci!
martine says
October 1, 2014 at 1:31 pmsuper! je viens de les goûter , c’est fantastique ! en effet , cela ressemble aux mekrods d’Algérie! ce petit grain sous la dent! en moins sucré et moins bourratif! la fleur d’oranger donne un arrière-goût très agréable et léger! merci beaucoup ! martine de France
Catherine Katz says
October 2, 2014 at 10:26 amest-ce que vous êtes d’Algérie?? Alors vous savez exactement de quoi je parle avec ce petit goût de “chez nous”, n’est-ce pas?!
martine says
September 27, 2014 at 2:57 pmchère Mrs Cuisinicity! il n’y a plus pour moi, qu’à aller acheter une orange !! ça a l’air délicieux et facile , thanks!
Catherine Katz says
September 27, 2014 at 6:46 pmallez-y vite!!!!