Candy Making

Candy making is the preparation and cookery of candies and sugar confections, called confectionery more generally outside the United States. The basic process dissolves sugar in water or milk into a syrup, then boils it until it reaches the desired concentration or begins to caramelize, with the boiling time and specific ingredients determining the final candy's type and texture, from soft and chewy to hard and brittle. The trade recognizes distinct roles: a confectioner makes candy or chocolate, a chocolatier specifically prepares chocolate confections, and a chocolate maker is someone else again, who produces chocolate itself from cacao beans and other raw ingredients.