Confectionery

Confectionery is the art of creating confections, or sweet foods. Confections are items that are rich in sugar and carbohydrates, even though exact definitions are sophisticated. In general, however, confections are divided into two broad and somewhat overlapping categories: baker's confections and sugar confections. Baker's confectionery, also called flour confections, includes principally sweet pastries, cakes, and similar baked goods. Baker's confectionery excludes everyday breads, and thus is a subset of products produced by a baker. Confections are defined by the presence of sweeteners. These are usually sugars, but it is possible to buy sugar-free candies, such as sugar-free peppermints. The most common sweetener for home cooking is table sugar, which is chemically a disaccharide containing both glucose and fructose. Hydrolysis of sucrose gives a mixture called invert sugar, which is sweeter and is also a common commercial ingredient. Finally, confections, especially commercial ones, are sweetened by a variety of syrups obtained by hydrolysis of starch. These sweeteners include all types of corn syrup. Baker's confectionery includes sweet baked goods, especially those that are served for the dessert course. Baker's confections are sweet foods that feature flour as a main ingredient and are baked. Major groups include cakes, sweet pastries, doughnuts, scones, and cookies. Cakes have a somewhat bread-like texture, and many earlier cakes, such as the centuries-old stollen (fruit cake), or the even older king cake, were rich yeast breads. The variety of styles and presentations extends from simple to elaborate. Major categories include butter cakes, tortes, and foam cakes. Confusingly, some confections that have the word cake in their names, such as cheesecake, are not technically cakes, while others, such as Boston cream pie are cakes despite seeming to be named something else. Pastry is a tremendous and different category of baked goods, united by the flour-based doughs used as the base for the product. These doughs are not always sweet, and the sweetness may come from the sugar, fruit, chocolate, cream, or other fillings that are added to the completed confection. Pastries can be elaborately decorated, or they can be plain dough. Scones and related sweet quick breads, such as bannock, are same as the baking powder biscuits and, in sweeter, less traditional interpretations, can seem like a cupcake. Cookies are minuscule, sweet baked treats. They originated as small cakes, and some traditional cookies have a soft, cake-like texture. Others are crisp or hard. Sugar confections comprise of sweet, sugar-based foods, which are usually eaten as snack food. This includes sugar candies, chocolates, candied fruits and nuts, chewing gum, and sometimes ice cream. In some cases, chocolate confections are treated as a separate category, as are sugar-free versions of sugar confections. Sugar confectionery items consist of candies, lollipops, candy bars, chocolate, cotton candy, and other sweet items of snack food. Shelf life is immensely determined by the amount of water present in the candy and the storage conditions. High-sugar candies, such as boiled candies, can have a shelf life of many years if kept covered in a dry environment. Spoilage of low-moisture candies tends to involve a loss of shape, color, texture, and flavor, rather than the growth of dangerous microbes. Impermeable packaging can reduce spoilage due to storage conditions. Candies spoil more quickly if they have diverse amounts of water in different parts of the candy (for instance, a candy that combines marshmallow and nougat), or if they are stored in high-moisture environments. This process is due to the effects of water activity, which results in the transfer of unwanted water from a high-moisture environment into a low-moisture candy, rendering it rubbery, or the loss of desirable water from a high-moisture candy into a dry environment, rendering the candy dry and brittle. Another factor, affecting only non-crystalline amorphous candies, is the glass transition process. This can cause amorphous candies to lose their intended texture. Both baker's and sugar confections are used to offer hospitality to guests. Confections are used to mark celebrations or events, such as Christmas, Easter, a wedding cake, birthday cake, or Halloween. Tourists commonly consume confections as part of their travels. The indulgence in rich, sugary foods is seen as a special treat, and choosing local specialties is renowned. Generally, confections are low in micronutrients and protein but high in calories. They may be fat-free foods, in spite of some confections, especially fried doughs and chocolate, are high-fat foods. Many confections are considered empty calories and ultra-processed foods. Specially formulated chocolate has been manufactured in the past for military use as a high-density food energy source. Contaminants and coloring agents in confectionery can be particularly harmful to children.