Patent ID: 8048464

Claim:
A method of making a snack piece, said method comprising the steps of: extruding a dough into a pellet; drying said pellet to an intermediate moisture content between about 5% and about 15% by weight to produce a half-product; charging a rigid mold having a desired target shape with a plurality of said half-products; and expanding said half-products inside said mold to substantially fill said mold and produce said snack piece, which has substantially obtained said desired target shape, and wherein said mold entirely surrounds said half-products; further comprising the following steps prior to said extruding: mixing dough ingredients to provide a dough mixture comprising between about 85% and about 95% rice flour, less than about 1% sugar, less than about 2% sodium bicarbonate, less than about 2% monocalcium phosphate, and between about 0.5% and about 1.5% Xanthan gum; and hydrating said dough mixture to a total moisture content between about 25% and about 35% to produce said dough.