Freeze-dried chocolate and preparation method thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to a formula and a preparation method of freeze-dried chocolate. In order to improve the defects that the existing freeze-dried chocolate product is powdery and not fine and smooth in mouth feel, on one hand, a basic component formula with relatively high grease content is adopted, and on the other hand, a specific compound emulsifier and a compound stabilizer are added and are kept in a certain proportion; it can be ensured that the freeze-dried chocolate still has excellent high-temperature resistance; moreover, according to the preparation method disclosed by the invention, only one-time freezing is needed in the pre-freezing stage, so that the production efficiency can be remarkably improved, the yield of the product can be remarkably improved, and the nutritional value of the chocolate product is ensured not to be damaged. In addition, even if the processing aid is selected from fruit and vegetable juice or carbonated beverage or other high-water-content aids, the freeze-dried chocolate product with high temperature resistance can still be obtained, and the yield can also be ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of food, and in particular relates to a formula of freeze-dried chocolate and a preparation method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Chocolate is loved by consumers around the world for its unique taste, rich nutrition and profound cultural connotation. In recent years, the chocolate market has continued to develop and innovate, and a variety of products have been developed to meet diverse needs.

[0003] Conventional chocolate products are heat-sensitive and easy to melt, and have extremely high requirements for storage conditions. According to the provisions of GB / T19343-2016 "Chocolate and Chocolate Products, Cocoa Butter Substitute Chocolate and Cocoa Butter Substitute Chocolate Products", chocolate products should be stored in environmental conditions that are suitable for them. If necessary, the warehouse should be equipped with temperature and humidity control devices. The general temperature should not exceed 25°C, and the relative humidity should not exceed 65%. In addition, chocolate is prone to frost and other phenomena such as surface whitishness due to the influence of external environmental factors. Therefore, the storage process should avoid drastic temperature fluctuations and physical impacts. Therefore, the storage performance of chocolate itself is extremely unstable, which can easily bring great restrictions to the storage, transportation, and sale of chocolate.

[0004] Therefore, how to make chocolate resistant to high temperatures, sell it in a high temperature environment, reduce storage and transportation costs, break the traditional production model of chocolate with peak and off-seasons, and open up a new sales channel for chocolate has become an area that chocolate developers have been competing to research.

[0005] In recent years, freeze-drying technology has been applied to the production of chocolate products, and a process has been developed that can significantly improve the high temperature resistance of chocolate.

[0006] For example, 1) Patent document CN115997834A discloses a freeze-dried chocolate and a preparation method thereof. The freeze-dried chocolate of the invention uses chocolate powder with a total oil content of ≤25% and a particle size of ≤35 μm as raw material, and the chocolate powder and a solvent are mixed and sheared and emulsified to obtain a chocolate solution; the chocolate solution is then molded, freeze-formed, freeze-dried and demolded in sequence to obtain freeze-dried chocolate; the freeze-dried chocolate product can withstand a high temperature of 65°C; but the freeze-dried chocolate product has a low oil content (total oil content ≤25%), and the product has a strong powdery texture in taste, which cannot provide consumers with a sensory experience similar to that of conventional chocolate, which is silky and melts in the mouth. 2) Patent document CN116508870B discloses a method for producing freeze-dried chocolate, wherein the raw materials include fat and water-soluble components (the mass of the fat accounts for 32% to 70% of the total mass of the raw materials, and the water-soluble components account for 10% to 70%), wherein the raw materials are mixed with water and then subjected to a two-step high-pressure homogenization emulsification treatment to obtain a chocolate emulsion, and then the chocolate emulsion is subjected to a freeze-drying treatment to obtain a freeze-dried chocolate product; the chocolate product obtained by this method has a high fat content and can withstand a high temperature of 70°C; however, the freeze-drying process of this method is very complicated and cumbersome, and the emulsion needs to be subjected to a "first pre-freezing treatment" (-40°C to -20°C), then a "tempering and temperature adjustment treatment" (-10°C to 10°C), then a "second pre-freezing treatment" (-40°C to -25°C), and finally "sublimation drying" and "re-drying"; obviously, the pre-freezing process is very complicated and requires three processing operations, which significantly reduces production efficiency and increases production costs, and is not suitable for industrial production. After rapid freezing, the product is warmed up and then rapidly frozen again. In addition to the original flavor of freeze-dried chocolate products, most freeze-dried chocolate products will add other natural ingredients to the base to increase the nutritional properties of the product. The above-mentioned repeated freezing and warming treatment operations will destroy the natural active ingredients and affect the nutritional value of the final freeze-dried chocolate product. Summary of the invention

[0007] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a freeze-dried chocolate, wherein:

[0008] The formula of the freeze-dried chocolate comprises a basic component and an added component.

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

[0010]

[0011] Wherein, the added components include a compound stabilizer and a compound emulsifier; based on 100 parts by weight of the basic component, the added amount of the compound stabilizer is 1 to 10 parts by weight, and the added amount of the compound emulsifier is 1 to 10 parts by weight; the weight ratio of the compound stabilizer to the compound emulsifier is 3:2 to 2:1;

[0012] The compound stabilizer comprises 1-10%wt of pectin and 90-99%wt of maltitol;

[0013] The compound emulsifier contains 70-90%wt sodium caseinate, 1-10%wt phospholipid, 5-15%wt polyglycerol ricinoleate and 1-10%wt mono- and di-glycerol fatty acid esters.

[0014] In one or more embodiments, the additional component further comprises whey powder and anhydrous butter; based on 100 parts by weight of the base component, the added amount of the whey powder is 1 to 10 parts by weight; the weight ratio of the whey powder to the anhydrous butter is 0.8:1 to 1.5:1;

[0015] Preferably, the weight ratio of the whey powder to the anhydrous butter is 1:1;

[0016] Preferably, the additional component further comprises 0.01 to 0.05 parts of flavor, based on 100 parts by weight of the basic component.

[0017] In one or more embodiments, the additional component further comprises 1 to 5 parts by weight of trehalose and 1 to 15 parts by weight of maltodextrin, based on 100 parts by weight of the base component.

[0018] In one or more embodiments, the additional component further comprises 1.5-3 parts by weight of trehalose and 9-12 parts by weight of maltodextrin, based on 100 parts by weight of the base component.

[0019] Another aspect of the present invention provides a method for producing freeze-dried chocolate, wherein the method adopts the freeze-dried chocolate recipe as described above, and comprises the following steps:

[0020] Step 1), oiling: heating and melting the cocoa butter and the cocoa liquor according to the recipe, and setting aside;

[0021] Step 2), grinding: after putting 70-90%wt of the melted cocoa butter obtained in step 1) and all the cocoa liquor into a chocolate fine grinder, weigh the other components of the base component according to the recipe, put them into the chocolate fine grinder at 40°C to 60°C for grinding until the fineness of the material reaches less than 20 microns, then stop grinding to obtain the sauce;

[0022] Step 3), refining: putting the sauce obtained in step 2) into a refining machine, adding the remaining melted cocoa butter, adding the compound stabilizer and the compound emulsifier according to the formula, and the optional flavor during the refining process; obtaining the refined chocolate sauce;

[0023] Step 4), emulsification: after mixing the chocolate paste obtained in step 3) with a processing aid, high-pressure homogenization is performed at a pressure of 20 to 70 MPa to obtain a chocolate emulsion;

[0024] The processing aid is water or an aqueous solution; the ratio of the water content of the processing aid to the mass of the chocolate sauce is 0.5:1 to 4:1;

[0025] Step 5), pre-freezing: pre-freezing the chocolate emulsion obtained in step 4) so ​​that the central temperature of the chocolate emulsion is controlled at -45°C to -35°C, and the pre-freezing time is 6h to 8h;

[0026] Step 6), freeze drying: freeze drying the pre-frozen product of step 5) to obtain the freeze-dried chocolate; the freeze drying process includes a sublimation stage and a drying stage; the parameters of the sublimation stage are: temperature 45-65°C, vacuum degree 10-45Pa, sublimation time 8-15h; the parameters of the drying stage are: temperature 25-35°C, vacuum degree 100-145Pa, sublimation time 8-13h.

[0027] In one or more embodiments, in the refining step of step 3), the sauce obtained in step 2) and the remaining melted cocoa butter are refined at 50°C to 60°C for 1-2 hours, and then refined at 40°C to 50°C for 5 to 10 hours, and then the compound stabilizer and the compound emulsifier, as well as the optional flavor, are added according to the formula, and then refined for 0.5 to 1 hour to obtain the refined chocolate sauce.

[0028] In one or more embodiments, the added components further comprise 1 to 5 parts by weight of trehalose and 1 to 15 parts by weight of maltodextrin, based on 100 parts by weight of the base component; the trehalose and maltodextrin are dissolved in water to form a mixed solution having a solute concentration of 10 to 15% wt; preferably, the added components further comprise 1.5 to 3 parts by weight of trehalose and 9 to 12 parts by weight of maltodextrin; in step 4), the mixed solution of trehalose and maltodextrin is mixed with the chocolate sauce obtained in step 3) and the processing aid and then subjected to high-pressure homogenization.

[0029] In one or more embodiments, the trehalose and maltodextrin are mixed with water, sterilized by steaming, and then cooled to 40-50° C. to obtain the mixed solution.

[0030] In one or more embodiments, the processing aid is an edible aqueous solution with a water content of 85 to 99.9% wt.; preferably, the processing aid is fruit juice, vegetable juice, carbonated beverage, milk, and the like.

[0031] In another aspect, the present invention provides a freeze-dried chocolate product, wherein the freeze-dried chocolate product is obtained by the above-mentioned production method; wherein the chocolate emulsion obtained in step 4) is poured into a mold, and then pre-frozen in step 5) and freeze-dried in step 6) are performed; and finally, demolding is performed to obtain the freeze-dried chocolate product.

[0032] The present invention provides a formula and a production method of freeze-dried chocolate; in order to improve the defects of the existing freeze-dried chocolate products such as powdery texture and rough taste, the present invention adopts a basic component formula with a relatively high fat content on the one hand, and adds a specific compound emulsifier and a compound stabilizer on the other hand, and the two are kept in a certain ratio, which can ensure that the freeze-dried chocolate of the present invention can still have excellent high temperature resistance; and the production method of the present invention only needs to be frozen once in the pre-freezing stage (no need for the freezing-warming-freezing treatment process), which can not only significantly improve the production efficiency, but also significantly improve the product yield, and ensure that the nutritional value of the chocolate product is not destroyed. In addition, even if the processing aid is a high-water-content aid such as fruit and vegetable juice or carbonated beverage, a freeze-dried chocolate product with high temperature resistance can still be obtained, and the yield can also be guaranteed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] definition:

[0034] The following are some definitions that may be used to explain the "Implementation" section below.

[0035] All percentages are by weight based on the total weight of the composition, unless otherwise indicated. Similarly, all ratios are by weight, unless otherwise indicated. As used herein, "about," "approximately," and "substantially" are understood to refer to a number within a certain numerical range, such as within the range of -10% to +10% of the referenced number, preferably -5% to +5% of the referenced number, more preferably -1% to +1% of the referenced number, and most preferably -0.1% to +0.1% of the referenced number.

[0036] In addition, all numerical ranges herein are understood to include all integers or fractions (including endpoints) within the range. In addition, these numerical ranges are understood to provide support for claims involving any number or subset of numbers within the range. For example, the disclosure of 1 to 10 is understood to support the range of 1 to 8, 3 to 7, 1 to 9, 3.6 to 4.6, 3.5 to 9.9, etc.

[0037] As used herein and in the appended claims, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, the singular form of a word includes the plural form. Thus, references to "a", "an", and "the" generally include the plural form of the corresponding term. For example, reference to "component" or "method" includes reference to a plurality of such components or methods. The term "and / or" employed 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".

[0038] Similarly, the words "include / comprise / contain" are all intended to be interpreted inclusively rather than exclusively. Likewise, the terms "include / comprise / contain" and "or" should all be considered inclusive unless the context clearly prohibits such an interpretation. However, the embodiments provided by the present disclosure may not contain any elements that are not explicitly disclosed herein. Therefore, the disclosure of an embodiment defined by the terms "include / comprise / contain" is also the disclosure of multiple embodiments of "consisting essentially of the disclosed components" and "consisting of the disclosed components."

[0039] In the present invention, "preferably", "better", "more preferably", and "suitably" are only used to describe implementation methods or examples with better effects, and it should be understood that they do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of the present invention. In the present invention, "optionally", "optional", and "optional" refer to being optional, that is, any one of the two parallel schemes of "yes" or "no". If multiple "options" appear in a technical solution, unless otherwise specified and there is no contradiction or mutual restriction, each "optional" is independent of each other.

[0040] The term "example / embodiment" used herein is for illustration only and should not be considered exclusive or comprehensive. Any embodiment disclosed herein can be combined with any other embodiment disclosed herein, unless otherwise explicitly indicated.

[0041] The following are explanations of the terms:

[0042] The term "cocoa butter", also known as cocoa butter, is a creamy yellow hard natural vegetable fat extracted from cocoa mass. It is a very unique fat. In addition to its strong and beautiful unique aroma, cocoa butter is also quite solid and brittle at lower temperatures. Cocoa butter is an ideal special fat for chocolate.

[0043] The term "cocoa liquor" refers to a paste made from cocoa beans that is cleaned, screened, roasted, shelled, alkalized (or not), and finally finely ground into a paste called cocoa liquor. Cocoa liquor has the characteristics of a fluid when warm, and solidifies into blocks after cooling, so it is called liquid. The cocoa butter content in cocoa liquor is generally between 50 and 55%.

[0044] The term "white sugar" means that white sugar is a type of edible sugar. Its particles are crystalline, uniform, white in color, pure in sweetness, and slightly less sweet than brown sugar. It is often used in cooking. Appropriate consumption of white sugar has the effects of nourishing the middle and replenishing qi, harmonizing the stomach and moistening the lungs, nourishing yin and stopping sweating. GB 13104-2014 defines white sugar as sucrose crystals made from sugar cane or beets through processes such as extracting sugar juice, purifying, boiling and crystallizing, and separating honey.

[0045] The term "lactose" refers to a carbohydrate found in human and mammalian milk. It is a disaccharide composed of glucose and galactose with a molecular formula of C 12 H 22 O 11 During the growth and development of infants and young children, lactose not only provides energy, but also participates in the development of the brain.

[0046] The term "whole milk powder" means that whole milk powder is made from pure milk and basically retains the original nutrients in milk, with protein not less than 24%, fat not less than 26%, and lactose not less than 37%. It takes about 8 to 9 kilograms of milk to produce 1 kilogram of whole milk powder. When consumed, each portion of milk powder needs 8 times the amount of warm boiled water. The fat content of whole milk powder is higher than that of low-fat and skim milk.

[0047] The term "stabilizer" refers to a substance that stabilizes the food structure or keeps the food tissue structure unchanged and enhances the viscous solids.

[0048] The term "emulsifier" refers to a substance that can improve the surface tension between the various constituent phases in an emulsion to form a uniform and stable dispersion system or emulsion.

[0049] The term "anhydrous butterfat", also known as anhydrous milk fat or AMF, is a very high fat dairy product, usually made from cream or heavy cream, with a fat content of not less than 99.8%wt.

[0050] The term "whey powder" refers to a powdered product made from whey through pasteurization, desalination, evaporation concentration and spray drying.

[0051] The term "trehalose", also known as trehalose and fusin, is a non-reducing disaccharide composed of two glucose molecules. The structural formula is α-D-pyranose glucoside ~ α-D-pyranose glucoside, often existing as a dihydrate, with a molecular formula of C 12 H 22 O 11·2H2O. Trehalose is a typical stress metabolite that can form a unique protective film on the cell surface under harsh environmental conditions such as high temperature, high cold, high osmotic pressure and dehydration, effectively protecting the biological molecular structure from being destroyed, thereby maintaining the life process and biological characteristics of living organisms. There are 3 optical isomers, namely α, α-trehalose (Mushroom Sugar), α, β-trehalose (Neotrehalose) and β, β-trehalose (Isotrehalose). Trehalose is a proliferation factor for beneficial intestinal bacteria in the body-bifidobacteria, which can improve the intestinal microecological environment, strengthen the digestion and absorption function of the gastrointestinal tract, effectively eliminate toxins in the body, and enhance the body's immune and disease resistance. Studies have also shown that trehalose has a strong anti-radiation effect.

[0052] The term "maltodextrin" refers to a starch derivative that does not contain free starch and is made from starch or starchy material through low-grade enzymatic hydrolysis, refining, and spray drying.

[0053] The formula and production method of the freeze-dried chocolate provided by the present invention are further improvements made on the basis of the prior art.

[0054] Referring to the above-mentioned background technology section, the freeze-dried chocolate product obtained in patent document CN115997834A has a low fat content (total fat content ≤ 25%), and the product has a strong powdery texture in taste, which cannot provide consumers with a sensory experience similar to the silky texture and melt-in-the-mouth of conventional chocolate; the freeze-dried chocolate production method of patent document CN116508870B requires a freezing-warming-refreezing process during the pre-freezing process to ensure that the freeze-dried chocolate product can withstand a high temperature of 65-70°C. Such a repeated freezing process significantly reduces production efficiency, is not suitable for industrial production, and will destroy the natural active ingredients of chocolate.

[0055] The inventors have made improvements based on the above-mentioned prior art. First, a basic component formula with a high fat content was adopted, and an emulsifier formula was tried to be formulated to obtain a chocolate emulsion (step 3); in order to improve the production method and obtain the expected freeze-dried chocolate product that can withstand high temperatures through a one-step freezing process, the inventors tried to add other components that can stabilize the chocolate emulsification system to the formula; through screening and verification, it was found that when the compound stabilizer of the present invention is used and the compound stabilizer and the compound emulsifier are kept in a certain ratio, it can be ensured that the freeze-dried chocolate of the present invention can still have excellent high temperature resistance; and the production method of the present invention only needs to be frozen once in the pre-freezing stage (no freezing-warming-refreezing treatment process is required), which can not only significantly improve the production efficiency, but also significantly improve the product yield, ensuring that the nutritional value of the chocolate product is not destroyed. In addition, even if the processing aid is a high-water-content aid such as fruit and vegetable juice or carbonated beverage, a freeze-dried chocolate product with high temperature resistance can still be obtained, and the yield can also be guaranteed.

[0056] The following examples are further elaborations of the present invention, but the contents of the present invention are not limited by the following contents. The embodiments in the present specification are only used to illustrate the present invention, and they do not limit the scope of protection of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is limited only by the claims, and any omissions, substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art on the basis of the embodiments disclosed in the present invention will fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0057] The following examples use conventional instruments and equipment in the art. The experimental methods in the following examples where specific conditions are not specified are usually carried out under conventional conditions or under conditions recommended by the manufacturer. The various raw materials used in the following examples are conventional commercial products unless otherwise specified. In the specification of the present invention and the following examples, unless otherwise specified, "%" means weight percentage and "part" means weight part.

[0058] The sources of raw materials are as follows:

[0059] Cocoa butter: purchased from Olam International Ltd., product model 700-SB;

[0060] Cocoa liquor: purchased from Zhejiang Qili Xingguang Cocoa Products Co., Ltd.;

[0061] White sugar: first-grade white sugar purchased from Guangzhou Huatang Food Co., Ltd.

[0062] Lactose: 100 mesh lactose purchased from American Milk Pulile Food Company;

[0063] Whole milk powder: purchased from Fonterra Group;

[0064] Anhydrous butter: purchased from Fonterra Group, New Zealand;

[0065] Whey powder: purchased from Fonterra Group, New Zealand;

[0066] Trehalose: purchased from Suqian Meineng Biotechnology Co., Ltd.

[0067] Maltodextrin: purchased from Henan Fengwei Biotechnology Co., Ltd.;

[0068] Sodium caseinate: purchased from Henan Linbang Biotechnology Co., Ltd.;

[0069] Phospholipids: purchased from ADM, USA;

[0070] Polyglycerol ricinoleate: Qingdao Huazhiyuan Food Additive Co., Ltd.;

[0071] Mono- and di-glycerol fatty acid esters: purchased from Guangdong Xinrunhao Chemical Co., Ltd.;

[0072] Pectin: purchased from Zhejiang Jianlong Biotechnology Co., Ltd.;

[0073] Maltitol: purchased from Henan Letai Food Co., Ltd.;

[0074] Flavor: Hangzhou Bairui Flavors and Fragrances Co., Ltd.

[0075] Table 1 Example 1-6 formulation

[0076]

[0077]

[0078] The method for preparing the freeze-dried chocolate of Example 1-2 comprises the following steps:

[0079] Step 1), oiling: heat and melt the cocoa butter and cocoa liquor according to the formula in Table 1, and set aside;

[0080] Step 2), grinding: after putting part of the melted cocoa butter obtained in step 1) (70%wt cocoa butter is added in Example 1, and 90%wt cocoa butter is added in Example 2) and all the cocoa liquor into a chocolate fine grinder, the other components of the base component are weighed according to the recipe and put into the chocolate fine grinder for grinding at 40°C to 60°C until the fineness of the material reaches less than 20 microns, then stop grinding to obtain the sauce;

[0081] Step 3), refining: refining the sauce obtained in step 2) and the remaining melted cocoa butter at 50°C to 60°C for 1-2 hours, and then refining at 40°C to 50°C for 5-10 hours, then adding the compound stabilizer and the compound emulsifier, and the optional flavor according to the formula, and then refining for 0.5-1 hour to obtain the refined chocolate sauce;

[0082] Step 4), emulsification: after mixing the chocolate paste obtained in step 3) with a processing aid, high-pressure homogenization is performed at a pressure of 30 MPa to obtain a chocolate emulsion;

[0083] The processing aid in Example 1 is water, and the ratio of the mass of water to the mass of the chocolate sauce obtained in step 3) is 0.5:1; the processing aid in Example 2 is strawberry juice (obtained by wall breaking and filtering to remove filter residue, with a water content of about 90%wt), and the ratio of the mass of water in the strawberry juice to the mass of the chocolate sauce obtained in step 3) is 4:1;

[0084] The chocolate emulsion obtained in step 4) can be poured into a mold, and then pre-frozen in step 5) and freeze-dried in step 6) (finally demoulding to obtain a freeze-dried chocolate product).

[0085] Step 5), pre-freezing: pre-freezing the chocolate emulsion obtained in step 4) so ​​that the center temperature of the chocolate emulsion is controlled at -45°C to -35°C, and the pre-freezing time is 6h to 8h;

[0086] Step 6), freeze drying: freeze drying the pre-frozen product of step 5) to obtain the freeze-dried chocolate; the freeze drying process includes a sublimation stage and a drying stage; the parameters of the sublimation stage are: temperature 45-65°C, vacuum degree 10-45Pa, sublimation time 8-15h; the parameters of the drying stage are: temperature 25-35°C, vacuum degree 100-145Pa, sublimation time 8-13h.

[0087] The method for making freeze-dried chocolate in Example 3-4 is different from the method for making freeze-dried chocolate in Example 1-2 above only in that:

[0088] In step 3), 80%wt of the melted cocoa butter obtained in step 1) and all the cocoa liquor are put into a chocolate fine grinder for grinding;

[0089] In the step 4), trehalose and maltodextrin are weighed according to the formula to prepare a 13%wt mixed solution, which is sterilized by steaming and cooled to 40-50°C, and then mixed with the chocolate sauce and processing aid obtained in step 3) and subjected to high-pressure homogenization. The processing aid in Example 3 is water, and the ratio of the mass of water to the mass of the chocolate sauce obtained in step 3) is 1.3:1; the processing aid in Example 4 is water, and the ratio of the mass of water to the mass of the chocolate sauce obtained in step 3) is 2:1.

[0090] The method for preparing freeze-dried chocolate in Example 5 is different from the method for preparing freeze-dried chocolate in Example 3 only in that the processing aid in Example 5 is cucumber juice (obtained by wall breaking and filtering to remove filter residue, with a water content of about 90% wt), and the ratio of the water content therein to the mass of the chocolate sauce obtained in step 3) is 3.5:1.

[0091] The method for preparing freeze-dried chocolate in Example 6 is different from the method for preparing freeze-dried chocolate in Example 3 only in that the processing aid in Example 6 is Coca-Cola carbonated beverage purchased from Coca-Cola Company (with a water content of about 89%), and the ratio of the water content therein to the mass of the chocolate sauce obtained in step 3) is 2.5:1.

[0092] Comparative Examples 3a to 3d

[0093] The formula of Comparative Example 3a differs from that of Example 3 only in that no compound stabilizer is added and the emulsifier is a conventional emulsifier lecithin.

[0094] The only difference between the formula of Comparative Example 3b and Example 3 is that the amount of compound stabilizer added is different; the mass ratio of compound stabilizer to compound emulsifier is 1:1 (the total weight parts of both are 3.1 parts).

[0095] Performance data:

[0096] (1) High temperature resistance data: The freeze-dried chocolate products were placed in a constant temperature environment of 50℃, 55℃, 60℃, 65℃, 70℃, 75℃ and 80℃ for 24 hours. If the size and shape of the freeze-dried chocolate do not change, and the color does not change, it proves that it can withstand the high temperature.

[0097] The maximum temperatures that Examples 1-6 and Comparative Examples 3a-3c can withstand are shown in Table 2 below.

[0098] Table 2

[0099]

[0100] It can be seen from the data in Table 2 that the maximum tolerable temperature of the freeze-dried chocolate products obtained in Examples 1-6 of the present application is above 60° C., and can reach 75° C. at the highest, showing excellent high temperature resistance.

[0101] From the comparison between Comparative Example 3a and Example 3, it can be seen that by using conventional emulsifier lecithin to replace the compound emulsifier of the present application, the maximum temperature tolerated is reduced from 75°C to 60°C.

[0102] From the comparison between Comparative Example 3b and Example 3, it can be seen that by changing the amount of compound stabilizer added (changing the mass ratio of compound stabilizer to compound emulsifier), the maximum temperature tolerated drops from 75°C to 65°C.

[0103] (2) Sensory evaluation data:

[0104] The completeness of the appearance, uniformity of texture, airiness, powderiness, flavor intensity and preference of the freeze-dried chocolate of each example were examined.

[0105] Taste evaluation: To ensure the accuracy of the evaluation, the tasters must not be color blind, color weak, or taste blind; they must be energetic and in a good mood; they must not eat spicy or irritating food before the evaluation, and they must brush their teeth and rinse their mouths before the evaluation to keep their mouths clean; they must evaluate independently and cannot exchange opinions with each other. According to the above requirements, 10 qualified tasters were selected for the taste evaluation.

[0106] Appearance integrity (1-10 points, the higher the score, the more complete and flawless); Texture uniformity (1-10 points, the higher the score, the more uniform the texture structure and the more uniform the pores);

[0107] Airy texture (1-10 points, the higher the score, the stronger the airy texture, which means the better the quality of the freeze-dried chocolate);

[0108] Powdery texture (1-10 points, the higher the score, the weaker the powdery texture, which means the better the quality of the freeze-dried chocolate);

[0109] Flavor intensity (1-10 points, with higher scores indicating more even and harmonious milky and cocoa flavors, and lower scores indicating that one flavor is weak and the other is strong and inconsistent, or both flavors are not obvious or both are obvious but inconsistent);

[0110] Preference (1-10 points, the higher the score, the more consumers like it).

[0111] (3) Finished product qualification rate: the ratio of the number of qualified products demolded from a plate mold. The qualified finished products are mainly reflected in the appearance being neat and complete, without cracks, broken corners, burrs, and uniform color.

[0112] The sensory evaluation and finished product qualification rate data are shown in Table 3 below:

[0113] Table 3

[0114]

[0115]

[0116] It can be seen from the data in Table 3 that the test results of "sensory evaluation data" and "finished product qualification rate" of the freeze-dried chocolate products obtained in Examples 1-6 of the present application are excellent.

[0117] Comparative Examples 3a-3b, compared with the results of Example 3:

[0118] 1) The formula of Comparative Example 3a does not add a compound stabilizer, and the emulsifier uses a conventional emulsifier lecithin; the comparison data of Comparative Example 3a and Example 3 clearly show that the scores of various sensory evaluation indicators and the qualified rate of finished products of the freeze-dried chocolate product obtained in Comparative Example 3a are greatly reduced.

[0119] 2) The amount of compound stabilizer added in the formula of Comparative Example 3b is different; from the comparison data of Comparative Example 3b and Example 3, it can be clearly seen that by changing the amount of compound stabilizer added (changing the mass ratio of compound stabilizer to compound emulsifier), the scores of various sensory evaluation indicators and the qualified rate of finished products of freeze-dried chocolate products are significantly reduced.

[0120] The above comparison shows that adding specific compound stabilizers and compound emulsifiers can change the texture of chocolate sauce. After freeze-drying, the entire internal structure of freeze-dried chocolate can be effectively supported, thereby ensuring that the freeze-dried chocolate has excellent high temperature resistance and the yield rate can be guaranteed. It can be clearly seen from the data in Table 3 that the production method of the embodiment of the present application only requires one pre-freezing, and does not require the process of warming up and re-pre-freezing, which can ensure the production qualification rate of freeze-dried chocolate products, as well as the uniformity of the texture and the richness of the flavor of the products.

[0121] The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments. The protection scope of the present invention is defined by the attached claims. Those skilled in the art can make various changes, modifications, substitutions, combinations, and simplifications to these embodiments without departing from the principle and essence of the present invention, which should all be equivalent replacement methods and fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A freeze-dried chocolate, characterized in that: The formula of the freeze-dried chocolate comprises a basic component and an added component. Wherein, based on 100 parts by weight of the base component, the base component comprises the following components in parts by weight: Wherein, the added components include a compound stabilizer and a compound emulsifier; based on 100 parts by weight of the basic component, the added amount of the compound emulsifier is 1-5 parts by weight; the weight ratio of the compound stabilizer to the compound emulsifier is 3:2 to 2:1; The compound stabilizer comprises 1-10%wt of pectin and 90-99%wt of maltitol; The compound emulsifier contains 70-90%wt sodium caseinate, 1-10%wt phospholipid, 5-15%wt polyglycerol ricinoleate and 1-10%wt mono- and di-glycerol fatty acid esters.

2. The freeze-dried chocolate according to claim 1, characterized in that: The added components further include whey powder and anhydrous butter; based on 100 parts by weight of the base component, the added amount of the whey powder is 1 to 10 parts by weight; the weight ratio of the whey powder to the anhydrous butter is 0.8:1 to 1.5:1; Preferably, the weight ratio of the whey powder to the anhydrous butter is 1:1; Preferably, the additional component further comprises 0.01 to 0.05 parts of flavor, based on 100 parts by weight of the basic component.

3. The freeze-dried chocolate according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The additional components further include 1 to 5 parts by weight of trehalose and 1 to 15 parts by weight of maltodextrin, based on 100 parts by weight of the basic component.

4. The freeze-dried chocolate according to claim 3, characterized in that: The additional components further include 1.5-3 parts by weight of trehalose and 9-12 parts by weight of maltodextrin, based on 100 parts by weight of the basic component.

5. A method for producing freeze-dried chocolate, characterized in that: The production method adopts the formula of freeze-dried chocolate as claimed in claim 1 or 2, and comprises the following steps: Step 1), oiling: heating and melting the cocoa butter and the cocoa liquor according to the recipe, and setting aside; Step 2), grinding: after putting 70-90%wt of the melted cocoa butter obtained in step 1) and all the cocoa liquor into a chocolate fine grinder, weigh the other components of the base component according to the recipe, put them into the chocolate fine grinder at 40°C to 60°C for grinding until the fineness of the material reaches less than 20 microns, then stop grinding to obtain the sauce; Step 3), refining: putting the sauce obtained in step 2) into a refining machine, adding the remaining melted cocoa butter, adding the compound stabilizer and the compound emulsifier according to the formula, and the optional flavor during the refining process; obtaining the refined chocolate sauce; Step 4), emulsification: after mixing the chocolate paste obtained in step 3) with a processing aid, high-pressure homogenization is performed at a pressure of 20 to 70 MPa to obtain a chocolate emulsion; The processing aid is water or an aqueous solution; the ratio of the water content of the processing aid to the mass of the chocolate sauce is 0.5:1 to 4:1; Step 5), pre-freezing: pre-freezing the chocolate emulsion obtained in step 4) so ​​that the central temperature of the chocolate emulsion is controlled at -45°C to -35°C, and the pre-freezing time is 6h to 8h; Step 6), freeze drying: freeze drying the pre-frozen product of step 5) to obtain the freeze-dried chocolate; the freeze drying process includes a sublimation stage and a drying stage; the parameters of the sublimation stage are: temperature 45-65°C, vacuum degree 10-45Pa, sublimation time 8-15h; the parameters of the drying stage are: temperature 25-35°C, vacuum degree 100-145Pa, sublimation time 8-13h.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that: In the refining step of step 3), the sauce obtained in step 2) and the remaining melted cocoa butter are refined at 50°C to 60°C for 1-2 hours, and then refined at 40°C to 50°C for 5 to 10 hours, and then the compound stabilizer and the compound emulsifier, as well as the optional flavor, are added according to the formula, and then refined for 0.5 to 1 hour to obtain the refined chocolate sauce.

7. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that: The added component further comprises 1 to 5 parts by weight of trehalose and 1 to 15 parts by weight of maltodextrin, based on 100 parts by weight of the base component; the trehalose and maltodextrin are dissolved in water to form a mixed solution with a solute concentration of 10 to 15% wt; Preferably, the added components further comprise 1.5-3 parts by weight of trehalose and 9-12 parts by weight of maltodextrin; In the step 4), the mixed solution of trehalose and maltodextrin is mixed with the chocolate paste obtained in the step 3) and the processing aid and then subjected to high pressure homogenization treatment.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that: The trehalose and maltodextrin are mixed with water, boiled and sterilized, and then cooled to 40-50° C. to obtain the mixed solution.

9. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that: The processing aid is an edible aqueous solution with a water content of 85-99.9%wt; preferably, the processing aid is fruit juice, vegetable juice, carbonated beverage, milk, etc.

10. A freeze-dried chocolate product, characterized in that: The freeze-dried chocolate product is obtained by the production method according to any one of claims 5 to 9; wherein, after the chocolate emulsion obtained in step 4) is poured into a mold, it is pre-frozen in step 5) and freeze-dried in step 6); and finally, demolding is performed to obtain the freeze-dried chocolate product.

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