Method for making a flavored nut product

A flavored-nut product, made by coating nuts (or other centers) alternately with a liquid mixture (of water, sugar, and modified tapioca) and a solids mixture (of flour, modified corn starch, sugar and salt, with small amounts of flavoring, usually mixed with a small amount of vegetable oil), and each time permitting the solid portion to dry before the next additions of liquids. When the desired thickness of coating is obtained, usually after four to six repetitions, the liquid and solid multi-coated nuts are deep-fat fried.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a flavored nut product and to an 
advantageous process for making such a product. 
The problem of creating new "snack" foods is well recognized, see U.S. Pat. 
No. 3,348,950 to Weiss. It is difficult to create a new and distinctive 
taste that is still acceptable to a consuming public (which has generally 
shown a preference for the familiar); and that lends itself to reliable 
quality control, practical and economical production techniques, and has 
sufficiently long "shelf-life" for the realities of modern food 
distribution. 
It is known in the art to provide nuts with various flavored coatings. For 
example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,063,843 to Hashimoto disclosed a flavored nut 
made by adding succeeding layers of sugar syrup, and then flour, to nut 
centers; followed by roasting; and finally coating with a flavored sauce. 
However, Hashimoto has been criticized (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,545 to 
Green et al.) as failing to give a wholly satisfactory product, both as to 
color and flavor. The method of Hashimoto can be inefficient, hence 
expensive, in requiring a separate roasting stage, a separate flavor 
coating stage, and a separate and additional drying stage (note FIG. 1 
therein). Further, the moving air method of Hashimoto is a not the most 
efficient heat exchange mechanism, and does not contribute to the flavor 
of the final food product. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,787,588 to Turitz disclosed wrapping a dough, made from a 
kneaded mixture of corn and wheat flour, around a peanut center; and then 
baking or deep-fat frying; optionally glazing prior to baking. However, 
Turitz has been criticized (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,053,650 to Chino et al.) 
as involving a difficult and troublesome step of wrapping small edible 
items, it being particularly difficult to so wrap without strain and 
unevenness in thickness, leading to uneven expansion when cooked. The 
method of Turitz involves the expensive and inefficient steps of kneading 
and wrapping, and suggests the additiional cost and time of a glazing or 
finishing step. The dough system of Turitz involves using a relatively 
high level of water, which is, due to its high specific heat, difficult to 
remove during further processing. Such removal of water is necessary to 
obtain the desired crisp texture. The method and product of Turitz also 
require the use of egg, a costly ingredient. 
The above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,545 to Green described a honey 
coated roasted nut, produced by first coating nuts in a honey and water 
mixture; then "enrobing" the coated nuts in a sugar-starch mixture; and 
finally roasting and cooling quickly. After cooling, the nuts may be 
dusted with salt or a salt/sugar mixture. It appears that a principal goal 
was to improve color and consistency of adhesion, as well as flavor, by 
the use of honey (which is not necessary in the instant invention). The 
primary purpose of the sugar-starch mixture in Green appears to to be to 
prevent the honey coated nuts from adhering to each other, rather than for 
flavor or to control coating density, as by "puffing". There is no 
suggestion to repeat the liquid and solid coatings, and the only flavoring 
suggested is honey-based, using a far greater amount of honey than would 
the instant invention, even for a honey-flavored version. 
Thus the prior art leaves unsolved the problem of disclosing or suggesting 
a process for making a food product which is appealing in taste and 
appearance, while being economical, quick and convenient to manufacture, 
able to be made with a variety of distinctive yet appetizing flavors; 
capable of being produced with commonly available equipment and minimal 
labor costs. 
The known prior art does not disclose or suggest a process which 
accomplishes these goals without one or more negative features. In 
particular, it is desirable to avoid the use of a dough, thus eliminating 
the time and expense of a kneading step, and thereby also avoid the 
introduction of excess water which only needs to be removed later. In 
addition, it is desirable to avoid baking, which has the cost and 
inefficiency inherent in using air as a heat exchange mechanism. The use 
of expensive ingredients, like eggs, is preferably eliminated or reduced. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In order to overcome these problems within the constraints noted, the 
instant invention uses a method of treating nuts which involves the using 
a liquids and a solids mixture, applied in turn, and repeatedly, to nuts. 
First a liquid mixture, of water, sugar, and tapioca, is coated onto the 
nuts, such as by spreading on nuts tumbling on a conventional coating pan. 
Next added is a solids mixture, of flour, modified corn starch, sugar and 
salt, with small amounts of flavoring (i.e., selected flavor and color 
elements), which flavoring is usually most conveniently applied if mixed 
with a carrier of a small amount of vegetable oil, which also acts to 
improve texture by making the final product crisper. 
The solids are added to coat onto the tumbling wet nuts. The solids portion 
is then permitted to dry before the next additions of liquids. The steps 
of coating with liquid, coating with solid, and drying are then repeated 
until the desired thickness of coating is obtained, usually requiring some 
four to six repetitions. The liquid and solid coated nuts are then cooked, 
preferably by deep-fat frying after removal from the coating pan. 
This procedure has several advantages over prior methods and resultant 
products. The modified corn starch in the solids mixture is designed to 
puff, thereby controlling density without the use of additional leavening. 
A waxy, pre-gelatinized maize works well. By so pre-cooking with water, 
and allowing the starch to swell and burst, a cross-linked spongy 
structure is formed. 
Deep fat frying is a far more efficient heat exchange mechanism than moving 
air. No additional flavor sauce or glazing steps are required, as the 
mixtures, particularly the solids mixture, will contain whatever 
flavorings are desired, such as chili, salt and pepper, coconut, etc. 
Corn, raisins, berries or other centers can be used instead of nuts, 
although the process is principally directed to flavored nuts, such as 
peanuts.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
One thousand grams of unblanched, partially roasted spanish peanuts are 
placed in a coating pan, and the pan is switched on. A water-based liquid 
containing liquid sugar and modified tapioca is spread onto the tumbling 
nuts. The formula for the liquid portion is as follows: 
TABLE 1 
______________________________________ 
Water 52% 709 grams 
Liquid Sugar 18% 236 grams 
Modified Tapioca 30% 405 grams 
total 1350 grams 
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The proportion of ingredients can of course be varied. Sugar should be in 
the range of 10-25%; preferably 16.5 to 19%. Tapioca should be in the 
range of 20-45%; preferably 25-35%. Water would be varied to make up the 
remaining percentage. 
One modified tapioca that has been found to work well in the process is 
available from the National Starch Company under the designation of No. 
4484. 
Next, a mixture of solids is placed on the tumbling, wet nuts and, after 
coating, is permitted to dry. The formula for the solids portion is as 
follows: 
TABLE 2 
______________________________________ 
(pepper flavor) 
______________________________________ 
AP Flour 58% 784 grams 
Starch 7% 92 grams 
Sugar 27% 374 grams 
Salt 5.22% 72 grams 
Capsicum 0.1% 1.31 grams 
Oleo pap 0.68% 9.3 grams 
Vegetable oil 2% 28 grams 
total 1361.61 grams 
______________________________________ 
A modified corn starch (i.e. waxy, pre-gelatinized maize) sold under the 
name Bakasnak and all purpose ("AP") or "straight" flour have been found 
to work well in the solids mixture of the invention. 
Again, the proportion of ingredients can be varied. The starch can be in 
the range of 6-10%; preferably 6.5-8%. Sugar can be in the range of 
10-50%; preferably 20-40%. Salt can be in the range of zero-7.5%; 
preferably 4-6%. 
The flavoring (the term being used to include both flavor and color 
ingredients) can vary widely, and should generally be in the range of 
1-4%; preferably about 2-4%. The flavoring in this example includes both 
flavor and color ingredients: the active principle in pepper (capsicum) 
and the oil-soluble fraction of paprika, oleo resin paprika ("oleo pap"). 
Vegetable oil is useful in small quantities to make a crisper texture and 
as a carrier for the flavoring. The oil can be in the range of zero-5%; 
preferably zero-3%. 
The addition of liquids, then of solids, then drying, is repeated until the 
desired thickness is obtained, usually requiring some two to ten 
repetitions. 
The coated nuts are then removed and cooked. Cooking is preferably done by 
deep fat frying, at a temperature between about 270 and 420 degrees (F.) 
and preferably between 290 and 310 degrees (F.). In this example, cooking 
is accomplished by deep fat frying at 300 degrees (F.) for five minutes in 
partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, with a melt range of 80-87 degrees 
(F.), such as "Crisco" or Spry". The fried, coated nuts can then be cooled 
and packaged in any conventional manner. 
It will be appreciated that numerous variations and modifications can be 
made within the scope of the invention, and the above-description of one 
preferred embodiment is not intended to limit the scope of the broader 
scope and claims of the invention. Other flavorings can be placed in the 
coating mixtures, such as curry, chocolate, soy sauce, mustard, chili, 
cheese, mocha, liquor, vanilla, nacho, bar-b-que, honey, mint and 
combinations. Other coating methods could be used, such as the more 
precise but far more expensive "fluid bed" method employed in the 
pharmaceutical industry. Precise formulations and choice of particular 
ingredients can be varied. The unblanched, partially roasted, spanish 
peanuts could be uncooked, fully roasted, replaced by other nuts, or even 
non-nut centers, such as raisins.