A petit gâteau (plural petits gâteaux), is a small cake, conventionally served at the end of a fine French meal. They are typically intended to highlight the skills of a French pastry chef, employing multiple flavors, textures, and techniques, in a single serving. Some petits gâteaux are miniaturized versions of classic French entremets, such as Opera cake or tiramisu, but it is also a place in the meal for the chef to be creative and innovative.
The original petit gâteau may have been the molten coulant au chocolat invented by Michel Bras in 1981, but this is not certain.