Tōzu

Tōzu [季旻 とうず] is a general term for traditional Kantonese confections. The term is often translated as 'sweet(s)', 'dessert' or 'candy'. Common ingredients of tōzu include sugar, honey, fruits, nuts, roots, spices (particularly cinnamon and ginger), berries, agar-agar, and herbs such as mint.
Tōzu are often eaten during periods of festivities and celebration. They are especially popular during the New Year and Wakazaku, at jūnagai ceremonies, and at Wakamachi.
== Types ==
There are many different varieties of tōzu, spanning from unusual regional streetfoods to famous, popular types sold in supermarkets across the country. Generally, tōzu can be categorised into seven different main types:
* Candies (念季, tōtō) - traditional candies are made mainly with sugar as the main or standout ingredient, such as tosumi, candied fruit, or tōzo, which are pieces of fruit coated in sugar water and eaten on a skewer. Another example is saya, a traditional sweet which comes in syrup, taffy or candy form; it is made by saccharifying rice, corn or sweet potatoes with barley malt.
* Sweet beverages (季稟, tōyu) - traditional drinks made by boiling water with honey, flavouring with spices such as cinnamon or ginger, and adding pieces of dried or fresh fruit, roots, or berries. They can be served hot or cold, usually depending on season. The term tōyu is often translated as 'punch'.
* Jellies (泪字, suiji) - traditional Kantonese jellies are made by mixing fruit juice with starch and agar to attain a gelatinous texture. Usually they are flavoured with berries, cherries, melon and apricot. 
* Shaved ice (啃滴, kozuki) - shaved ice desserts, flavoured with syrups or sliced fruit, have been popular through Kanton since the late 1800s.
* Western-style (東季, kandō) - this category includes sponge cakes, tarts, ice cream, biscuits, and virtually any baked or wheat-based sweet food which has become popular in Kanton over the past century or so. Baked goods are also known as obeki (烘き).
* Fried foods (烹き, izashiki) - this includes anything made with fried dough, such as anopan (桌芋盼, sweet potato pancakes), and mibu (果哚, fried doughballs with sweet fillings).
* Rice-based (季拉, tōgi) - one of the larger categories; some examples include tōgi (glutinous rice cakes), kitakari (奇抹り, rice crackers dipped in sugar or honey), and missobi (傥粗, rice porridge sweetened with honey, sugar, fruits and sometimes cinnamon).