Sure, the gloss on a sugar glaze is all about controlled caramelization and moisture balance. You heat the sugar until it melts, then you add a pinch of acid—like lemon juice—to lower the pH and slow down the browning. The heat causes sucrose to break down into glucose and fructose, which then form a thin syrup that dries quickly, leaving a glossy film. If you add a bit of oil or butter, the surface tension drops, so the glaze spreads evenly and doesn't crystallize. It's a tiny, precise dance of heat, pH, and evaporation—exactly the kind of experiment that keeps me up at night.