Pâtisserie is the French tradition and craft of making fine pastries and baked goods, encompassing items such as cakes, tarts, éclairs, macarons, croissants, and other viennoiserie. It is characterized by precise technique, careful decoration, and high-quality ingredients like butter, eggs, cream, and chocolate, and has long been a distinct profession in France, where pâtisseries (pastry shops) are common in nearly every town. Core skills include tempering chocolate, making choux pastry, and piping and decorating; precise measurement and control of temperature and humidity are essential to getting texture and appearance right. While most associated with sweets, pâtisserie also covers savory items such as quiches and puff pastry tarts. The techniques have influenced baking traditions well beyond France, particularly in Europe and North America.