Confectionery

Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Confectionery shopping experience:

1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Confectionery offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Confectionery at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.

2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about

3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Confectionery? Wrong! If the Confectionery is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.

4. Questions - Got a question about Confectionery then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....

5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Confectionery? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Confectionery and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.

6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Confectionery wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.

7. Feedback - happy with your Confectionery then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.

8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Confectionery site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site

9. Contact - got a question about Confectionery, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.

10. Payment - ready to pay for your Confectionery, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.

The term confectionery refers to food items that are (or at least are perceived to be) rich in sugar. Different dialects of English language also use regional terms for confections:

In British English, Hiberno-English and some Commonwealth countries, "sweets", or "sweeties", particularly in Scottish English (sweeties resembles the Scottish Gaelic word suiteis in both pronunciation and meaning) and among children.
In Australian English and New Zealand English, "lollies".
In North America, "candy" - although this term can also refer to a specific range of confectionery and does not include some items called confectionery (e.g. pastry) (See below and the separate article on candy.) "Sweets" is used on occasion, as well as "treat".

Confectionery items include sweets, lollipops, candy bars, chocolate, and other sweet items of snack food. The term does not generally apply to cakes, biscuits, or puddings which require cutlery to consume, although exceptions such as petit fours or meringues exist. Speakers of American English do not refer to these items as "candy." See Candy#Manufacture for the stages of sugar-cooking.

American English classifies many confections as candy. Some of the categories and types of candy include:

Hard candy: Based on sugars cooked to the hard-crack stage, including suckers (known as boiled sweets in British English), lollipops, jawbreakers (or gobstoppers), lemon drops, peppermint drops and disks, candy canes, rock candy, etc.
Fudge: A confection of milk and sugar boiled to the soft-ball stage. In the US, it tends to be chocolate-flavored.
Toffee (or Taffy): Based on sugars cooked to the soft-ball stage and then pulled to create an elastic texture. In British English, toffee refers to a harder substance also made from cooked sugars.
Scots tablet. A crumbly milk-based soft candy, based on sugars cooked to the soft-ball stage. Comes in several forms, such as wafers and heart shapes.
Licorice candy: Containing extract of the liquorice root. Chewier and more resilient than gum/gelatin candies, but still designed for swallowing. For example, Liquorice allsorts.

Chocolates: Used in the plural, usually referring to small balled centers covered with chocolate to create bite-sized confectionery. People who create chocolates are called chocolatiers, and they create their confections with couverture chocolate. A chocolate maker, on the other hand, is the person who physically creates the couverture from cacao and other ingredients.
Kopiko: A coffee flavoured sweet made in Asia.
Gum/Gelatin candies: Based on gelatins, including gum drops, jujubes, Turkish Delight, jelly beans, gummies, etc.
Marshmallow: "Peeps" (a trade name), circus peanuts, etc.
Marzipan: An almond-based confection, doughy in consistency, served in several different ways. It is often formed into shapes mimicking (for example) fruits or animals. Alternatively, marzipan may be flavoured, normally with Distilled beverage such as Kirschwasser or Rum, and divided into small bite-sized pieces; these flavoured marzipans are generally served coated in chocolate to prevent the alcohol from evaporating, and are very common in northern Europe. Marzipan is also used in cake decoration. Its lower-priced version is called Persipan.
Divinity (confectionery): A nougat-like confectionery based on Egg (food) whites with chopped nut (fruit)s.

Not all confections equate to "candy" in the American English sense. Non-candy confections include:

Pastry: A baked confection whose dough is rich in butter, which was dispersed through the pastry prior to baking, resulting in a light, flaky texture; see also pie and tart.
Chewing gum: Uniquely made to be chewed, not swallowed. However, some people believe that at least some types of chewing gum, such as certain bubble gums, are indeed candy.
Ice cream: Frozen flavoured cream.
Halvah: Confectionery based on tahini, a paste made from ground sesame seeds.
Alfajor: a traditional South American cookie typically consisting of two round sweet biscuits joined together with a sweet jam, generally dulce de leche (milk jam).
Dragée - Coated almonds and other types of coated candy.