Mocha Almond Petit Fours

Almond Cake:

8 oz almond paste

¾ cup sugar

1 ½ sticks butter, soft

4 eggs

½ cup cake flour

½ cup bread flour

--Preheat oven to 325F. Prepare 12x18 sheet pan by greasing and lining with parchment paper.

--Soften almond paste by beating it for several minutes with the paddle. Add a little egg to soften, then add the sugar and butter and cream till very light, about 7 minutes.

--Pour the eggs in very slowly, taking about 5 minutes over all.

--Stir in the flour and spread into the pan. Spread out and bake till firm, about 20 minutes.

--Remove from oven, let sit in pan 5 minutes and remove from tray. When cool, cut in thirds.

Prepare simple syrup:

½ cup hot espresso

¼ cup sugar

3 T cream de cocoa

--Mix all ingredients till the sugar is dissolved.

Prepare the ganache filling:

8 oz bittersweet chocoate

2 oz milk chocolate

1 cup heavy cream

--Boil the cream and then pour over the chocolate. Stir till combined and let cool to room temperature.

Assemble the petit fours:

--Brush one cake layer with simple syrup and then spread some ganache on it. Top with next layer and repeat twice.

--Freeze cakes overnight.

--Cut cakes into desired sizes.

Prepare ganache fondant:

2 cups cream

2 cups bittersweet chocolate

2 tsp vanilla

--Boil cream, pour over chocolate and combine. Add vanilla.

Pour ganache over cakes, which have been placed on a wire cooling rack. Decorate as desired. Suggestion: chocolate covered coffee bean.