A caramel chocolate sauce and its preparation method

Abstract

This invention relates to a caramel chocolate sauce and its preparation method. To improve the instability of the fat system caused by adding caramel to a chocolate system, the inventors discovered during their research that cinnamon powder can be used as a special additive to improve the stability of the caramel chocolate sauce system. Adding a specific amount of cinnamon powder helps to promote the formation of an oil-encapsulated structure in the entire chocolate material system during the refining process, promoting the fusion of caramel and chocolate fats, forming a more stable fat system, and allowing the caramel flavor to last longer. Furthermore, it helps to delay the formation of low-temperature crystals during the tempering process of the chocolate sauce, obtaining a more stable internal crystal structure, thereby effectively improving blooming, especially the blooming phenomenon caused by the migration and aggregation of lipids on the chocolate surface during storage.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a caramel chocolate sauce and its preparation method, belonging to the field of food processing technology. Background Technology

[0002] In developed regions worldwide, the pursuit of chocolate varieties is driven by a combination of new flavors, technologies, materials, and packaging, resulting in high-value and exquisitely crafted chocolates. Meanwhile, in emerging markets of developing countries, chocolate production will continue to rise due to increasing purchasing power, population growth, and increased intermediate consumption. However, with the growing health awareness of people worldwide, the demand for chocolate is shifting from traditional indulgence to functional purposes, shaping the main trends in the future development of chocolate products.

[0003] Among new flavor trends, caramel is a relatively novel flavor profile, and it is also one of the flavors that consumers like.

[0004] Given current technological capabilities, the caramel-making process is inherently complex, and the resulting flavor is somewhat unpredictable. In conventional industrial production, only by maximally controlling raw materials, preparation techniques, time, and temperature can the reproducibility of high-quality products be guaranteed. The refined production technology for caramel is challenging, and its processes are strictly confidential internationally. One of the core technological secrets behind Coca-Cola's century-long global success and dominant international market share involves acid-resistant caramel technology.

[0005] Therefore, most of the caramel flavor in commercially available caramel chocolate sauces is achieved by directly adding caramel or caramel powder, which are raw and auxiliary materials with a caramel flavor, through grinding and refining. The caramel flavor of these products often presents a strong burnt taste that consumers do not like. Some are made by adding caramel flavoring or other flavorings to mask the burnt taste. The caramel flavor of these products is often short-lived or abrupt, failing to create a lingering and unforgettable taste. The overall flavor of the chocolate product is not smooth or harmonious, resulting in a poor sensory experience for consumers.

[0006] In existing production processes, adding caramel obtained during production to the chocolate system presents certain technical difficulties in its integration, which can easily lead to instability in the structural system. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the aforementioned technical problems, the present invention provides a caramel chocolate sauce, wherein...

[0008] The caramel chocolate sauce recipe includes basic ingredients and added ingredients.

[0009] Wherein, based on a weight of 100 parts of the basic component, the basic component comprises the following components in parts by weight:

[0010]

[0011] The added components include cinnamon powder and a compound emulsifier; based on 100 parts by weight of the base components, the amount of cinnamon powder added is 0.1 to 0.5 parts, and the amount of compound emulsifier is 1 to 12 parts.

[0012] The compound emulsifier contains 80-95% wt of phospholipids and 5-20% wt of other components; the other components are selected from polyglycerol ricinoleate or sucrose fatty acid esters or combinations thereof.

[0013] In one or more embodiments, the amount of cinnamon powder added is 0.15 to 0.3 parts.

[0014] In one or more embodiments, the weight ratio of the polyglycerol ricinoleate to the sucrose fatty acid ester is 1:1 to 2:1.

[0015] In one or more embodiments, the added component further comprises 2 to 20 parts of a compound sweetener, based on 100 parts by weight of the base component; the compound sweetener comprises maltitol and xylitol, wherein the weight ratio of maltitol to xylitol is 1:1 to 1:10.

[0016] In one or more embodiments, the additive component further comprises 2 to 20 parts of a compound antioxidant, based on 100 parts by weight of the base component; the compound antioxidant comprises ascorbic acid and sodium ascorbate; the weight ratio of ascorbic acid to sodium ascorbate is 1:1 to 1:10.

[0017] In one or more embodiments, the added component further comprises 0.01 to 0.05 parts of fragrance, based on 100 parts by weight of the base component.

[0018] Another aspect of the present invention provides a method for preparing caramel chocolate sauce, wherein the caramel chocolate sauce uses the above-mentioned caramel chocolate sauce recipe.

[0019] The manufacturing method includes the following steps:

[0020] Step 1), Melting the cocoa butter: Melt the cocoa butter according to the recipe and set aside;

[0021] Step 2), caramelize: Weigh out the white sugar according to the recipe, cook it all into caramel, and cool it to 50-60℃;

[0022] Step 3), Grinding: 70-90% wt of the melted cocoa butter obtained in Step 1) and the caramel obtained in Step 2) are put into a chocolate grinder. Then, 45% wt to 55% wt of the cinnamon powder is weighed according to the formula. The lactose, whole milk powder, skim milk powder and optional compound sweeteners or compound antioxidants are weighed and put into the chocolate grinder and ground at 40℃ to 60℃ until the fineness of the material reaches below 20 microns. Grinding is then stopped to obtain the sauce.

[0023] Step 4), Refining: Put the sauce obtained in step 3) into a refining machine, add the remaining melted cocoa butter, add the remaining cinnamon powder, add an appropriate amount of deionized water to adjust the water activity of the sauce to the range of 0.4 to 0.8, refine at 50℃ to 60℃ for 1-2 hours, then refine at 40℃ to 50℃ for 5-10 hours, then add the compound emulsifier and optional flavoring according to the formula, and refine for another 0.5 to 1 hour to obtain the refined chocolate sauce;

[0024] Step 5) Tempering: Put the chocolate sauce obtained in step 4) into a tempering machine to temper it, and obtain the caramel chocolate sauce.

[0025] In one or more embodiments, the caramel chocolate sauce formulation, based on 100 parts by weight of the base components, further includes 2 to 20 parts of a compound antioxidant; the compound antioxidant comprises ascorbic acid and sodium ascorbate; the weight ratio of ascorbic acid to sodium ascorbate is 1:1 to 1:10; in the manufacturing method, 45% wt to 55% wt of the compound antioxidant is added in the pre-grinding stage of step 3); in step 4), the remaining compound antioxidant and the remaining cinnamon powder are added to the refining mill.

[0026] In another aspect, the present invention provides a caramel chocolate product, wherein the caramel chocolate sauce is obtained by the manufacturing method described above, and the caramel chocolate product is obtained by pouring into a mold and demolding.

[0027] This invention provides a caramel chocolate sauce recipe and preparation method. To improve the instability of the oil system caused by adding caramel to the chocolate system, the inventors discovered during their research that cinnamon powder can be used as a special auxiliary ingredient to improve the stability of the caramel chocolate sauce system. Adding a specific amount of cinnamon powder helps to promote the formation of an oil-encapsulated structure in the entire chocolate material system during the refining process, promotes the fusion of caramel and chocolate oil, forms a more stable oil system, and allows the caramel flavor to last longer. It also helps to delay the formation of low-temperature crystals in the chocolate sauce during tempering, obtaining a more stable internal crystal structure, thereby effectively improving blooming, especially the blooming phenomenon caused by the migration and aggregation of lipids to the chocolate surface during the storage of chocolate products. Detailed Implementation

[0028] definition:

[0029] The following provides some definitions that can be used to explain the “Implementation Scheme” section below.

[0030] All percentages are by weight of the total weight of the composition unless otherwise stated. Similarly, all proportions are by weight unless otherwise stated. As used herein, “about,” “approximately,” and “substantially” should be understood to refer to a number within a range of values, such as -10% to +10% of the mentioned number, preferably -5% to +5%, more preferably -1% to +1%, and most preferably -0.1% to +0.1%.

[0031] Furthermore, all numerical ranges herein should be understood to include all integers or fractions within that range (including endpoint values). Additionally, these numerical ranges should be understood to support claims that involve any number or subset of numbers within that range. For example, disclosures of 1 to 10 should be understood to support ranges of 1 to 8, 3 to 7, 1 to 9, 3.6 to 4.6, 3.5 to 9.9, etc.

[0032] As used herein and in the appended claims, the singular form of a word includes the plural form unless the context clearly specifies otherwise. Therefore, references to “an,” “a,” and “the” generally include the plural form of the corresponding term. For example, references to “component” or “method” include references to multiple such components or methods. The term “and / or” used in the context of “X and / or Y” should be interpreted as “X” or “Y” or “X and Y.” Similarly, “at least one of X or Y” should be interpreted as “X” or “Y” or “both X and Y.”

[0033] Similarly, the terms "including / comprises / contains" are used to interpret them inclusively rather than exclusively. Likewise, the terms "including / comprises / contains" and "or" should be considered inclusive unless the context explicitly prohibits this interpretation. However, the embodiments provided in this disclosure may not contain any elements not expressly disclosed herein. Therefore, a disclosure of one embodiment defined by the term "including / comprises / contains" is also a disclosure of multiple embodiments that are "substantially composed of the disclosed components" and "composed of the disclosed components."

[0034] In this invention, terms such as "preferred," "better," "more suitable," and "ideal" merely describe implementation methods or embodiments with better effects and should be understood not to limit the scope of protection of this invention. In this invention, terms such as "optionally," "optionally," and "optional" mean that something is optional, that is, selected from either "with" or "without" a parallel solution. If multiple "optional" statements appear in a technical solution, unless otherwise specified and without contradiction or mutual constraint, each "optional" statement is independent.

[0035] The term "example / implementation" used herein is for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered exclusive or comprehensive. Any implementation disclosed herein may be combined with any other implementation disclosed herein unless expressly indicated otherwise.

[0036] The explanations of the terms are as follows:

[0037] The term "cocoa butter," also known as cocoa extract, is a yellowish-brown, hard, natural vegetable oil extracted from cocoa liquor. It is a very unique type of oil. Besides its rich and pleasant aroma, cocoa butter is quite firm and brittle at lower temperatures. Cocoa butter is the ideal fat for chocolate.

[0038] The term "white granulated sugar" refers to a type of sugar. Its granules are crystalline, uniform, and white in color, with a pure sweetness, slightly lower in sweetness than brown sugar. It is commonly used in cooking. Appropriate consumption of white sugar can replenish qi, harmonize the stomach and lungs, nourish yin, and stop sweating. GB 13104-2014 defines white granulated sugar as sucrose crystals produced from sugarcane or sugar beets through processes such as juice extraction, purification, boiling and crystallization, and separation.

[0039] The term "caramel" refers to the substance produced when sugar is cooked to about 170 degrees Celsius and then caramelizes. It has a wide range of applications in food, serving as a natural coloring agent and food additive.

[0040] The term "lactose" refers to lactose, a carbohydrate unique to the milk of humans and other mammals. It is a disaccharide composed of glucose and galactose, with the molecular formula C6H2O. 12 H 22 O11 During the growth and development of infants and young children, lactose not only provides energy but also participates in the brain development process.

[0041] The term "whole milk powder" refers to milk powder made from pure milk, which retains most of the original nutrients of the milk, with a protein content of no less than 24%, a fat content of no less than 26%, and a lactose content of no less than 37%. It takes approximately 8-9 kilograms of milk to produce 1 kilogram of whole milk powder, and each serving should be mixed with 8 times its volume of warm water. Whole milk powder has a higher fat content than low-fat and skim milk powder.

[0042] The term "skimmed milk powder" refers to milk made by removing the fat from fresh milk and then drying it. Aside from the fat content being reduced to around 1%, other changes are minimal. Skimmed milk powder is milky white or pale yellow, has a mild milky aroma and a sweet taste, and should not have any rancid, burnt, or off-odors. It is in powder form.

[0043] The term "antioxidant" refers to substances that prevent the harmful effects of oxygen. It's a class of substances that help capture and neutralize free radicals, thereby eliminating their damaging effects on the body. Antioxidants are food additives that prevent or delay food oxidation, improving food stability and extending shelf life. The proper use of antioxidants can not only extend the shelf life of food, bringing good economic benefits to producers and consumers, but also ensure better food safety for consumers.

[0044] The term "emulsifier" refers to a substance that can improve the surface tension between the various constituent phases in an emulsion, thereby forming a uniform and stable dispersion system or emulsion.

[0045] The term "sweetener" refers to substances that impart a sweet taste to food.

[0046] The term "cinnamon powder" refers to a powder made from the bark of cinnamon branches, a valuable ingredient used both as food and medicine. Medicinally, according to the *Compendium of Materia Medica*, cinnamon has warming and kidney-tonifying properties, dispels cold, and relieves pain. It is used to treat lower back and knee pain due to cold, stomach pain due to deficiency and cold, chronic indigestion, abdominal pain with vomiting and diarrhea, and amenorrhea due to cold. In terms of food, it is rich in nutrients and a powerful seasoning. It is used as a spice and condiment in coffee, bread, cakes, and other baked goods, as well as in the curing of meats.

[0047] The caramel chocolate sauce recipe and preparation method provided by this invention are further improvements made based on the prior art.

[0048] As mentioned in the background section above, adding caramel to a chocolate system presents certain technical challenges in its integration, which can easily lead to instability in the structural system.

[0049] While cinnamon powder is a common spice and seasoning, its inventors unexpectedly discovered during their research on caramel chocolate sauce recipes that it can be used as a special additive to improve the stability of the caramel chocolate sauce system. Specifically, adding a certain amount of cinnamon powder can work in conjunction with emulsifiers to promote the formation of an oil-encapsulated structure in the entire chocolate material system during refining, promoting the fusion of caramel and chocolate fats, forming a more stable fat system, and allowing the caramel flavor to last longer. Furthermore, it helps to delay the formation of low-temperature crystals during tempering (i.e., delaying the formation of unstable type I-IV crystals), resulting in a more stable internal crystal structure. This can effectively improve blooming, especially the blooming phenomenon caused by the migration and aggregation of lipids on the chocolate surface during storage.

[0050] Furthermore, through numerous experiments, the inventors discovered that controlling the amount and timing of cinnamon powder addition is crucial. Adding all the cinnamon powder directly during the refining stage can cause a sudden increase in the viscosity of the material to be refined. This can range from affecting production efficiency to potentially causing overheating alarms or even equipment seizing due to excessive viscosity. The inventors experimented by first grinding and mixing 45-55% wt of cinnamon powder with 70-90% wt of melted cocoa butter, lactose, milk powder, and other components in the grinding step, and then adding the remaining portion and other components during the refining stage. This approach mitigated the problem of sudden viscosity increases. Moreover, because cinnamon powder contains a certain amount of cinnamon oil and fiber, it helps to reduce the fineness of the chocolate material system more quickly during the grinding stage; and during the refining stage, it promotes the formation of an oil-encapsulated structure within the entire chocolate system, allowing for a longer-lasting and more stable flavor profile. This also helps to better integrate the flavor of cinnamon powder with the flavors of other ingredients, enriching and harmonizing the chocolate sauce's flavor and better masking any burnt taste.

[0051] In addition, cinnamon powder itself has good antibacterial and antioxidant properties; on the one hand, it effectively inhibits the growth of microorganisms, and on the other hand, it can work with optional antioxidant components to enhance the antioxidant properties of caramel chocolate sauce, giving chocolate products a longer shelf life and storage performance.

[0052] The following embodiments further illustrate the present invention, but the scope of the invention is not limited thereto. The embodiments described in this specification are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the scope of protection of the invention. The scope of protection of the invention is defined only by the claims, and any omissions, substitutions, or modifications made by those skilled in the art based on the disclosed embodiments will fall within the scope of protection of the invention.

[0053] The following examples use instruments and equipment conventional in the art. Experimental methods in the following examples, unless otherwise specified, are generally performed under conventional conditions or as recommended by the manufacturer. Various raw materials used in the following examples are all commercially available products unless otherwise stated. In this specification and the following examples, unless otherwise specified, "%" refers to weight percentage and "parts" refers to parts by weight.

[0054] Source of raw materials

[0055] Cocoa butter: Purchased from Oran International Ltd., product model 700-SB;

[0056] White granulated sugar: Grade A white granulated sugar purchased from Guangzhou Huatang Food Co., Ltd.;

[0057] Lactose: 100 mesh lactose purchased from Nippon Pure Foods, Inc., USA;

[0058] Whole milk powder: purchased from Fonterra Group;

[0059] Skim milk powder: purchased from Fonterra Group;

[0060] Cinnamon powder: 100 mesh cinnamon powder purchased from Dezhou Juxing Food Co., Ltd.;

[0061] Phospholipids: Purchased from ADM, USA;

[0062] Polyglycerol ricinoleate: Qingdao Huazhiyuan Food Additives Co., Ltd.;

[0063] Sucrose fatty acid esters: purchased from Shanghai Xinrong Food Ingredients Co., Ltd.;

[0064] Maltitol: Purchased from Henan Letai Food Co., Ltd.;

[0065] Xylitol: Purchased from Henan Basil Food Additives Co., Ltd.;

[0066] Ascorbic acid: purchased from Henan Jiqian Biotechnology Co., Ltd.;

[0067] Sodium ascorbate: purchased from Hebei Pengyu Biotechnology Co., Ltd.;

[0068] Fragrance: Hangzhou Bairui Fragrance & Flavor Co., Ltd.

[0069] Table 1 Formulations of Examples 1-6

[0070]

[0071] The method for making the caramel chocolate sauce in Examples 1-3 includes the following steps:

[0072] Step 1), Melting the oil: Melt the cocoa butter according to the recipe in Table 1 above, and set aside;

[0073] Step 2), caramelize: Weigh out the white sugar according to the recipe, cook it all into caramel, and cool it to 50-60℃;

[0074] Specifically, pour all the granulated sugar into the sugar melting pot, gradually heat it to 190-220℃, completely melt the granulated sugar and cook it (note: do not stir the sugar liquid during the cooking process) until it turns into a saturated amber caramel, stop heating, and then slowly cool it to 50-60℃ for later use.

[0075] Step 3), Grinding: After adding 80% wt of the melted cocoa butter obtained in Step 1) and the caramel obtained in Step 2) into a chocolate grinder, weigh out 50% wt of the cinnamon powder according to the formula, weigh out the lactose, whole milk powder, skim milk powder, and compound sweetener; weigh out 50% wt of the compound antioxidant and add it into the chocolate grinder to grind at 40℃~60℃ until the fineness of the material reaches below 20 microns, then stop grinding to obtain the sauce;

[0076] Step 4), Refining: Put the sauce obtained in Step 3) into a refining machine, add the remaining melted cocoa butter, the remaining cinnamon powder, the remaining compound antioxidant, and add an appropriate amount of deionized water to adjust the water activity of the sauce to the range of 0.4 to 0.8. Refine at 50℃ to 60℃ for 1-2 hours, then refine at 40℃ to 50℃ for 5-10 hours. After that, add the compound emulsifier and optional flavoring according to the formula, and refine for another 0.5 to 1 hour to obtain the refined chocolate sauce.

[0077] Step 5) Tempering: Put the chocolate sauce obtained in step 4) into a tempering machine to temper it, and obtain the caramel chocolate sauce.

[0078] The obtained caramel chocolate sauce can be used to obtain caramel chocolate products through conventional pouring and demolding processes. For example, pour the obtained caramel chocolate sauce into a pre-prepared PC mold, refrigerate it at 4°C for 20-40 minutes, and then demold the chocolate product from the PC mold.

[0079] The method for making the caramel chocolate sauce in Example 4 differs from that in Examples 1-3 only in that: in step 3), 70% wt of the melted cocoa butter obtained in step 1) and the caramel obtained in step 2) are added to a chocolate grinder, and then 45% wt of the cinnamon powder is weighed according to the formula, followed by the weighing of other components. The remaining operations are the same as those in Examples 1-3, and will not be described in detail here.

[0080] The method for making the caramel chocolate sauce in Example 5 differs from that in Examples 1-3 only in that: in step 3), 90% wt of the melted cocoa butter obtained in step 1) and the caramel obtained in step 2) are added to a chocolate grinder, and then 50% wt of the cinnamon powder is weighed according to the formula, followed by the weighing of the other components. The remaining operations are the same as those in Examples 1-3, and will not be described in detail here.

[0081] The method for making the caramel chocolate sauce in Example 6 differs from that in Examples 1-3 only in that, in step 3), all the compound antioxidants are added to the chocolate grinder. The remaining operations are the same as in Examples 1-3, and will not be repeated here.

[0082] Comparative Examples 1a-1d

[0083] The only difference between Comparative Example 1a and Example 1 is that Comparative Example 1a does not contain cinnamon powder; the difference in the preparation method is that cinnamon powder is not added in steps 3) and 4).

[0084] The only difference between Comparative Example 1b and Example 1 is that the emulsifier used is phospholipid (5.45 parts), and no polyglycerol ricinoleate or sucrose fatty acid ester is added.

[0085] The formulation of Comparative Example 1c is the same as that of Example 1, but the only difference in the preparation method is that no cinnamon powder is added in the grinding step of step 3), and all the cinnamon powder is added in the refining step of step 4).

[0086] The formulation of Comparative Example 1d is the same as that of Example 1, but the only difference in the preparation method is that all the cinnamon powder is added in the grinding step of step 3), and no cinnamon powder is added in the refining step of step 4).

[0087] Results data

[0088] 1. The effect of promoting the reduction of fineness: This was evaluated by measuring the time required for the material to be ground to a fineness of 20 μm.

[0089] 2. Chocolate stability: The stability of chocolate was evaluated by measuring the time it took for the material to develop frost under constant temperature and humidity conditions in a cyclic system (stage 1: temperature 32℃, humidity 80%, duration 8h; stage 2: temperature 25℃, humidity 80%, duration 8h, with stage 1 and stage 2 conditions repeated cyclically).

[0090] 3. Sensory evaluation: Examine the off-flavors and flavor harmony of the cinnamon caramel chocolates in each embodiment.

[0091] Taste Evaluation: To ensure accuracy, tasters must not be colorblind, color-weak, or taste-blind; they must be energetic and enthusiastic; they must not eat spicy or irritating foods before tasting, and must brush their teeth and rinse their mouths to maintain oral hygiene; they must conduct the tasting independently and cannot exchange opinions with each other. Based on these requirements, 10 qualified tasters will be selected to conduct the taste evaluation.

[0092] (1) Odor status: If there is no odor, the technical effect is judged as "excellent"; if there is a slight odor, the technical effect is judged as "good"; if the odor is extremely obvious, the technical effect is judged as "poor". Ten parallel tests were set up for each embodiment and comparative example.

[0093] (2) Flavor Harmony: If the flavor is mellow, with clear distinctions between the top, middle, and base notes that can all be maintained for a period of time, and a distinct cinnamon caramel flavor can be tasted, the technical assessment is "Excellent"; if the flavor has slight breaks, with one segment of the top, middle, and base notes not clearly distinguished or one segment clearly absent, and a cinnamon caramel flavor can be tasted but not very distinct and slightly unharmonious, the technical assessment is "Good"; if the flavor breaks are severe, with two segments of the top, middle, and base notes not clearly distinguished or only one segment of the flavor or all of the above present, the technical assessment is "Poor". Ten parallel tests were set up for each example and comparative example.

[0094] The results are shown in Table 2 below:

[0095]

[0096] As can be seen from the data in Table 2 above, the test results of "off-flavor" and "flavor harmony" of the caramel chocolate sauce in Examples 1-6 of this application are excellent; when placed in an environment with high humidity, high temperature and large fluctuations, the time for the re-frost phenomenon to occur is relatively long (5-8 days).

[0097] Comparative Examples 1a-1d, with the results of Example 1:

[0098] 1) Comparative Example 1a did not contain cinnamon powder. The comparison clearly shows that the "off-flavor" and "flavor harmony" of Comparative Example 1a are significantly worse than those of Example 1, and the time for blooming is only half that of Example 1. The comparison shows that adding a specific amount of cinnamon powder is crucial for promoting the formation of oil-encapsulated material structure in the entire chocolate material system during the refining process, forming a stable oil system and improving blooming. In addition, cinnamon powder can also significantly improve off-flavor and flavor harmony.

[0099] 2) In Comparative Example 1b, the emulsifier used was entirely phospholipid (5.45 parts), without the addition of polyglycerol ricinoleate and sucrose fatty acid ester. The comparison clearly shows that Comparative Example 1a's "off-flavor" and "flavor harmony" were significantly worse than Example 1, and the time for blooming was significantly shorter than in Example 1. This indicates that the addition of cinnamon powder requires a specific combination of emulsifiers to promote the formation of a stable oil system and improve blooming.

[0100] 3) In Comparative Example 1c, all the cinnamon powder was added in the refining step of step 4); in actual production practice, this caused the viscosity of the material to be refined to rise instantly (equipment temperature too high alarm); therefore, the production of chocolate sauce in Comparative Example 1c was abandoned.

[0101] 4) Comparative Example 1d: All the cinnamon powder was added during the grinding step. The comparison clearly shows that too much cinnamon powder does not promote grinding; instead, it leads to a longer grinding time.

[0102] It should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This way of describing the specification is only for clarity. Those skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole. The technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

[0103] The detailed descriptions listed above are merely specific descriptions of feasible embodiments of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. All equivalent embodiments or modifications made without departing from the spirit of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for making caramel chocolate sauce, characterized in that: The caramel chocolate sauce recipe includes basic ingredients and added ingredients. Wherein, based on a weight of 100 parts of the basic component, the basic component comprises the following components in parts by weight: The added components include cinnamon powder and a compound emulsifier; based on 100 parts by weight of the base components, the amount of cinnamon powder added is 0.1 to 0.5 parts, and the amount of compound emulsifier is 1 to 12 parts. The compound emulsifier contains 80-95% wt of phospholipids and 5-20% wt of other components; the other components are selected from polyglycerol ricinoleate or sucrose fatty acid esters or combinations thereof; The manufacturing method includes the following steps: Step 1), Melting the cocoa butter: Melt the cocoa butter according to the recipe and set aside; Step 2), caramelize: Weigh out the white sugar according to the recipe, cook it all into caramel, and cool it to 50-60℃; Step 3), Grinding: After putting 70-90% wt of the melted cocoa butter obtained in Step 1) and the caramel obtained in Step 2) into a chocolate grinder, weigh out 45% wt to 55% wt of the cinnamon powder according to the formula, weigh out the lactose, whole milk powder and skim milk powder and put them into the chocolate grinder to grind at 40℃ to 60℃ until the fineness of the material reaches below 20 microns and then stop grinding to obtain the sauce; Step 4), Refining: Put the sauce obtained in step 3) into a refining machine, add the remaining melted cocoa butter, add the remaining cinnamon powder, add an appropriate amount of deionized water to adjust the water activity of the sauce to the range of 0.4 to 0.8, refine at 50℃ to 60℃ for 1-2 hours, then refine at 40℃ to 50℃ for 5-10 hours, then add the compound emulsifier according to the formula, and refine for another 0.5 to 1 hour to obtain the refined chocolate sauce; Step 5) Tempering: Put the chocolate sauce obtained in step 4) into a tempering machine to temper it, and obtain the caramel chocolate sauce.

2. The manufacturing method as described in claim 1, characterized in that: In step 2), all the white sugar is poured into the sugar melting pot, and the temperature is gradually raised to 190-220°C. The white sugar is completely melted and cooked until it is transformed into a saturated amber-colored caramel. The heating is stopped, and then the sugar is slowly cooled to 50-60°C for later use.

3. The manufacturing method as described in claim 1, characterized in that: In the caramel chocolate sauce formula, based on 100 parts by weight of the basic components, the added components also include 2 to 20 parts of a compound antioxidant; the compound antioxidant includes ascorbic acid and sodium ascorbate; the weight ratio of ascorbic acid to sodium ascorbate is 1:1 to 1:

10. In the preparation method, 45% wt to 55% wt of the compound antioxidant is added before the grinding in step 3); In step 4), the remaining compound antioxidant and the remaining cinnamon powder are added to the refining machine.

4. The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The amount of cinnamon powder added is 0.15 to 0.3 parts.

5. The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The weight ratio of the polyglycerol ricinoleate to the sucrose fatty acid ester is 1:1 to 2:

1.

6. The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: Based on 100 parts by weight of the basic components, the added components also include 2 to 20 parts of a compound sweetener; the compound sweetener includes maltitol and xylitol, and the weight ratio of maltitol to xylitol is 1:1 to 1:

10.

7. The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: Based on 100 parts by weight of the base components, the added components also contain 0.01 to 0.05 parts of fragrance.

8. A caramel chocolate product, characterized in that: The caramel chocolate sauce is obtained by the production method described in any one of claims 1 to 7, and the caramel chocolate product is obtained by pouring into a mold and demolding.

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