Candy is a sweet confection made with sugar or other sweeteners, such as honey, corn syrup, or molasses, and often flavored or combined with fruits, nuts, or other ingredients
. The main constituent of candy is generally sugar, which can be found in various forms, such as sucrose from sugar beets or sugarcane
. Candies can be divided into two main types:
- Noncrystalline candies : These are chewy or hard, with a homogeneous structure. Examples include hard candies, caramels, toffees, and nougats
- Crystalline candies : These are smooth, creamy, and easily chewed, with a definite structure of small crystals. Examples include fondant and fudge
Candies are typically made in smaller pieces and are often eaten casually, between meals, rather than being served as a dessert
. The history of candy dates back thousands of years, with evidence of sugar confectionery found in Egyptian hieroglyphics dating back at least 3,000 years
. Today, candies are enjoyed worldwide, with various cultures having their own ideas of what constitutes candy rather than dessert
