Patent ID: 7829128

Claim:
A method for producing a whole-grain containing composite food product, comprising the steps of: (1) preparing a moist dough, comprising: combining whole grain cereal particles and water cooking the combination at a temperature of about 120° F. to about 200° F. for an amount of time effective to gelatinize starch content of the whole grain cereal particles and to provide a heated mass, mixing the heated mass with starch, whole grain flour, optional leavening agent, and a food component selected from the group consisting of vegetables and fruits, effective to prepare a moist dough having a moisture content of about 25 wt. % to about 50 wt. %, to provide moist dough which is cohesive and machinable without the addition of sugar or fat; (2) forming the moist dough into discrete moist dough units; and (3) baking or frying the moist dough units to provide a whole-grain containing composite food product having a final moisture content of less than 5 wt. %, wherein the composite food product substantially retains the size of the discrete moist dough units.