confections

Confections are sweet foods typically made with sugar or other caloric sweeteners and flavored with ingredients such as fruit, chocolate, nuts, dairy, or spices. The category includes a wide range of items, from candies and chocolates to fudges, caramels, toffees, nougats, marzipan, jelly candies, and other sugar-based treats. In retail, confections are often grouped under the confectionery category.

Production and composition vary, but confections commonly rely on sugar syrups, crystallization, or gels. Techniques include boiling sugar to specific temperatures to achieve different textures, caramelization, evaporating moisture to form hardened sweets, tempering chocolate for glossy, stable pieces, and conching or aging for smoothness in chocolate products. Many confections combine sweet bases with fats, dairy, nuts, fruit, or flavorings to create a range of consistencies from hard candies to soft centers.

History and regional development: sugar cultivation and refinement originated in ancient times in South Asia and the Middle East and spread to Europe in the medieval period. The introduction of chocolate in the Americas and its subsequent mass production in the 19th century expanded confectionery worldwide. Regional specialties include items such as Turkish lokum (Turkish delight), Italian torrone (nougat), marzipan in various cultures, and a wide array of fudge, brittles, and pralines in different countries.

Cultural and practical notes: confections are widely consumed as treats, gifts, or festive foods but are typically high in sugar and may contain common allergens such as dairy and nuts. Proper storage in a cool, dry place extends shelf life, though texture and flavor can change with humidity and temperature.