You asked for it: How to make icing for petit fours

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I’ve had a few people ask for the recipe I use for petit four icing, and here it is! I adapted it from one I found on Martha Stewart’s web site. It’s really simple to do and is light and sweet…and pours easily over the petit fours, making them even easier to make!

Ingredients:

9 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract (Most recipes recommend clear vanilla, but I usually just use the regular kind…unless you need white, white icing, it will probably work just as well.)

Gel food coloring, in desired colors

In a heatproof bowl set over (but not touching) simmering water, mix sugar, corn syrup, 1/2 cup water, and vanilla extract together until they are warm, well combined, and smooth. Stir in enough food coloring until desired color is reached. Do not overheat. Let cool about 8 minutes before pouring.

To ice the petit fours: Place petit fours on a cooling rack over a rimmed baked sheet. Using a spoon pour in a circular motion until petit four is covered, paying close attention to the sides. The excess will drip through the cooling rack. Use a small spatula to lift the finished petit fours and place on serving tray, etc.

To make the “zebra” print petit fours above: Pour white icing over petit fours. Using black glitter icing gel, make small lines on the white icing. Make them small because they will spread a little bit.

Note: Many petit four recipes say to either add preserves either as fillings or on top to the petit fours or ice them in buttercream before pouring icing over them. I don’t do this because I have found I can make them much smoother without this added step…and I like the flavor better without it either!