Hard candy is a sugar-based confection cooked until it sets into a firm, glassy solid. Its flavor may be fruity, minty, or spiced, while its texture is brittle and slow to dissolve. In cooking around the world, it is often crushed for toppings and decorations or melted into syrups, fillings, and sweets. Rock candy, a simple form of hard candy, has long been enjoyed in many cultures, including as a sweetener for tea.