Petits fours: bonbons, truffles, dragées and rocks
Petits fours are the sweets that fit in a palm and sell by the box: molded bonbons, truffles, dragées, rocks, candied peel in chocolate, marshmallow and fruit jellies. This is where small pastry businesses usually start — modest batches, clear costs and a decent shelf life.
The lessons cover both the filling and the shell: a thin, even case, a smooth dragée coating made without special equipment, and a ganache stable enough to hold its shape.