I Love Candy

What is candy?

Candy is a very sweet confection made of sugar. Other ingredients, such as milk, butter, chocolate, nuts and fruit may be included as well.

Candy, in it's most basic sense, means 'sugar'; the root word for candy is 'qand', which means 'cane sugar'. Although cane sugar is the most common sugar used in making candy, there are many other sugars, such as corn syrup, maple syrup, honey, and others, which can also be used.

Candy comes in various unique forms around the world, each country and culture having their own favorites and specialties.

Glossary of Candy Terms:

brittle - hard, sheet candy made from sugar syrup and nuts

candy bar - snack candy usually shaped like a log or bar and often covered with chocolate

candy cane - hard, colored stick of sugar candy

caramel - light-brown candy made of sugar and butter or milk

chewing gum - elastic, sweetened latex or 'gum' for prolonged chewing

chocolate - dark brown candy made from the pod of the cacao tree

cotton candy - spun sugar

creme filling - such as fondant, cooked sugar and water

divinity - soft white candy made with egg white and sugar

fondant - cooked sugar and water, used as filling or coating

fudge - creamy squares made from sweetened milk and chocolate

gummy candy - chewy gelatinous candy, often fruit flavored

jelly beans - candy coated bean shaped candy with gel interior

jujube - type of soft, chewy candy

licorice - chewy candy originally made from liquorice plant

lollipop - candy on a stick

lozenge - flavored tablet, often medicinal

marshmallow - spongy sweet originally made with marshmallow roots

marzipan - almond paste

mint - candy flavored with extract of mint plant

nougat - made with nuts, honey or sugar, and sometimes egg whites

pastille - small candy made of fruit-flavored jelly

penuche - fudge made from caramelized brown sugar, butter and milk

praline - candy made of crushed nuts and honey

taffy - a 'pulled' candy very similar to toffee

toffee - 'pulled' candy made from sugar, syrup, butter and milk

truffle - soft, chocolate covered candy