Petits fours are miniature cakes, biscuits, and confections served with coffee at the end of a meal, the French term meaning “small ovens” after the low heat of the baker’s cooling oven in which they were traditionally finished. The assortment typically includes tiny iced sponge cakes, miniature éclairs and tartlets, marzipan fruits, chocolate-dipped items, and delicate biscuits, each a one- or two-bite jewel of precise decoration. Making them is among patisserie’s most labour-intensive work, demanding consistency across dozens of identical pieces. They serve as the final impression of a meal, a signal of the kitchen’s craftsmanship and generosity. Though small, they are unapologetically rich in sugar, butter, and chocolate, which is why they appear as an occasional indulgence rather than everyday fare, the sweet full stop to fine dining.