and
whipped cream on top of
ice cream Popular terminology for this confection tends to overlap, while manufacturers are more precise with their labeling. What consumers often call "sprinkles" covers several types of candy decorations that are
sprinkled randomly over a surface, as opposed to decorations that are placed in specific spots.
Nonpareils (hundreds-and-thousands),
confetti, silver, gold, and pearl
dragées,
pearl sugar and "sugar shapes" (sequins) are all used this way.
Sanding sugar is a transparent crystal sugar of larger size than general-use refined
white sugar.
Crystal sugar tends to be clear and of much larger crystals than sanding sugar.
Pearl sugar is relatively large, opaque white spheroids of sugar. Both crystal and pearl sugars are typically used for sprinkling on sweet breads, pastries, and cookies in many countries. Some American manufacturers deem the elongated opaque sprinkles the official sprinkles. In
British English, these are
sugar strands. In the New England region of
United States, as well as in Philadelphia, sprinkles are often referred to as jimmies. The sprinkles known as
nonpareils in
French are tiny opaque spheres that were traditionally white, but that now come in many colors; in Commonwealth countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, these are known as "hundreds and thousands". The sprinkle-type of
dragée (also known as a "cachou") is like a large nonpareil with a metallic coating of
silver,
gold,
copper, or
bronze. The food-sprinkle dragée is now also made in a form resembling
pearls. "Sugar shapes" ("sequins") are a newer product which come in a variety of shapes, often flavored, for holidays or themes, such as
Halloween witches and
pumpkins, or
flowers and
dinosaurs. Candy cane shapes may taste like peppermint, and gingerbread men like
gingerbread cookies. Toppings that are more similar in consistency to another type of candy, even if used similarly to sprinkles, are usually known by a variation of that candy's name—for example, mini-
chocolate chips or
praline. ==Uses==