Cotton candy

A cotton candy machine has a heated spinning head. Sugar melts inside it and is flung out through small openings, where it cools instantly into thin glassy threads. The threads are caught in a bowl and wound onto a stick or paper cone. Colored and flavored sugars give the familiar pink and blue versions.

Cotton candy is mostly air, so a small amount of sugar makes a large serving. It dissolves quickly in humid air or when it touches moisture, which is why it is made fresh or packed in sealed bags.