photo by mellow_stuff

These sneaky sweets aren’t really gingerbread cookies — in fact, they’re not cookies at all. They’re called madeleines, and they’re actually tiny sponge cakes that have been tricking me for years. Based on their small, frequently shell-like shape and their near-the-register location at That Ubiquitous Coffeeshop, I’ve been assuming that they were the biscotti’s cousin, or perhaps some kind of shortbread. I’m glad I finally know the truth.

photo by cherineufeld

Here’s another version of the Christmas tree made of sweets, this time cannoli-style. (Click here for the recipe!)

I guess now is the perfect time to admit that I’ve never actually had cannoli, largely because I spent quite a few years confusing it with cannelloni. We’ve talked before on this blog about various incorrect confectionery conjectures I (and some of you) have had in the past, but has anyone else actually totally confused one food for another? Spill in the comments!

photo by yoshiko314

I know we’ve talked about mispronouncing words you’ve only seen in print before, but what about the reverse? Have you ever totally misspelled a word based on hearing it all the time? It’s kind of embarrassing that I have so many “duh!” moments, but I only found out today that the phrase is actually “just deserts“. One ’s’. Oops. Probably the only time in my life, ever, that I was more well-versed in bakeries than dictionaries.

photo by jules cupcakes

Remember that time I learned that petit fours are not called petit fours because one should eat four at once? Or when I discovered the truth about macarons? Well, I’ve got another incorrect confectionery conjecture for you.

For some reason, I always assumed that Godiva chocolates were named for some minor city in Italy. (I think it was one of those assumptions you make when you’re 8 and then never bother correcting.) Those of you better versed in history know the truth: it’s named after Lady Godiva, whom I’d heard of but also kinda assumed came from some minor city in Italy. The name Godiva itself, though, is a Latinized version of Godgifu — that means “god gift,” if your Old English is a little rusty. Personally, I can’t think of a more fitting name for a chocolate company!

OrangeSherbetTwo, originally uploaded by pixelish.

I was one of those kids that grew up reading more than speaking, which mysteriously produces far more pronunciation blunders than growing up the other way around. While I still remember saying “epitome” as if it rhymed with “home” in a heated debate with a boy I fancied, it was the world of frozen desserts that really tried to ruin the grace of my passage into adulthood.

Chocolate “mousse” ice cream, anyone? And then “sherbet” coming along right when you’ve gotten the hang of “sorbet.” And then that random extra R, making it “sherbert” — I’m still not totally sure if that’s a dessert or a typo.

Any food ordering mishaps you’ll never forget? Any dishes that insist on sullying your dignity in front of the boy or girl you were trying to impress? Spill!

photo by Josef’s Vienna Bakery

I love this bakery’s work. Love love love. Yet every time I see the photos, I’m left wondering what exactly a petit four is. I mean, sure… we all know it’s some kind of tiny French cake thing. But since I have a long history of misunderstanding French pastry names, I figured I’d turn to That One Online Encyclopedia for the scoop.

As it turns out, petit four (the correct plural of which, madames et messieurs, is “petits fours”) is French for “little oven”. It doesn’t have anything to do with buying/eating them four at a time, which was honestly kind of the assumption I’ve been harbouring all these years.

Do you, sweet readers, ever make amazingly wrong confectionery conjectures? Or is it just me? Please share.

photo by just_maria

Apparently, the sneaky spelling is to keep us from the truth: macarons are even cuter than guinea pigs. Yes, I know. Hard to believe.

Follow Wikipedia’s advice and do not confuse with macrons*, macaroons or macaroni.

photo by Canon S3 IS in Paris, France

*Epicute rule #17
never, ever let slide the opportunity for some tasteful Latin humour: