Patent Description:
Frozen confection rolled wafer cones are typically prepared from a batter with a composition of: <NUM> wt% flour; <NUM> wt% sugars; <NUM> wt% water; <NUM> wt% oil; <NUM> wt% lecithin and <NUM> wt% salt, 'The Science of Ice Cream' C. Clarke RSC, <NUM>, page <NUM>. Batters are typically free-flowing compositions with a liquid-like consistency that can be dosed onto a baking plate by flowing the batter through a nozzle. Once baked, the resultant wafers are moulded into shapes when hot and then cooled to harden, resulting in a brittle and crunchy frozen confection rolled wafer cone. When the wafer cones are to be used together with frozen confection, the cones require a moisture-resistant coating on the inside of the cone to prevent water migrating from the frozen confection into the cone during storage. If the moisture-resistant coating is not used, the cones are soggy, rather than crunchy consumed. Additionally, is it not possible to use a batter comprising inclusions in such a method as the batter surrounding the inclusions shrinks causing holes in the wafer sheet during baking resulting in a poor-quality wafer sheet.

Alternative composition consistencies have been described, such as 'roll dough' compositions or 'drop-cookie' compositions. <CIT> discloses the formation of edible cones, more particularly cookie cones, from a 'roll dough' composition. When baked, the edible cones have the texture, appearance, and consistency of a cookie. In order to obtain the desired consistency when baked, the dough requires from about <NUM> wt% to <NUM> wt% of water-binding agent, such as proteins, plant extracts and modified starches, in order to be able to retain from <NUM> wt% to about <NUM> wt% water in the baked composition. The disclosed doughs are rolled by hand, cut to shape, formed and refrigerated before baking; or, rolled by hand, refrigerated, then cut to shape before baking. <CIT> is silent with regard to cone texture on storage, compositions comprising inclusions and the use of the doughs with automated industrial equipment such as shaping apparatus.

https://www. rezeptwelt. de/backen-suess-rezepte/hippen-eiswaffeln-glueckskekse/qu9pgnn5-a4767-<NUM>-cfcd2-xpjw3i5i discloses a composition consisting of: <NUM> wt% water; <NUM> wt% flour; a sugar to flour ratio of <NUM>:<NUM>; and, egg yolk.

The present invention provides a frozen confection shaped bakery item dough composition comprising from <NUM> wt% to <NUM> wt% water; from <NUM> wt% to <NUM> wt% sugar; from <NUM> wt% to <NUM> wt% fat; and, from <NUM> wt% to <NUM> wt% flour. The dough is suitable for use with industrial apparatus such as baking plates and shaping apparatus, such as rolling mandrels, allowing industrial scale processing and efficiency of production lines. The dough is also suitable to comprise up to <NUM> wt% inclusions based on the weight of the dough composition. High quality, reproducible, moisture-migration resistant novel texture cones are obtainable through use of the novel shaped bakery item dough composition.

A frozen confection shaped bakery item dough composition comprising: from <NUM> wt% to <NUM> wt% water; from <NUM> wt% to <NUM> wt% sugar; from <NUM> wt% to <NUM> wt% fat; and, from <NUM> wt% to <NUM> wt% flour, and a process for the preparation of a frozen confection shaped bakery item prepared from the frozen confection shaped bakery item dough composition.

In an aspect of the invention, the invention is directed towards a frozen confection shaped bakery item dough composition comprising from <NUM> to <NUM> wt% water; from <NUM> wt% to <NUM> wt% sugar; from <NUM> wt% to <NUM> wt% fat; and, from <NUM> wt% to <NUM> wt% flour,
and wherein the composition comprises a ratio of weight percent fat to flour of from <NUM>:<NUM> to <NUM>:<NUM> and sugar to flour of from <NUM>:<NUM> to <NUM>:<NUM>, and with the proviso that the composition does not comprise egg yolk, lecithin or mixtures thereof.

Dough means a shaped bakery item composition for use in the preparation of a frozen confection shaped bakery item, such as a receptacle or decorative frozen confection wafer-shaped item. Dough may also be known as a sweet paste. Typically, dough is a malleable composition that is dosed onto a baking plate by scooping or an extrude and cut process such as the process disclosed in <NPL>.

Shaped means that the bakery item composition has been manipulated into a form, typically after baking and before cooling. Shaping includes rolling, moulding, flattening or cutting the baked dough composition to form a receptacle such as a cone or cup, or a decorative item typically seen for frozen confection wafer-shapes such as fan, flute, disc or rectangular shape.

Typical wafer cone batter compositions comprise water, flour, sugars, fat, emulsifier and salt as described in <NPL>. Exemplary flours, sugars and fats are described in <NPL>.

Water may originate from water added to the composition or from ingredients such as sugar syrups or aqueous solutions of colouring and flavouring.

Sugars may be present in any degree of purity; e.g.: 'sucrose' includes 'brown sugar'. Prior to use, sugars may be present in any physical form such as crystalline, powder or syrup. Sugar means the total sugar content of the frozen confection composition. Sugar is selected from the group consisting of mono-saccharides, di-saccharides, oligosaccharides, and mixtures thereof. Mono- and di-saccharides are selected from the group consisting of glucose, fructose, lactose, galactose, maltose, sucrose and mixtures thereof. Preferably the sugar comprises sucrose. More preferably the sugar is sucrose.

The frozen confection composition may also comprise sweeteners selected from the group consisting of Rebaudioside A [also known as Stevia (Cargill Inc)]; sucralose; acesulfame potassium (Nutrinova); sugar alcohols and mixtures thereof. Sugar alcohols include erythritol, sorbitol, xylitol, mannitol, lactitol or mixtures thereof. The frozen confection composition may also comprise soluble gluco-fibre ingredients such as Promitor (Tate & Lyle).

Flour means a granulated edible powder prepared from, for example, wheat, barley, oats, rye, spelt, bran, rice and corn. Flour is selected from the group consisting of wheat flour, barley, corn flour, starch, rice and mixtures thereof. Starch may originate from, for example: corn, potato, rice and tapioca as disclosed in <NPL>. Preferably the flour comprises wheat or a blend of corn flour and corn or potato starch. Preferably the flour is wheat.

Fat may be dairy or vegetable fat or oil and is selected from the group consisting of soya bean oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, corn oil, canola oil, coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, hydrogenated oils, butter oil, cream, peanut butter, butter and mixtures thereof.

In an embodiment of the invention the frozen confection shaped bakery item dough composition comprises inclusions in an amount of from <NUM> wt% to <NUM> wt%; from <NUM> wt% to <NUM> wt%; from <NUM> wt% to <NUM> wt% in relation to the weight of the dough composition.

In a further embodiment of the invention the frozen confection shaped bakery item dough composition comprises inclusions in an amount of up to <NUM> wt%; from <NUM> wt% to <NUM> wt%; from <NUM> wt% to <NUM> wt%; from <NUM> wt% to <NUM> wt% based on the weight of the frozen confection shaped bakery item dough composition. When calculating the composition of the frozen confection shaped bakery item dough composition that further comprises inclusions, the wt% of the ingredients of the inclusions are independent of the wt% of the ingredients of the composition of the frozen confection shaped bakery item dough composition. For example, a frozen confection shaped bakery item dough composition may comprise in total <NUM> wt% inclusions and <NUM> wt% of a composition comprising from <NUM> wt% to <NUM> wt% water; from <NUM> wt% to <NUM> wt% sugar; from <NUM> wt% to <NUM> wt% fat; and, from <NUM> wt% to <NUM> wt% flour.

In a further embodiment of the invention the frozen confection shaped bakery item dough composition does not comprise an emulsifier. The frozen confection shaped bakery item dough composition does not comprise an ingredient providing the function of an emulsifier. Emulsifiers may include one or more ingredients selected from the group consisting of: egg yolk; mono-glycerides; di-glycerides; lecithin and mixtures thereof. Preferably, the frozen confection shaped bakery item dough composition does not comprise egg yolk, lecithin or a mixture thereof.

Frozen confection shaped bakery item dough compositions may further comprise inclusions that are typically found in frozen confections and frozen confection products. Such inclusions include for example, fruit pieces, chocolate pieces, confectionary, nuts and bakery goods (wafer, biscuit and cake pieces), as described in <NPL>. Inclusions are selected from the group consisting of: nuts, seed, confectionary pieces, oats and mixtures thereof. Nuts are selected from the group consisting of peanuts, salted or unsalted, hazelnuts, almonds, pistachio and mixtures thereof. Confectionary pieces are selected from the group consisting of cocoa nibs, chocolate pieces and mixtures thereof. The longest length of the inclusions is from <NUM> to <NUM>; from <NUM> to <NUM>; from <NUM> to <NUM>.

In a further embodiment of the invention the frozen confection shaped bakery item dough composition may comprise colours and flavours as described in <NPL>. Such colours include cocoa powder and food colouring. It is possible that two or more dough compositions of difference colour, flavour or both difference colour and flavour and are baked together to form a shaped bakery item. A frozen confection shaped bakery item comprising two or more colours, two or more flavours or two or more colours and two or more flavours.

In a further aspect of the invention, the invention relates to a process for the preparation of a frozen confection shaped bakery item comprising the steps of:.

Mixing step a. comprises combining the dry ingredients including sugar, fat and flour with water to form a frozen confection shaped bakery item dough composition.

The lower and upper plates are typically heated to a temperature of between <NUM> and <NUM>; preferably between <NUM> and <NUM>.

Once the frozen confection shaped bakery item dough composition of step a. has been dosed onto the lower plate of the baking apparatus, the upper plate is closed, and the frozen confection shaped bakery item dough composition is baked for from <NUM> seconds to <NUM> seconds; preferably from <NUM> seconds to <NUM> seconds.

After baking the baked frozen confection shaped bakery item dough composition is removed from the baking plates and shaped prior to cooling.

Once shaped, the baked frozen confection shaped bakery item dough composition is allowed to cool to room temperature. Once cooled to room temperature the baked frozen confection shaped bakery item dough composition has a crunchy texture and is a frozen confection shaped bakery item. The frozen confection shaped bakery item, if shaping has resulted in a receptacle shape may be filled with one or more frozen confections to form a frozen confection product.

The frozen confection shaped bakery item dough composition ingredients are mixed to form a homogenous dough. The homogenous dough (<NUM>) is dosed onto a baking plate at <NUM> and prepared according to the process provided in <NPL>.

Examples I and K demonstrate that dough compositions with a fat:flour ratio of <NUM> and a sugar:flour ratio of greater than <NUM> or <NUM> are capable of forming a sheet during baking; but are susceptible to crumbling or breaking when the sheet is removed from the baking plate and shaped.

Similarly, Example B demonstrates that a dough composition with a fat:flour ratio of <NUM> and a sugar:flour ratio of <NUM> are also capable of forming a sheet during baking; but are susceptible to crumbling or breaking when the sheet is removed from the baking plate and shaped.

Dough compositions with scores of <NUM> are suitable for shaping; however, the dough is not suitable for industrial shaping processes that use automated removal techniques that provide ridge and groove forms on the outside of the frozen confection cone.

The initial weight of standard wafer cones prepared from a batter with the composition according to 'The Science of Ice Cream' by C. Clarke, page <NUM>, and Example <NUM> A, were measured. The cones were filled with ice cream (without any barrier between the cone and ice cream), and stored at -<NUM>. Every three days a standard cone and a cookie cone were taken from the freezer, carefully emptied of the ice cream, and weighed again. The increase in weight of the cone after storage was calculated.

Example <NUM> demonstrates that frozen confection wafer cones prepared from frozen confection shaped bakery item dough compositions of Example <NUM> absorb less water during storage over <NUM> hours than frozen confection wafer cones prepared from standard wafer batter compositions. A lower rate and amount of water absorption results in a longer shelf life of the frozen confection shaped bakery item cone when coated with a moisture barrier coating in comparison to the standard wafer cone.

Claim 1:
A frozen confection shaped bakery item dough composition comprising:
from <NUM> wt% to <NUM> wt% water;
from <NUM> wt% to <NUM> wt% sugar;
from <NUM> wt% to <NUM> wt% fat; and,
from <NUM> wt% to <NUM> wt% flour,
and wherein the composition comprises a ratio of weight percent fat to flour of from <NUM>:<NUM> to <NUM>:<NUM> and sugar to flour of from <NUM>:<NUM> to <NUM>:<NUM>, and with the proviso that the composition does not comprise egg yolk, lecithin or mixtures thereof.