Definition

1. Noun:
   • A type of candy: Spun sugar is a confection made by rapidly drawing out and cooling boiled sugar syrup into extremely fine, hair-like threads. These threads are typically gathered into a light, fluffy, cloud-like mass or formed into decorative shapes. It is often associated with festive occasions and desserts.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The dessert was garnished with a delicate nest of spun sugar.
  • Making spun sugar requires skill to handle the hot syrup properly.
  • The fairground stall sold colorful cones of spun sugar, which we call cotton candy.

Advanced Usage

• As a decorative element: Spun sugar is often used by pastry chefs to add an elegant, airy touch to cakes, pastries, and plated desserts.
  • The chef's signature dessert features a chocolate sphere encased in a cage of spun sugar.

Variants and Related Words

• Cotton candy (noun): A common form of spun sugar, where the fine threads are collected on a paper cone or stick. This is a specific type of spun sugar typically sold at fairs and carnivals.
• Candy floss (noun): The British English term for cotton candy.
• Sugar work (noun): A broader culinary term that includes techniques for shaping sugar, such as making spun sugar, blown sugar, or pulled sugar.

Synonyms

• Fairy floss: Another synonym, primarily used in Australia and New Zealand.
• Glass candy: This is a different, hard candy and is not a direct synonym, but it is another product made from boiled sugar.

Related Phrases

• To spin sugar: The verb phrase describing the action of making spun sugar.
  • The confectioner spun sugar into delicate flowers for the cake decoration.

Noun

1. a candy made by spinning sugar that has been boiled to a high temperature