Hard crack

Candy making is the preparation of candies and sugar confections. Candy making includes the preparation of many various candies, such as hard candies, jelly beans, gumdrops, taffy, liquorice, cotton candy, chocolates and chocolate truffles, dragées, fudge, caramel candy and toffee.

Candy is made by dissolving sugar in water or milk to form a syrup, which is boiled until it reaches the desired concentration or starts to caramelize. The type of candy depends on the ingredients and how long the mixture is boiled. Candy comes in a wide variety of textures, from soft and chewy to hard and brittle. A chocolatier is a person who prepares confectionery from chocolate, and is distinct from a chocolate maker, who creates chocolate from cacao beans and other ingredients. Cotton candy is a form of spun sugar often prepared using a cotton candy machine.

Candy being panned (coated) in a giant pot at a candy factory in Nablus, West Bank

Coconut candy being prepared in the Mekong delta area, Vietnam

Hot liquid candy being poured into candy molds by a candymaker

The technology for candy making has generally kept pace with the technology of the times. For example, when steam power became common in factories, steam power was also used in candy factories.

Candy making and consumption increased greatly during the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century. Candy had previously been made by hand, either occasionally at home or by specialists in small, local businesses. Increased mechanization caused prices to drop and production to increase.

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Wikipedia