Coated confectionery product

Abstract

Confectionery product comprising a shell (2), optionally containing a filling (4) that is fluid or flowable at ambient temperature, and a coating (6) that is solid at ambient temperature, deposited so as to at least partially cover said shell and capable of melting at a temperature of 28 DEG C or higher, characterized in that it comprises an outer coating (8) fixed to the solid coating (6), the outer coating comprises a mixture of chocolate particles and particles consisting of glycosyl and protein-based confectionery substances, which are solid, swollen and water-soluble, having organoleptic characteristics corresponding to or equivalent to traditional protein pastries.

Description

[0001] The present invention generally relates to confectionery products having an outer coating.

[0002] In particular, the present invention relates to a confectionery product of the type comprising a shell, which may include an adjuvant or a filling, preferably a filling that is fluid or flowable at ambient temperature, and a coating layer (coating) that at least partially, but preferably completely covers the shell and is formed of an edible material, such as chocolate, which is solid at ambient temperature and can melt at a temperature of about 28°C or higher.

[0003] The present invention has been developed particularly for bite-sized products (ie products also known by the terms "bite" or "biteful chocolate"), which generally refers to products that can be eaten in one bite; however, the present invention is not intended to be limited to this size.

[0004] In view of the small size and ease of consumption, these products are mostly packaged in bulk, ie, in sealed and preferably resealable bags containing multiple products, rather than in separate packaging material for each product.

[0005] In this product area, industrial producers are conducting research into new products having improved organoleptic properties in terms of taste and palatability and at the same time the appearance of artistic confectionery.

[0006] From a palatability point of view, a particularly desirable characteristic is meltability of the product, which results primarily from the properties of the filling, particularly when accompanied by a crunchy characteristic (which is typically imparted by the properties of the shell and / or by inclusions within the shell), provided that the contrast between these characteristics is particularly palatable and attractive to the consumer.

[0007] Since the first impression of the palatability of a product is determined by its surface characteristics, it is particularly desirable to obtain meltability qualities even for the outermost layer or layers of the product. In this context, chocolate particles would be a particularly desirable component; however, in known products, their use is generally limited by the effect of the inclusions due to the difficulty in obtaining fast-melting particles and the fact that their presence on the surface causes adhesion or aggregation between products, for example when the products are packaged in bulk form in bags, according to traditional packaging or in any case when they collide with each other, and any thermal changes during transportation and handling of the product or the packaging containing the product.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a confectionery product of the above type having improved organoleptic and handling characteristics for the consumer or during packaging and / or transport.Another object of the present invention is to provide a coated confectionery product that can be packaged in bulk without significant risk of spoilage.

[0009] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a product having improved shelf life characteristics. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The aforementioned objects and other objects, as will become apparent from the following description, are achieved by a confectionery product having the characteristics defined in the following claims, wherein the confectionery product is characterized in that it comprises an outer covering layer (shell) comprising a mixture of chocolate particles and particles of a solid confectionery substance, wherein the solid confectionery substance has an expanded cellular (or bubble) or porous structure and is solid and readily soluble in water, and comprises sugar and an edible protein, such as albumin and / or whey protein, hereinafter defined by the term "meringue" or equivalent to a traditional meringue.

[0012] Another subject of the invention is the use of a mixture comprising chocolate particles and meringue particles as defined below as a shell for confectionery products such as pralines and the like.

[0013] Another subject matter of the invention is a packaging in the form of a bag, which comprises a plurality of confectionery products according to the invention, which are arranged loose in the bag, preferably without separate packaging material.

[0014] Other characteristics and advantages of the container according to the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description made with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are provided by way of non-limiting examples. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] In the attached picture:

[0017] Figure 1 is a perspective view, partially cut away, of a praline constituting an embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 an axial cross-section of a praline; and

[0019] Figure 3 a and 3b are 60% chocolate particles and 40% meringue particles ( Figure 3 a) and 90% chocolate particles and 10% meringue particles ( Figure 3 Micrograph (35X magnification) of a mixture of chocolate particles and meringue particles applied as an outer coating to a praline in the proportion of b). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Figure 1 and 2 A confectionery product in the form of a praline according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown.

[0022] As already mentioned, the present invention relates in particular to small products, having a maximum dimension or diameter of, for example, 18-27 mm, each product weighing about 2-5 g, but these values ​​should not be understood as limiting. The shape of the product may also vary widely, but a substantially spherical or ovoid shape is generally preferred.

[0023] The structure of the product comprises a shell 2, an optional filling 4 within the shell, a coating or coating 6 applied to the shell, and an outer coating 8 comprising a mixture of chocolate particles and meringue particles (as defined below).

[0024] The shell 2 is a substantially closed body for confining therein a filling or a supplement formed of an edible material, preferably having a crunchy consistency, i.e. having a certain chewing resistance. Preferably, the shell is formed of two half shells connected along their respective annular mouth edges 10 ( Figure 2 ); in this context, reference to two half shells includes the case where one of the two half shells is concave and has a receiving function, while the other is flat or substantially flat in shape and has the function of a closing element for the mouth of the other half shell.

[0025] Preferably, the shell is formed of two half shells obtained by forming and baking in a mould a dough or batter for baked products, in particular a pancake batter or a baked dough, comprising flour or a mixture of flour and water, optionally with the addition of ingredients such as milk, an emulsifier, e.g. lecithin, a leavening agent and edible fats.

[0026] For example, a typical batter recipe is described in EP1647190 and comprises the following ingredients:

[0027] Water: 40-60wt%,

[0028] Flour: 30-45wt%,

[0029] Sugar: 0.5-2 wt%, and optionally

[0030] Cocoa solids: 0.5-2wt%,

[0031] Edible fat: 1.5-2.5wt%,

[0032] Milk, preferably low-fat milk: 0.5-1.5 wt%, and

[0033] Additional ingredients selected from sodium bicarbonate, salt, ammonium carbonate and soy lecithin.

[0034] The wafer shells or those generally obtained from the dough for baked products preferably have an annular mouth surface or peripheral edge (in the case of flat half-shells) with a so-called "finished" surface, i.e. a surface with a high surface finish substantially free of macropores, i.e. a smooth surface similar to surface leather, resulting from baking the batter or dough in contact with the surface of the forming half-mould. A wafer shell having these characteristics can be produced, for example, using the method described in US 2004 / 137123 or EP 2 506 718 B1.

[0035] Preferably, when the shell 2 is formed from two half-shells obtained from a pancake batter or dough for baked products, these half-shells are connected to each other and joined (after the introduction of the filling 4) by wetting the joining surfaces, for example according to the methods described in EP1647190 and EP2804483; however, it is also possible to use an edible joining material to join these half-shells.

[0036] In one embodiment, the shell 2 may also consist of two chocolate half-shells, connected and joined along the edge of the annular opening, i.e., or of a chocolate half-shell and a wafer half-shell; also in this case, the term "half-shell" includes the case in which one of the two half-shells is substantially flat or flat having a cover function.

[0037] In the present specification, the term "chocolate" or "milk chocolate" is preferably understood as a product satisfying the definitions adopted in Directive 2003 / 36 / EC, but should not be understood as being limited to these definitions.

[0038] Preferably, the shell 2 comprises a filling 4 or an adjunct, which may be a food or a toy. The filling 4 is preferably an edible substance that is fluid or flowable at ambient temperature, capable of being dosed in the shell (or more precisely in one of the two half shells) at a temperature of 25-32° C. when used and confined in the shell 2. Typically, the filling comprises vegetable oil, sugar, milk (or milk protein) and optionally cocoa and / or hazelnut paste and / or more generally nut paste and / or roasted cereal powder. Preferably, the filling is an anhydrous or substantially anhydrous substance (water content less than 2 wt %).

[0039] Typically, the filling is produced and refined within a certain particle size range, with up to 10 wt% of the material having a particle size greater than 30 microns and 0 wt% of the material having a particle size greater than 75 microns. However, solid inclusions may be introduced into the refined filling material, such as biscuit particles, nuts, meringues, chocolate etc. and / or toasted cereals to provide a crunchy character to the material which is itself meltable.

[0040] The coating 6 is a coating that is solid at ambient temperature (25° C.) and is deposited so as to at least partially or preferably completely cover the shell; the coating 6 is formed by an edible composition capable of melting at a temperature greater than or equal to about 28° C. Usually, a chocolate coating is used in the above sense; however, in particular in the present context, the term “chocolate” is understood to include compositions that do not comply with the definition of the above European Directive and may, for example, consist of a composite coating.

[0041] The coating 6 is applied to the shell by coating wrap and is typically tempered and dosed at a temperature of about 27-31°C ± 1°C.

[0042] According to the invention, the outermost layer of the product comprises a mixture of chocolate particles and particles formed of a solid confectionery mass having a foamed cellular or porous structure and soluble in water, comprising sugar and protein, hereinafter referred to as "meringue".

[0043] The aforementioned solid and foamed confectionery mass may be a traditional meringue, i.e. a highly aerated mass obtained by consolidating (usually by heat treatment) a liquid / foaming mass (which constitutes the precursor of the final product) comprising a mixture of fresh or dehydrated egg whites, sugar and possibly starch and water, usually with added flavourings. Such liquid precursors are currently known in the food industry as "meringue-foaming mixtures".

[0044] The meringue-foaming mixture may also contain emulsifiers (e.g. monoglycerides) and flavor enhancers, such as cocoa, milk and hazelnut paste. In a preferred embodiment, a meringue containing about 25-30 wt% hazelnut paste is used, which imparts a bronze coloring to the particles, similar to that of milk chocolate, which is a preferred choice for chocolate particles, as shown below.

[0045] In a preferred embodiment, the aforementioned foamed confectionery mass is obtained from a mixture comprising milk proteins, especially whey proteins, starch, preferably wheat starch, a chemical leavening agent, especially ammonium bicarbonate and sugar, especially superfine or powdered sugar, and has organoleptic characteristics, especially in terms of crispness, crunchiness or consistency, texture and taste, corresponding to or equivalent to traditional meringues. Also in this embodiment, the mixture may preferably comprise cocoa and / or hazelnut paste and possibly water, wherein the water is used in the preparation step and then substantially removed during baking.

[0046] For example, a preferred formulation comprises the following ingredients (expressed in weight percent).

[0047]

[0048]

[0049] In the context of the present invention, the term "meringue" is used to refer to both traditional meringue and to the above-mentioned composition, which differs from traditional meringue by the absence of egg whites and the use of chemical leavening agents.

[0050] Traditional meringue particles can be obtained by a conventional technique in which the foam is cast or extruded onto a support generally consisting of a motorized belt, forming thread-like beads on the support; the threads thus obtained are fed into an oven to be baked, preferably at a temperature not exceeding 60° C., so as to consolidate the meringue.

[0051] In the case of a meringue equivalent obtained using chemical leavening agents, it will be appreciated that the formation of the foamed structure is obtained during the baking process.

[0052] The consolidated meringue mass thus obtained is finally sent to a chopping station, for example comprising rotating bodies, for example counter-rotating circular blades; the consolidated meringue mass is thus chopped to obtain particles which, according to a characteristic of the invention, are sieved to a size (understood as sieve size) preferably comprised between 0.3 and 2.5 mm, preferably between 0.4 and 1.6 mm.

[0053] The particles thus obtained consist of particles having a strongly irregular appearance, characterized by a high surface porosity formed by open pores caused by the baking process.

[0054] However, a baking process in a alveolar mould, as described in WO 2006 / 131811 by the same applicant, can also be used to produce the particles, which process provides meringue particles having a dense (ie closed-cell) outer surface.

[0055] The chocolate particles used as part of the present invention preferably have a particle size (sieve size) of 0.3-2.5 mm, more preferably 0.4-1.6 mm. Preferably, they are obtained from milk chocolate, preferably containing flavoring agents, such as hazelnut flavoring agents. During production, the chocolate is tempered to have an optimal consistency and molded into blocks (e.g., with dimensions of about 20×20×20 mm), then preferably stored under refrigerated conditions at 2-10° C., preferably 4±2° C., for a minimum of 24 hours to allow complete crystallization and consolidation. The small cubes are then introduced into a centrifugal grater to obtain particles that are finally sieved to the preferred size mentioned above.

[0056] In particular, the method for producing chocolate particles comprises the following operations:

[0057] - preparation of liquid chocolate,

[0058] - tempering (preferably at a temperature of 28.5°C),

[0059] - molded, preferably in small cubes,

[0060] - storing the chocolate thus obtained at a temperature of 2-10°C for at least 24 hours,

[0061] - Granulation,

[0062] - screening is performed at a caliber preferably between 300 and 2500 microns, and

[0063] -Store, preferably at 8-12°C.

[0064] Chocolate particles that do not meet the required size are recovered and fed into the initial liquid chocolate upstream of the process.

[0065] The mixture of meringue and chocolate particles preferably comprises 50-95 wt% chocolate particles and 5-50 wt% meringue particles, more preferably 5-20 wt% meringue particles and 80-95 wt% chocolate particles.

[0066] In a preferred embodiment, the praline having a size (diameter) of 18-27 mm and a weight of 2.0-5.0 g has the following composition by weight:

[0067] Filler: 42-45wt%±2.0wt%,

[0068] Shell (pancake): 6-8wt%±2.0wt%,

[0069] Coating (chocolate): 30-35wt%±2.0wt%,

[0070] Mixture of chocolate particles (50-90%) and meringue particles (50-10%): 15-18 wt% ± 2.0 wt%.

[0071] Due to the fact that the product is placed on a bed consisting of said mixture of chocolate particles and meringue particles, the mixture of chocolate particles and meringue particles is applied as outer coating 8 onto the coating 6 .

[0072] The particle mixture adhered to the coating 6 has Figure 3 , where the solid fixation of the chocolate particles is visible, with most of the meringue particles present in the gaps between the chocolate particles.

[0073] According to the object of the invention, as previously described, the use of a mixture of chocolate particles and meringue particles allows the product to be packaged in bulk in preferably metallized, sealed and optionally resealable bags, avoiding aggregation of the products after they have been knocked together and / or thermally altered.

[0074] It also avoids the outer parts of the granules from escaping, forming an undesirable amount of waste granules at the bottom of the bag.

[0075] Furthermore, once the bag is opened, the mixture of chocolate and meringue particles allows the consumer to safely handle the product without melting on contact; this feature allows for a structural seal within the outer shell of the package between products up to about 28°C or during a stress cycle of 18-28°C (which is typically used to validate the range of the EU summer cycle).

[0076] On a visual level, the mixture of externally applied chocolate and meringue particles gives the product a rough appearance that simulates an artisanal production of pastries, as the products are different from each other; in particular, the product is aesthetically striking due to the differences that can be found between the more beveled chocolate particles compared to the more crystallized meringue particles.

[0077] On the organoleptic and especially palatability level, the presence of readily soluble meringue particles in contact with saliva simultaneously leads to an increased meltability of the coating, ie the chocolate particles.

[0078] The product of the invention is crunchy at the first bite but melts quickly thanks to the mixture of chocolate and meringue particles covering it, and at the second bite, the filling with a high degree of creaminess (when used) allows a real burst of flavor and sensory roundness, even throughout the aftertaste.

[0079] A further advantage associated with the use of a mixture of chocolate and meringue particles is that the appearance remains a constant colour over time and in particular for the entire shelf life of the product.

Claims

1. A confectionery product comprising a shell (2), optionally containing a filling (4) which is fluid or flowable at ambient temperature, and a coating (6) which is solid at ambient temperature, wherein the coating is deposited to at least partially cover the shell and is capable of melting at a temperature of 28°C or higher; It is characterized in that It comprises an outer coating (8) fixed to said solid coating (6), said outer coating comprising chocolate particles and a mixture of particles consisting of sugar-based and protein-based confectionery substances having a cellular or porous structure and being solid, foamed and water-soluble and preferably having organoleptic characteristics corresponding to or identical to those of traditional meringues.

2. The candy product according to claim 1, characterized in that The sugar-based and protein-based confectionery masses are obtained from a mixture comprising milk protein, sugar, starch, a chemical leavening agent and optionally water.

3. The candy product according to claim 1, characterized in that The sugar-based and protein-based confectionery masses are formed from a mixture comprising egg white, sugar and optionally starch and water.

4. The confectionery product according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that The sugar-based and protein-based confectionery masses are obtained from a mixture which additionally comprises cocoa powder and / or hazelnut paste and optionally flavouring agents.

5. The confectionery product according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The sugar- and protein-based confectionery mass comprises 25-35 wt% hazelnut paste.

6. The confectionery product of claim 2, wherein the sugar-based and protein-based confectionery substances comprise, by weight percentage: 25-35% hazelnut paste, 45-60% crystal sugar, 0-2% softened water, 5-10% wheat starch, 2-7% milk protein, 0-5% cocoa, 0-2% ammonium bicarbonate, The total weight percentage of each component is 100%.

7. The confectionery product according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that The outer coating (8) comprises: 50-95 wt% chocolate particles, and 50-5wt% of particles of said expanded material.

8. The confectionery product according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that The size of the particles of the sugar-based and protein-based confectionery materials is 0.3-2.5 mm, preferably 0.4-1.6 mm.

9. The confectionery product according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that The size of the chocolate particles is 0.3-2.5 mm, preferably 0.4-1.6 mm.

10. A confectionery product according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The shell (2) is formed by two half shells of a wafer or is obtained by baking dough, wherein the two half shells are connected and joined to each other along the respective annular mouth edges.

11. The confectionery product according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that It comprises a filling consisting of an essentially anhydrous edible substance comprising vegetable oil, sugar, milk or milk protein and optionally cocoa and / or hazelnut paste and / or more generally nut paste and / or roasted cereal powder.

12. The confectionery product according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that The coating (6) is a chocolate coating.

13. A confectionery product according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The chocolate particles comprise milk chocolate and are obtained by a process comprising tempering an initial liquid chocolate, moulding and ripening the tempered chocolate for at least 24 hours, and granulating.

14. Use of a mixture of chocolate particles and particles of sugar-based and protein-based confectionery materials as defined in any one of claims 1 to 6 as an outer coating adhered to a coated surface of a confectionery product.

15. The use according to claim 14, characterized in that The mixture comprises 50-95 wt% chocolate particles and 50-5 wt% particles of sugar-based and protein-based confectionery substances.

16. The use according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that: The size of the chocolate particles is 0.3-2.5 mm, preferably 0.4-1.6 mm, and The size of the particles of the sugar-based and protein-based confectionery materials is 0.3-2.5 mm, preferably 0.4-1.6 mm.

17. A package in the form of a bag or the like, comprising a plurality of confectionery products according to any one of claims 1 to 13 in a bulk arrangement, preferably without separate packaging material.

Images