The appliances for making lozenges on the large scale, and the processes through which the materials pass, are in many respects similar to those used in biscuit baking. The fine loaf sugar is ground to an impalpable powder between a pair of millstones, after which it is mixed with dissolved gum arabic sufficient to form a very stiff dough, and the whole is thoroughly incorporated in a mechanical mixer similar to Vicker’s dough-mixing machine (see Baking.) The doughy mass is then rendered homogeneous and reduced to a uniform cake by repeatedly passing pieces backward and forward between a pair of heavy metal rollers, the surfaces being kept from adhering by being dusted with starch flour. The cake, when sufficiently spread out, is transferred to a piece of tough web paper, and passed by an intermittent motion under a frame of cutters of the size and form of. the lozenges to be formed. These punch out and take up the lozenges, and when the tube of the cutters is well filled, the whole frame is turned over, and the cut out lozenges emptied into a tray. The scrap passes along on the web, and is again rolled out into cakes with the paste from the mixer. Nothing further is done with the lozenges than allowing them to dry and harden on trays in racks in a heated apartment. Lozenges are coloured and flavoured with a great variety of ingredients, which are added in proper proportions with the dissolved gum. Medicated lozenges of many kinds are in extensive use, the various medicinal ingredients being similarly incorporated with the gum.

Hard confections, or comfits, constitute the second leading variety of confectionery. To make these a core or centre of some kind is required, and this may consist either of a seed or fruit, as a coriander or an almond; or it may be a small lozenge, as in the case of pan drops. Around such a core are deposited successive layers of sugar, and there is no limit to the size to which such comfits may be made. The cores are placed in large copper pans or vessels, which are geared to revolve at an inclined angle, so that by their revolution their contents keep constantly in motion, tumbling over each other. The copper pans are revolved by steam or other power, and they are kept hot by a steam jacket or double casing, into which steam is admitted through the centre on which the pans revolve. A pure strained syrup of sugar is prepared, a quantity of which is periodically applied to the contents of the pan as they appear to get dry, and after receiving a certain coating, the comfits in progress of manufacture are removed to dry and harden for some time. The comfits thus receive alternate coatings in the pan and dryings till they attain the size wanted, when they are finished with a coating of thin syrup, which may be coloured if required, and long continued friction in the pan. After hardening in a drying apartment these comfits are ready for use. A great variety of seeds and fruits are used as cores, the principal of which are almonds, caraways, corianders, cloves, cassia, pistachios, and perfumed cherry kernels.

Many forms of confection are prepared from solutions of sugar, which are boiled up to the point of crystallization. Of these ordinary sugar candy, or crystallized sugar, may be taken as the type. It is prepared from solutions of either brown or refined sugar, to the latter of which cochineal or some other colouring ingredient is frequently added. These solutions, when boiled to a proper degree, are poured into moulds across which at sufficient intervals are stretched pieces of string. The sugar gradually crystallizes from its solution on the sides of the mould and on the string,—it being in the meantime kept in an apartment heated from 90° to 100° Fahr. When sufficiently deposited, the remaining liquor is drained off, and the crystals removed and dried in a high uniform heat. Fondants, in the preparation of which the French confectioners excel, are made from solutions boiled to the point of crystallization, properly coloured and flavoured, and cast into moulds made of starch. Sugar drops are made from fine sugar mixed with a small proportion of water and colouring and flavouring material as desired. The mixture is dissolved by heat without allowing it to boil, and it is then poured in separate drops on a sheet of paper, on which they quickly set and harden.

What is termed boiled sugar, that is sugar which has been boiled till, on cooling and hardening, it assumes a glassy appearance and fracture, is the basis of another extensive variety of confectionery. Of this class barley sugar is the type and simplest example. It merely consists of sugar boiled as above indicated, flavoured with a little oil of lemon, poured on a marble slab, cut into strips, and rolled or twisted into sticks. Boiled sugar is prepared in innumerable fanciful forms by passing it, while still in a viscous condition, through small machines in which pairs of brass rollers, having patterns sunk in their surface,, stamp these patterns in the plastic material. It is also worked up into the form of balls, plaited into coils, and formed into party-coloured stalks, &c. By vigorous and long-continued drawing out of boiled sugar, while it is in a plastic condition, the molecular structure of the material is changed, and from being glassy and transparent it becomes opaque, porous, and granular in appearance. In this way the preparation known as rode is manufactured. Various preparations of chocolate are largely used as confectionery (see Chocolate).