Method for producing camellia chocolate and camellia chocolate produced by method

Abstract

The present invention is characterized in that in the process of refining a camellia mixture into a fine camellia mixture by a refiner, by adjusting the average particle size of the fine camellia mixture to 10 [mu] m to 25 [mu] m, a richer aroma, a more excellent chocolate taste and a more uniform mixing effect can be obtained. Therefore, the uniformity of the whole flavor is realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing camellia chocolate and the camellia chocolate manufactured according to the method. Background Art

[0002] Camellia japonica L. is an evergreen broad-leaved tree belonging to the genus Camelliae, Theaceae family. It is primarily used as an ornamental tree and horticultural resource. Its seeds contain high-quality fats and have therefore traditionally been used as a raw material for cooking and cosmetic oils. Its trunks are also used as a raw material for high-grade charcoal.

[0003] Camellias were once used to make flower petal desserts in temples, and their dried petals were used to treat symptoms such as vomiting blood or as a diuretic.

[0004] As mentioned above, camellia has been used for a variety of purposes since ancient times. In recent years, it has been developed into products such as functional teas, cosmetic ingredients, and oils. However, current research focuses on the leaves and seeds, with little research on the composition and physiological activities of other parts of the plant. While some cosmetics and food ingredients have been developed using camellia, their applications remain relatively narrow.

[0005] Camellias are highly resistant to sea breezes and alkalis, and primarily grow in coastal areas of South Korea, including Gochang, Haenam, Wando, Gangjin, Yeosu, Gwangyang, Geoje, Daecheong, the South Coast region, and Jeju Island. While many varieties of camellia exist worldwide, the camellias of Jeju Island, exposed to the wind for long periods of time, are known for their vibrant colors, fresh blooms, and rich fragrance.

[0006] Camellia sinensis is an evergreen broadleaf tree in the Theaceae family, typically reaching about 7 meters in height, though some can reach 20 meters. Its leaves are thick and glossy above, with a matte, pale green underside, and serrated, wavy margins. Its flowers are pedunculate and borne at the tips of branches or in the axils of leaves.

[0007] Most flowers have five petals, though occasionally seven. The fruit is a small, green, drop-shaped fruit about the size of a chestnut. Upon ripening, it turns brown and splits into three petals, containing a seed resembling a large pine nut. Flowering begins in November, peaking in mid-March and continuing through April. The camellia blossoms are deep crimson, and the broad, dark green leaves create a striking contrast when in full bloom. Late winter snowfall creates a quaint beauty, further accentuated by the contrast between the blossoms and the snow. Full bloom begins when the petals are half-open, retaining their vibrant color as they wither, with the five petals and stamens gently falling together without scattering. Wild camellias also grow in China and Japan, but those grown on Jeju Island, thanks to the warm climate and sea breezes, begin blooming in October. Their thick, glossy leaves, densely packed on the twigs, remain evergreen year-round, their lustrous, oily appearance reminiscent of flowing oil, and their vibrant colors and rich fragrance.

[0008] On the other hand, camellia has been mostly used for ornamental purposes due to its bright color and excellent fragrance. There are also patents for extracting its aroma components to make perfume (Korean Patent Publication No. 1020080025955) and for making tea (Korean Patent Publication No. 1020090050931).

[0009] Traditionally, in order to give candies or biscuits fruit or vegetable taste and aroma, fruit or vegetable extracts are often added, or artificial food additives are used to simulate their color, taste and aroma.

[0010] However, given the potential harm of artificial additives, recent attempts have seen the use of fruits or vegetables themselves as biscuit ingredients. Therefore, in addition to perfumes and teas, camellias also have the potential to be used in the food industry, including oils, beverages, and chocolate. However, these applications are still limited, necessitating research into developing products with differentiated taste and nutritional value, as well as manufacturing methods. Summary of the Invention

[0011] Technical issues

[0012] The present invention provides a method for producing camellia chocolate, comprising the following steps: drying a camellia extract to form a camellia extract; mixing cocoa butter, sugar, milk powder, and the camellia extract to form a camellia mixture; refining the camellia mixture into a fine camellia mixture using a refiner; kneading the fine camellia mixture using a conche at 60°C to 70°C for 6 to 12 hours; tempering the kneaded fine camellia mixture by stirring at 20°C to 40°C; and cooling the tempered fine camellia mixture to solidify. In the conching step, the refined fine camellia mixture has an average particle size of not less than 10 μm and not more than 25 μm.

[0013] In particular, during the process of refining the camellia mixture described above into a fine camellia mixture using a conch, by adjusting the average particle size to between 10 μm and 25 μm, a richer aroma, a better chocolate texture, and a more uniform mixing effect can be achieved, thereby achieving uniformity in the overall flavor.

[0014] However, the technical issues to be achieved by the present invention are not limited to the aforementioned issues, and those skilled in the art can clearly understand other issues not mentioned above from the following description.

[0015] Technical Solution

[0016] One embodiment of the present invention provides a method for producing camellia chocolate, comprising the following steps: drying a camellia extract to form a camellia extract; mixing cocoa butter, sugar, milk powder, and the camellia extract to form a camellia mixture; refining the camellia mixture into a finely divided camellia mixture using a conch; kneading the finely divided camellia mixture using a conch at 60°C to 70°C for 6 to 12 hours; tempering the kneaded finely divided camellia mixture by stirring at 20°C to 40°C; and cooling the tempered finely divided camellia mixture to solidify. During the conching step, the refined finely divided camellia mixture has an average particle size of not less than 10 μm and not more than 25 μm.

[0017] One embodiment of the present invention provides a method for producing camellia chocolate, wherein, in the step of mixing cocoa butter, sugar, milk powder, and the camellia extract to form a camellia mixture, the camellia mixture comprises 30 to 40 parts by weight of cocoa butter, 35 to 45 parts by weight of sugar, 15 to 25 parts by weight of milk powder, and 1 to 15 parts by weight of the camellia extract, based on 100 parts by weight of the camellia mixture.

[0018] One embodiment of the present invention provides a method for producing camellia chocolate, wherein in the step of refining the camellia mixture into a fine camellia mixture using a refiner, the refiner rpm is 100 rpm to 200 rpm, and the conching time is 60 seconds to 80 seconds.

[0019] One embodiment of the present invention provides a method for producing camellia chocolate, wherein, in the step of cooling and solidifying the tempered fine camellia mixture, the mixture is cooled at a temperature of 5° C. to 15° C. for 20 to 30 minutes.

[0020] One embodiment of the present invention provides a method for producing camellia chocolate, which includes, after the tempering step, a step of pouring the stirred and kneaded fine camellia mixture into a mold for forming.

[0021] One embodiment of the present invention provides a method for producing camellia chocolate, wherein the camellia mixture further comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of an emulsifier, a flavoring, and a coloring agent.

[0022] One embodiment of the present invention provides a method for producing camellia chocolate, wherein the step of drying a camellia extract to form a camellia extract comprises the steps of extracting camellia flowers, tea leaves, and stems using hot water extraction at 75±5°C for 1 to 3 hours to obtain a camellia extract, followed by freeze-drying or spray-drying the obtained camellia extract to form the camellia extract.

[0023] One embodiment of the present invention provides a method for producing camellia chocolate, wherein the weight ratio of the camellia flower: the camellia leaf: the camellia stem is 1:0.5-0.8:0.3-0.4.

[0024] One embodiment of the present application provides camellia chocolate produced according to the aforementioned method for producing camellia chocolate.

[0025] Technical Effects

[0026] The present invention is characterized by a method for producing camellia chocolate.

[0027] The present invention demonstrates that camellia chocolate produced using the method of the present invention exhibits superior functionality, namely, antioxidant properties and components such as polyphenols. Compared to mixtures obtained using conventional methods, the finely divided camellia mixture produced using the method of the present invention exhibits superior solubility, a richer aroma, a superior chocolate mouthfeel, and improved blending, resulting in superior overall flavor uniformity. Consequently, sensory evaluation results also show that, compared to chocolate prepared using the comparative example, the chocolate produced using the present invention has an overall softer and more delicate texture, a more refined flavor, and a more noble aroma, demonstrating significantly superior properties and a significant advantage in overall likability. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, the following examples will be described in detail. However, the following examples are merely illustrative of the present invention and do not limit the scope of the present invention. The examples of the present invention are intended to more fully illustrate the present invention to those skilled in the art. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed herein and may also be specifically implemented in other forms.

[0029] The term "extract" as used herein follows dictionary definitions and can refer to a liquid substance extracted from a specific substance or state. Specifically, the term "extracted substance" or "extract" as used herein includes extracts obtained through extraction processes, including diluted or concentrated extracts, liquid water obtained by liquefying the extract, modifiers or purified extracts, or mixtures thereof, as well as the extract itself and all formulations thereof.

[0030] The concentrate in this specification follows the dictionary definition, which may mean a liquid substance whose water or solvent content has been reduced by evaporation or other treatment processes, and can be used synonymously with "concentrated juice".

[0031] The extract in this specification follows the dictionary definition, which is obtained by concentrating specific ingredients in an extract. It can mean a substance obtained by separating specific active ingredients using an appropriate solvent, evaporating most or all of the solvent, and adjusting the remaining clumps or powder according to a standard. In this specification, the extract can be used to cover the following three forms: semi-fluid or syrup, pill or solid, dry powder, etc.

[0032] In the present invention, the extract is dried and then liquefied. Drying of the extract can be performed using known methods within the scope of the collected natural material without destroying the active ingredients, such as by natural drying in a cool place. Furthermore, the crushing or pulverization can be performed to a degree that allows the active ingredients in the plant to be fully extracted in the subsequent extraction process, resulting in a powdered form. The drying and crushing or pulverization steps can be reversed or repeated as needed.

[0033] Regarding the extraction method of the present invention, the present invention is not particularly limited to the extraction method, and extraction can be performed according to methods commonly used in the art. Non-limiting examples of such extraction methods include hot water extraction, ultrasonic extraction, filtration, and reflux extraction. These methods can be used alone or in combination.

[0034] In particular, the type of extraction solvent used to extract the substance is not particularly limited, and any solvent known in the art can be used.

[0035] According to one embodiment of the present specification, the extraction solvent can be one selected from the group consisting of water, C1-C4 alcohols, n-hexane, ether, glycerol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, ethyl acetate, methyl acetate, dichloromethane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, benzene and mixed solvents thereof.

[0036] The present application discloses a method for producing camellia chocolate, comprising the following steps: drying a camellia extract to form a camellia extract; mixing cocoa butter, sugar, milk powder, and the camellia extract to form a camellia mixture; refining the camellia mixture into a fine camellia mixture using a conch; kneading the fine camellia mixture using a conch at a temperature of 60°C to 70°C for 6 to 12 hours; tempering the kneaded fine camellia mixture by stirring at a temperature of 20°C to 40°C; and cooling the tempered fine camellia mixture to solidify. During the conching step, the refined fine camellia mixture has an average particle size of not less than 10 μm and not more than 25 μm.

[0037] Each step is further described below.

[0038] The present application includes the step of drying the extract to form a camellia extract.

[0039] In the present application, the step of drying the camellia extract to form a camellia extract may include the following steps: extracting camellia flowers, tea leaves and camellia stems by hot water extraction at 75±5°C for 1 to 3 hours to obtain a camellia extract, and then freeze-drying or spray-drying the obtained camellia extract to form the camellia extract.

[0040] In the present application, the step of drying the camellia extract to form a camellia extract may include the following steps: extracting camellia flowers, tea leaves and camellia stems by hot water extraction at 75±5°C for 2.5 hours to obtain a camellia extract, and then freeze-drying or spray-drying the obtained camellia extract to form a camellia extract.

[0041] In this case, before freeze-drying or spray-drying the camellia extract, camellia powder or camellia extract can be poured into oil by solidification to form camellia oil, and then the camellia powder or camellia oil can be freeze-dried or spray-dried to form camellia extract.

[0042] In the present application, a method for manufacturing camellia chocolate is provided, wherein the weight ratio of camellia flower: tea leaf: camellia stem is in accordance with 1:0.5~0.8:0.3~0.4.

[0043] In another embodiment, the weight ratio of camellia flower: tea leaf: camellia stem may be 1:0.5-0.7:0.3-0.35. Most preferably, the weight ratio of camellia flower: tea leaf: camellia stem may be 1:0.6:0.35.

[0044] As previously mentioned, the camellia plant comprises camellia flowers, tea leaves, and stems. Camellia flowers are commonly used as ingredients in foods and perfumes. However, using only camellia flowers as a chocolate ingredient can result in a cloying chocolate flavor, compounded by the inherent sweetness of the chocolate and the sweetness of the camellia flowers. The present applicants, instead of using other synthetic chemical raw materials, utilize the entire camellia plant, including both tea leaves and stems in the aforementioned weight proportions. This effectively reduces the overly sweet taste of chocolate while maintaining a superior camellia aroma, a key feature of the present invention.

[0045] In the present application, after the step of forming the camellia extract, the following step may be included, namely, mixing cocoa butter, sugar, milk powder and the camellia extract to form a camellia mixture.

[0046] The step of mixing the sugar, milk powder, and camellia extract to form a camellia mixture may include steps of general measurement and mixing.

[0047] Here, a method for producing camellia chocolate is provided. In the step of mixing the cocoa butter, sugar, milk powder, and camellia extract to form a camellia mixture, the camellia mixture comprises 30 to 40 parts by weight of cocoa butter, 35 to 45 parts by weight of sugar, 15 to 25 parts by weight of milk powder, and 1 to 15 parts by weight of the camellia extract, based on 100 parts by weight of the camellia mixture.

[0048] In another embodiment, based on 100 parts by weight of the camellia mixture, the cocoa butter may be included in an amount of 30 to 40 parts by weight, preferably 33 to 37 parts by weight, and more preferably 35 parts by weight.

[0049] In another embodiment, based on 100 parts by weight of the camellia mixture, 35 to 45 parts by weight of granulated sugar may be included, preferably 37 to 43 parts by weight, and more preferably 40 parts by weight.

[0050] In another embodiment, based on 100 parts by weight of the camellia mixture, 15 to 25 parts by weight of milk powder may be included, preferably 17 to 23 parts by weight, and more preferably 20 parts by weight.

[0051] In another embodiment, based on 100 parts by weight of the camellia mixture, the camellia extract may be included in an amount of 1 to 15 parts by weight, preferably 2 to 10 parts by weight, more preferably 3 to 8 parts by weight, and specifically 4.7 parts by weight.

[0052] As previously mentioned, the present invention utilizes 100 parts by weight of the camellia mixture as a benchmark, conforming to the aforementioned components and weights. This is a key feature of the present invention. The aforementioned metering and mixing processes result in a richer aroma, a superior chocolate taste, and a more uniform blend, resulting in an excellent overall flavor consistency. Sensory evaluation results also demonstrate a softer and more refined flavor overall, with a more refined aroma, which is a key feature of the present invention.

[0053] In the present application, the camellia mixture may further comprise one or more selected from the group consisting of an emulsifier, a flavoring agent, and a coloring agent according to various purposes.

[0054] At this time, the emulsifier, flavor or colorant can be included in an amount of 0.05 to 1 part by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the camellia mixture. Preferably, the emulsifier, flavor or colorant can be included in an amount of 0.1 to 0.5 parts by weight, and can be included in an amount of 0.1 parts by weight.

[0055] After the measuring and mixing steps, the method may include refining the camellia mixture into a fine camellia mixture using a refiner.

[0056] As the core process of the present application, the camellia mixture is refined into a fine camellia mixture by a refiner. The average particle size of the refined fine camellia mixture can be greater than or equal to 10 μm and less than or equal to 25 μm.

[0057] More specifically, the average particle size of the refined fine camellia mixture may be 10 μm or more and 25 μm or less, preferably 15 μm or more and 25 μm or less, and more preferably 20 μm.

[0058] Different from the prior art, the camellia mixture of the present application contains camellia extract in the camellia mixture itself, and the camellia extract comprises camellia flowers, camellia leaves and camellia stems as mentioned above.

[0059] If only camellia flowers are included, the particle size is irrelevant, but the tea leaves and stems are flexible even when the extract is dried because they contain their fine tissues, unlike the camellia flowers.

[0060] Without the aforementioned refining process, the camellia extract cannot be evenly dispersed in the mixture during mixing, resulting in agglomeration and a lack of flavor consistency. Furthermore, the tea leaves, camellia flowers, and camellia stems are not evenly mixed, resulting in a bitter or sweet chocolate taste.

[0061] However, the production method of the present application solves the aforementioned problem by adjusting the average particle size of the refined fine camellia mixture to within the aforementioned range through the refining process, which corresponds to the main object of the present invention.

[0062] That is, the chocolate produced by the chocolate according to the above average particle size exhibits excellent solubility, a richer aroma, a better chocolate mouthfeel, and better mixing, resulting in excellent overall flavor uniformity. Sensory evaluation results also show that, compared to the chocolate prepared in the comparative example, the chocolate has an overall softer and more elegant flavor and a more noble aroma, resulting in a higher evaluation score and excellent overall preference.

[0063] The present application provides a method for producing camellia chocolate, wherein in the step of refining the camellia mixture into a fine camellia mixture by a refiner, the refiner rpm is 100 rpm to 200 rpm, and the refining time is 60 seconds to 80 seconds.

[0064] A method for producing camellia chocolate is provided, wherein in the step of refining the camellia mixture into a fine camellia mixture using a refiner, the refiner rpm is 150 rpm and the refining time is 70 seconds.

[0065] The aforementioned average particle size can be achieved by adjusting the rpm and refining time of the refiner as described above.

[0066] In this case, the average particle size may refer to the average particle size based on the entire refined mixture, and may include an error of approximately ±1 μm.

[0067] In the present application, after the refining step, the following step may be further included: stirring and kneading the fine camellia mixture at a temperature of 60° C. to 70° C. using a conche.

[0068] The stirring and kneading step may mean a caramelizing step.

[0069] In the present application, after the refining step, the following step may be further included: stirring and kneading the fine camellia mixture in a stirring and kneading machine (conche) at a temperature of 60° C. for 8 hours.

[0070] After the stirring and kneading step, the method may further include the step of stirring the stirred and kneaded fine camellia mixture at a temperature of 20° C. to 40° C. to adjust the temperature.

[0071] The present application may include a step of stirring the kneaded fine camellia mixture at 30°C to adjust its temperature. In this case, the time condition is not critical. In other words, the temperature can be adjusted over a longer or shorter time as long as it falls within the temperature range. This temperature adjustment step allows for a uniform formation of the fine camellia mixture.

[0072] The present invention provides a method for producing camellia chocolate, which further comprises, after the tempering step, pouring the stirred and kneaded fine camellia mixture into a mold for forming.

[0073] The mold may be used to form the shape of the Camellia chocolate for sale, and the mold may be a general mold used in the art.

[0074] The present application further comprises the step of cooling the tempered fine camellia mixture to solidify it, thereby manufacturing camellia chocolate.

[0075] A method for producing camellia chocolate is provided, comprising the step of cooling the tempered fine camellia mixture to solidify the mixture, wherein the cooling step is performed at a temperature of 5° C. to 15° C. for 20 to 30 minutes.

[0076] Preferably, the following method for producing camellia chocolate is provided, wherein the solidification step comprises cooling at 5° C. for 30 minutes.

[0077] The present application can manufacture camellia chocolate by the above-mentioned process. With the above-mentioned manufacturing method, camellia chocolate with rich aroma and excellent taste can be manufactured.

[0078] For a more specific explanation, the following describes the embodiments in detail.

[0079] <Manufacturing Example >

[0080] <The Making of Camellia Chocolate>

[0081] <Example 1>

[0082] The production method of camellia chocolate is based on camellia extract and is achieved through the processes of metering, mixing, refining, stirring and kneading, temperature adjustment, molding and cooling.

[0083] First, camellia flowers, tea leaves, and stems were extracted from a camellia plant at a ratio of 50g:30g:17.5g using hot water extraction at 75±5°C for 2 hours to create a camellia extract. Oil was then added to the camellia extract to create camellia oil, which was then freeze-dried at -10°C to create a camellia extract.

[0084] Then, 350 g of cocoa butter, 400 g of sugar, 200 g of milk powder and 47-50 g of the camellia extract were added, and 1 g of emulsifier, flavoring and coloring agent were respectively added and measured. The measured raw materials were poured into a mixer and mixed.

[0085] The mixed camellia mixture was uniformly ground into fine particles using a refiner. The refiner speed was set to 150 rpm and the refining time was set to 70 seconds. The finely divided camellia mixture was then filtered through a sieve of approximately 18 to 21 μm, resulting in a finely divided camellia mixture with an average particle size of 20 μm.

[0086] The refined material is then placed in a conche and caramelized at 60°C for 8 hours. The kneaded material is then stirred at 30°C to evenly temper the particles. It is then poured into a mold to create the chocolate shape and cooled at 5°C for 30 minutes, creating the Camellia chocolate.

[0087] <Comparative Example 1>

[0088] The production was carried out in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the step of grinding the mixed camellia mixture into fine particles by a refiner was not performed in Example 1. At this time, the average particle size of the camellia mixture was 1 mm.

[0089] <Comparative Example 2>

[0090] In Example 1, the mixed camellia mixture was ground into fine particles by a refiner. The rpm of the refiner was set to 50 rpm and the refining time was set to 50 seconds, whereby the average particle size of the camellia mixture was 80 μm.

[0091] <Comparative Example 3>

[0092] The production was carried out in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the caramelizing was not performed in a Conche at 60° C. for 8 hours.

[0093] <Reference Example 4>

[0094] In Example 1, 100 g of camellia flowers were extracted from a camellia tree and extracted with hot water at 75±5°C for 2 hours to form a camellia extract. Subsequently, oil was added to the camellia extract to form camellia oil, which was then freeze-dried at 10°C to form a camellia extract. The process was the same as in Example 1, except that oil was added to the camellia extract to form camellia oil.

[0095] <Reference Example 5>

[0096] In Example 1, camellia flowers, tea leaves, and stems were extracted from a camellia tree in a ratio of 10 g: 10 g: 50 g, respectively, and extracted using hot water at 75 ± 5°C for 2 hours to form a camellia extract. Subsequently, oil was added to the camellia extract to form camellia oil, which was then freeze-dried at 10°C to form a camellia extract. The process was the same as in Example 1, except that oil was added to the camellia extract to form camellia oil.

[0097] Experimental Example 1) Sensory Evaluation

[0098] The camellia chocolates of the present invention and comparative examples were cut into appropriate sizes and provided to 50 panelists. The taste, color, aroma, and overall preference were then compared with commercially available products.

[0099]

Table 1

[0100]

[0101] The evaluation results in Table 1 represent an assessment of color, flavor, aroma, and overall preference, and are equivalent to the results obtained by 50 panelists. The overall score for all 50 panelists is 5. As Table 1 demonstrates, the camellia chocolate produced according to the manufacturing method of this application exhibits excellent flavor, color, aroma, and overall preference.

[0102] Comparative Example 1 was not refined, while Comparative Example 2 was refined but had an average particle size outside the range of this application. In these cases, the chocolate presented to a particular panelist contained some camellia extract, while the chocolate presented to other panelists did not, resulting in a non-uniform taste and the aforementioned preference.

[0103] Comparative Example 3 does not include the conche step in the mixing and kneading machine. Caramelization is not performed, resulting in a decrease in the sweetness of the chocolate and the color not meeting expectations, which reduces the overall preference.

[0104] For reference, Reference Examples 4 and 5 adjusted the ratios of camellia flowers, tea leaves, and camellia stems contained in the camellia extract, and it was found that the content in accordance with the present application resulted in excellent liking.

[0105] Experimental Example 2: Analysis of polyphenol content and antioxidant activity

[0106] The following experiments were conducted using the three extract samples obtained from Example 1, Comparative Example 1, and Comparative Example 2.

[0107] Total polyphenol content analysis: 200 μL of the sample solution was mixed with 1800 μL of distilled water, and 200 μL of Folin-Ciocalteau's phenol reagent was added and mixed thoroughly. The mixture was then allowed to react at room temperature for 5 minutes. 400 μL of 2M Na₂CO₃ was added, mixed, and the volume was adjusted to 4 mL with distilled water. The solution was allowed to react in the dark at room temperature for 1 hour. The absorbance was measured at 725 nm and compared with a standard curve prepared using gallic acid (Sigma Chemical Co., St Louis, MO, USA). The total polyphenol content was expressed as μg gallic acid equivalents (GAE) / mL.

[0108]

Table 2

[0109]

[0110] As shown in Table 2, Example 1 of the present application exhibits a high polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity. This is due to the presence of camellia extract. Comparative Examples 1 and 2 exhibited lower phenol content due to insufficient dispersion of the camellia extract during the chocolate manufacturing process, resulting in some samples containing camellia extract and others not. Furthermore, Reference Example 5 contained a significant amount of camellia stems, which, like Comparative Examples 1 and 2, was insufficiently dispersed, leading to a decrease in phenol content.

[0111] The foregoing describes several exemplary embodiments of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the concept and scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for producing camellia chocolate, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: drying camellia powder or camellia oil to form a camellia extract; Mixing cocoa butter, sugar, milk powder and the camellia extract to form a camellia mixture; Refining the camellia mixture into a fine camellia mixture by a refiner; Using a conche to stir and knead the fine camellia mixture at a temperature of 60° C. to 70° C. for 6 to 12 hours; Stirring the kneaded fine camellia mixture at a temperature of 20° C. to 40° C. to adjust the temperature; and Cooling the tempered fine camellia mixture to solidify it; In the refining step, the particle size of the refined fine camellia mixture is 10 μm or more and 25 μm or less.

2. The method for producing camellia chocolate according to claim 1, wherein: In the step of mixing the cocoa butter, sugar, milk powder and the camellia extract to form a camellia mixture, based on 100 parts by weight of the camellia mixture, the camellia mixture comprises 30 to 40 parts by weight of cocoa butter, 35 to 45 parts by weight of sugar, 15 to 25 parts by weight of milk powder and 1 to 15 parts by weight of the camellia extract.

3. The method for producing camellia chocolate according to claim 1, wherein: In the step of refining the camellia mixture into a fine camellia mixture by a refiner, the refiner rpm is 100 rpm to 200 rpm, and the refining time is 60 seconds to 80 seconds.

4. The method for producing camellia chocolate according to claim 1, wherein: In the step of cooling the tempered fine camellia mixture to solidify it, the mixture is cooled at a temperature of 5° C. to 15° C. for 20 to 30 minutes.

5. The method for producing camellia chocolate according to claim 1, wherein: After the temperature adjustment step, the method further includes pouring the stirred and kneaded fine camellia mixture into a mold for forming.

6. The method for producing camellia chocolate according to claim 1, wherein: The camellia mixture further comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of an emulsifier, a fragrance and a colorant.

7. The method for producing camellia chocolate according to claim 1, wherein: The step of drying the camellia powder or camellia oil to form a camellia extract comprises: The camellia flower, camellia leaf and camellia stem are extracted by hot water extraction at 75±5°C for 1 to 3 hours to obtain a camellia extract, which is then freeze-dried or spray-dried to form a camellia extract.

8. The method for producing camellia chocolate according to claim 7, wherein: The weight ratio of the camellia flower: tea leaf: camellia stem satisfies 1:0.5-0.8:0.3-0.

4.

9. A camellia chocolate, characterized in that: The method for producing camellia chocolate according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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