Elastic gel
Clear gummy
Backlighting reveals bubbles, colour uniformity, and internal layers.
Soft gel + crystal
Sanded jelly
A dry sugar coating creates contrast before the moist centre begins to dissolve.
Amorphous glass
Hard candy
Brittle, transparent, and extremely sensitive to humidity.
Aerated foam
Marshmallow
Air changes density, sound, compression, and the speed of flavour release.
Cooked sugar matrix
Caramel
Temperature controls colour, bitterness, viscosity, and final structure.
Crystal
Rock sugar
Slow growth creates faceted structure and a long, clean dissolution.
How to use the index
Compare one property at a time. Two sweets may share colour but differ in opacity, sound, rebound, or dissolution. Specific observation is more useful than calling a sample simply “good,” “bad,” “soft,” or “sweet.”