291836 Mon Feb 10 00:34:42 -0800 2003 2 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1590354 My dream is to be able to reproduce the petits fours that used to be sold at a bakery in Washington DC specializing in classical pastry (Avignon Freres, long gone). I suppose the cake part was genoise and I clearly remember the marzipan filling. I think I can manage those but what so far has scared me off is fondant icing, which I have never attempted. The directions I have read for icing petits fours call for placing the little squares of cut cake on a rack and pouring melted fondant over. This sounds to me like a short route to a big mess: crumbs in the icing, incomplete and uneven covering, and whatever else could go wrong. I would appreciate hearing from anyone accustomed to working with fondant icings. It sounds as if rolling fondant is even trickier than pouring it. Suggestions? Mon Feb 10 00:34:42 -0800 2003 0 N Tocus 1 1590362 I believe that I did it once, and it wasn't all that tricky. Remember, you're working with spongecake (genoise), which won't be crumbly, so you don't have to worry about crumbs in the icing. I think it would be harder to do a rolled fondant when you consider how tiny the cakes are. Mon Feb 10 08:06:45 -0800 2003 1590354 0 ironmom 1 1590485 Rolled fondant is totally different, and not what you're looking for. You can always apply a thin glaze of thinned, strained apricot preserves to seal in the crumbs first. I tried making fondant and I remember it being a huge mess but kind of a lot of fun, too. I think I just used it to dip almonds. I say go for it. If they don't come out neat, you can always put a little candied violet or some sprinkly thing on top and they'll all look just diviiine. Mon Feb 10 23:26:38 -0800 2003 1590354 0 adam