Petits Fours–not just annoyingly cute anymore

I recently discovered Dragonfly Cakes in Sausalito, a new bakery that specializes in producing petits fours. In the past, I’ve not much cared for these bite-sized cakes, observing that the fondant-to-cake ratio seems off and furthermore, that fondant itself reminds me of almond-scented candle wax in both taste and texture. However, on the quest to put on a traditional high tea for my friend Sylvi’s bridal shower, I sucked up the idea that I needed a hyper-girlie, bite-sized dessert that looks painfully precious on a plate.

Scones? Check.
Double Devon clotted cream and jam? Check.
Tea sandwiches with appropriate combos of watercress & butter, cheddar & chutney, cucumber and salmon? Check.
Cheese board featuring Gloucester, Stilton and Cotswold? Check.
Assorted teas including Earl Grey, English Breakfast and Apricot? Check.
Punchbowl of mojitos? Not in any way traditional, but double check.

And finally, petits fours. Since I had committed to the idea, I was determined to find a variety that didn’t sacrifice enjoyment for aesthetics. Not only did Dragonfly deliver on moistness, flavor and completely non-offensive coating, but they were happy to customize my order with tiny flag designs representing the heritage of both bride and groom. My cursory web search turned up the flags of their respective countries¬–Estonia and Switzerland–and a week later, these custom cuties were ready to go. Highly recommend using Dragonfly for any occasion where custom-designed bite-sized sweets feel appropriate.