Petit Gâteau Recipe: 3 Tips for Making Petit Gâteau

A petit gâteau (French for “little cake”) is, as its name implies, a small cake. However, this dessert differs from single-serving cakes like cupcakes, petit fours, or entremets. Petit gâteaus traditionally feature an assortment of hidden textures, most often a rich, creamy filling that spills forth from the crunchy rind when cut open.

It’s hard to pinpoint when French pastry chefs first started to make little cakes. One of the best-known versions of the petit gâteau is the “molten” chocolate cake, invented by chef Michel Bras in 1981. The dessert gained wide popularity throughout New York City, and in the 1990s, mostly thanks to fellow celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

Before long, the chocolate petit gâteau had become a classic flourish at the end of an upscale meal, served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and mint sprig. Since its inception, the petit gâteau has evolved beyond a melted chocolate center to include flavors like caramel, peanut butter, liqueur, and tropical fruit.

These mini cakes contain endless variations of individually set interior layers, from chocolate ganache to mousse, fresh jams and jellies, and preserved fruits, like maraschino cherries.

1. 1. Caramel: Caramel is one of the most popular chocolate petit gâteau variations. It features a runny caramel filling piped into molds of chilled chocolate cake batter, then baked until the cake is moist and caramel is warm but still loose.
   
2. 2. Cheesecake: A cheesecake-style gâteau features a crumbly soft crushed-cookie base and layers of mousse and jelly encased in a set glaze.
3. 3. Chocolate: A petit gâteau may feature many different flavors, but the chocolate lava cake is iconic. Known as gâteau fondant au chocolat in the French-speaking world, it sometimes features a contrasting white chocolate mousse in place of the standard chocolate ganache.
4. 4. Fruit: Fruit is one of the most effective ways to contrast a rich chocolate cake or accent a delicate vanilla sponge, whether passion fruit custard or fresh raspberry purée.
5. 5. Nuts: Nuts may appear in many formats, from toasted hazelnuts adding crunch to a gooey brownie-like center to a sweet peanut butter filling.

Here’s what to know before attempting this classic chocolate dessert.

1. 1. Use high heat and a short cook time. A hot oven and brief but intense cooking time sets the outer layer of the cake so that it holds its shape while keeping the center loose. Though it is runny, it is not technically raw: the center of the cake should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit before serving, rendering it safe to consume.
2. 2. Use a greased muffin tin for easy unmolding. Rather than cooking petits gâteaux in individual ramekins, use a muffin or cupcake tin for easier clean-up and portioning. Standard-size muffin tins, rather than mini muffin tins, work best for these cakes.
3. 3. Freeze molded batter for longer storage. Unbaked petits gâteaux freeze beautifully and only require a few extra minutes in the oven. Set the cakes in a silicone muffin mold until frozen, then pop them out and store them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to three months.