PRODUCTION OF CONFECTIONERY

Abstract: Fat-containing products, especially chocolate, are formed in moulds at temperatures at or below 0 C to provide unforced demoulding.

Description: PRODUCTION OF CONFECTIONERY Field of the invention This invention relates to the production of fat-containing products, eg chocolate products, in which molten fatcontaining mass is introduced into a mould. After solidification the product, on removal, replicates the inner surface pattern and configuration of the mould. Background to the invention When preparing fat-containing products using the moulding process it is necessary to obtain the final product in a simple manner by extraction from the mould. The latter after solidification of the fat-containing mass is normally inverted and the moulded product released on to a support surface for further processing. Release from the mould must be efficient to avoid reworking the fat-containing product. The term "chocolate" is used herein generally to include fat based compositions having a chocolate component and extends to couvertures. Such compositions are well characterised in the literature, example are Kirk-Othmer (2nd Edition 1964) at pages 363 et seq and Elements of Food Technology page 579 et seq, and include white chocolate. General descrintion of the invention The present invention provides a process of preparing fatcontaining products especially chocolate products by moulding in which (i) fat-containing mass, preferably untempered, at a temperature in the range about 15 C, preferably from about 280C, to about 550C and having a fat content of at least about 25% by weight is introduced into a mould having a temperature at or below 0 C, (ii) the fatcontaining mass is retained in contact with the mould for a period sufficient to allow the fat-containing mass to the mould. A tempering step is believed to introduce seeds of type IV and V chocolate (p and p ) into the mass. The process, by rapidly cooling a chocolate mass in a mould, provides chocolate having an unstable form, usually a, and this provides the improved release. There is no criticality in the material of the mould, for example metal or plastics can be used, but metal is preferred for its heat transfer properties. Untempered chocolate has the preferred eating quality when used with frozen fillings, eg ice cream. This form of chocolate has a melting temperature in the range 18 to 240C in comparison with about 330C for tempered chocolate. The cold moulding process of the present invention is tolerant to variations in chocolate properties and thus formulation of chocolate compositions is more flexible. The cold moulding process requires a shorter period, ca 30 seconds, between adding molten chocolate in a shell moulding process and inverting to remove excess molten chocolate. This compares with about three minutes for an ambient procedure. The cold moulding process is of particular value with untempered chocolate because the need for tempering plant and consequent process time is eliminated. The use of cold moulds extends to moulding of fatcontaining materials, eg chocolate, using turning or spinning moulds. A spinning mould process time can be considerably reduced using cold moulds. Split moulds are usable in a cold moulding process. The mould is required to have a temperature below OOC but at lower temperatures, which are preferred, the chocolate state giving improved release is more quickly attained. Thus preferably the temperature is below -100C and, more preferably below -200C. Specific description of the invention Examples of the process of the invention will now be given to illustrate, but not limit, the invention. Example 1 Chocolate containing 43% fat and at a temperature of +450C was poured into a 5mm thick aluminium mould (suitable for making a bar) maintained at -350C by cooling with refrigerated air. The mould was held for 5 seconds to allow the chocolate shell to form in the mould; it was then inverted to empty out the remaining liquid chocolate. The chocolate shell was held for a further 1 minute at sub-zero temperature (-350C) to allow chocolate on the inside of the shell to solidify. The mould was again inverted and the chocolate shell demoulded by applying a small mechanical force on the mould. The chocolate shell demoulded freely. Example 2 Example 1 was repeated using mould temperatures of OOC, - 50C, -100C, 150C, -200C, -300C and -400C. The holding time for shell formation was adjusted from 30 seconds to 1 second to maintain constant shell thickness and the holding time was adjusted from 15 minutes to 1 minute to allow the chocolate on the inside of the shell to solidify. The chocolate shell in each sample demoulded freely. Example 3 Example 2 was repeated but with plastic moulds prepared from polycarbonate having a thickness of 3 mm. The chocolate shells demoulded freely. Example 4 Example 1 was repeated with chocolate fat levels of 32% and 38%. The chocolate shells were demoulded with and without ice cream filling. In both cases, ie. with and without ice cream, the chocolate shells were found to demould readily. Products produced by this example and chocolate coated ice cream bars produced by enrobing an extruded ice cream bar in a commercial enrober, were subjected to a mechanical test. The product dimensions and the coating thickness for both product were similar. The mechanical test consisted of driving a "wedge" at a control rate through the bar to simulate the "biting" action of the mouth. The behaviour of the coating was recorded. The coating on the enrobed products cracked and fractured randomly and came away from the ice cream. In bars made according to this example, the chocolate coating remained intact. Thus the use of a mould below 0 C also improves the chocolate/ice cream adhesion. Example 5 The chocolate shells were formed as in examples 2 and 3, but were not removed from the mould. Ice cream was filled into the shell and hardened at -350C. Chocolate backing was applied and allowed to set. The filled chocolate was then demoulded by applying a small mechanical force. The filled shells demoulded readily for each sample. Example 6 Example 1 was repeated using chocolate at temperatures of 300C, 350C, 450C and 550C. The chocolate shells were demoulded with and without ice cream filling. In all cases the chocolate shells were found to demould readily. Specific description of the invention Examples of the process of the invention will now be given to illustrate, but not limit, the invention. Example 1 Chocolate containing 43% fat and at a temperature of +450C was poured into a 5mm thick aluminium mould (suitable for making a bar) maintained at -350C by cooling with refrigerated air. The mould was held for 5 seconds to allow the chocolate shell to form in the mould; it was then inverted to empty out the remaining liquid chocolate. The chocolate shell was held for a further 1 minute at sub-zero temperature (-350C) to allow chocolate on the inside of the shell to solidify. The mould was again inverted and the chocolate shell demoulded by applying a small mechanical force on the mould. The chocolate shell demoulded freely. ExamPle 2 Example 1 was repeated using mould temperatures of OOC, - 50C, -100C, 150C, -200C, -300C and -400C. The holding time for shell formation was adjusted from 30 seconds to 1 second to maintain constant shell thickness and the holding time was adjusted from 15 minutes to 1 minute to allow the chocolate on the inside of the shell to solidify. The chocolate shell in each sample demoulded freely. Example 3 Example 2 was repeated but with plastic moulds prepared from polycarbonate having a thickness of 3 mm. The chocolate shells demoulded freely. ExamPle 11 The shells in examples 2, 3 and 4 were- formed using a couverture containing 46% fat (cocoa butter, dairy fat and coconut oil) instead of chocolate. The shells formed were found to demould readily. Example 12 In this example a couverture with a fat content of 64% and a crystallisation temperature of 12"C was used. It was based on coconut oil and was lemon flavoured. Mould temperatures of 0 C, -20 C, and -40 C were used. The couverture at a temperature of 35"C was poured into the moulds and held for a period between 2 and 10 seconds. The moulds were then inverted to empty the mould of liquid couverture and transferred to a blast freezer operating at -35 C for 1 minute. The couverture shells demoulded easily. Example 13 Example 12 was repeated using cocoa butter as the fatcontaining feedstock to be moulded. The shells demoulded easily.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A method of preparing fat-containing products by moulding in which (i) a fat-containing mass at a temperature in the range about 15 C, preferably from about 280C, to about 550C and having a fat content of at least about 25% weight is introduced into a mould having a temperature at or below OOC, (ii) the fat-containing mass is retained in contact with the mould for a period sufficient to allow the fatcontaining mass to solidify in an unstable form at least in the layer in contact with the mould, and (iii) the fat-containing product is removed from the mould. 2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the fatcontaining mass has not been subjected to tempering. 3. A method according to claim 1 or 2 wherein any unsolidified fat-containing mass is removed from the mould prior to removing the product. 4. A method according to claim 3 wherein the fatcontaining product is filled with a filling while retained in the mould. 5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the fatcontaining product is filled with a filling below OOC while retained in the mould at a temperature below OOC. 6. A method according to any preceding claim wherein the fat-containing mass contains up to 70% by weight fat. 7. A method according to any preceding claim wherein the fat-containing mass contains up to 60% by weight fat. 8. A method according to any preceding claim wherein the fat-containing mass is chocolate. 9. A method according to any preceding claim wherein the mould has a temperature below -100C. 10. A method according to any preceding claim wherein the temperature of the mould is from below OOC to about -350C.

Inventors: CEBULA DERYCK JOZEF, RAYET JASPAL, CEBULA, DERYCK, JOZEF, RAYET, JASPAL
Applicants: UNILEVER NV, UNILEVER PLC
Application year: 1993
Main classification: A23G1
IPC codes: A23G1, A23G9