What role does sugar play in pastry beyond sweetness?

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Sugar fuels fermentation by yeast. In yeasted pastries, the yeast feeds on sugar, converting it into carbon dioxide and alcohol. The carbon dioxide gas gets trapped in the dough, causing it to rise and become light and tender. This leavening effect is a direct way sugar contributes beyond sweetness, especially in croissants, brioche, and Danish pastries where fermentation drives the lift. Sugar also plays other roles, like aiding browning and helping tenderize by competing with gluten for water, but the key non-sweet contribution to lift is providing nourishment for the yeast. It isn’t the primary leavener on its own and it doesn’t replace fat in pastry.