Cheese-based bite-sized baked snack

Abstract

A baked snack includes natural cheese, flour, and pregelatinized waxy maize starch. The natural cheese is present in the baked snack in a higher weight % relative to any other ingredient. A matrix formed at least in part from the natural cheese fills the interior of the baked snack. Methods of making the snack are also provided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to baked dough-based snacks, and more specifically, to baked bite-sized snacks in which the main ingredient is cheese. Background Technology

[0002] Bite-sized, dough-based snacks have long been popular with consumers. Recently, bite-sized snacks containing cheese have become increasingly popular. Some bite-sized snacks contain only cheese and no dough. Some dough-based bite-sized snacks include cheese as a topping, but not as the main ingredient. Furthermore, these types of dough-based bite-sized snacks are often made with cheese powder, which may not be as appealing to today's health-conscious consumers as fresh cheese. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application relates generally to baked snacks comprising cheese, wheat-free and / or gluten-free flour, and pregelatinized starch. The cheese is present in the baked snack at a higher weight percentage (hereinafter “wt%”) relative to any other ingredient. The interior of the baked snack is filled at least partially by a matrix formed from the cheese. Methods for preparing the snacks are also provided.

[0004] In some embodiments, the baked snack includes natural cheese, flour, and pregelatinized waxy corn starch, with the natural cheese representing an ingredient present in a higher percentage by weight than any other ingredient. The baked snack has an interior filled with a matrix at least partially formed from natural cheese.

[0005] In one aspect, natural cheese is present in the baked snack in an amount of about 25% to about 45% by weight; pregelatinized waxy corn starch is present in the baked snack in an amount of about 2% to about 25% by weight; and flour is present in the baked snack in an amount of about 20% to about 33% by weight.

[0006] In some respects, the peak force hardness of baked snacks is from about 500 grams to about 2500 grams. In other respects, the peak force hardness of baked snacks is from about 1000 grams to about 2250 grams. In one respect, the peak force hardness of baked snacks is about 1500 grams.

[0007] The bulk density of baked snacks can be from about 120 g / L to about 240 g / L after baking in an oven, and from about 110 g / L to about 210 g / L after drying in a desiccator.

[0008] In some specific implementations, baked snacks contain between about 8% and 16% by weight of moisture and between about 1% and about 6% by weight of water after baking.

[0009] Baked snacks can have a maximum height of about 0.7 cm to about 1.3 cm after baking in an oven, and a maximum height of about 0.5 cm to about 1.0 cm after drying in a desiccator.

[0010] The exterior color of baked snacks can range from 58-71 L. Within the range.

[0011] In some implementations, the natural cheese is selected from at least one of the following: Cheddar, Parmesan, a blend of four cheeses (Cheddar, Parmesan, Aziago, Mozzarella), Monterey, Pepper Jack, Aziago, Gouda, and Fontina Jack.

[0012] In some embodiments, one method includes: forming dough by combining ingredients including natural cheese, flour, pregelatinized waxy corn starch, and water, wherein the natural cheese is present in the dough at a higher weight percentage relative to any other ingredient; sheeting the dough using a two-piece (three-roll or four-roll sheeter) (with or without lamination) to form dough sheets, thereby forming the dough into continuous sheets of reduced thickness; cutting the dough sheets and punching them to form multiple dough blocks; baking the dough blocks in an oven, wherein the dough blocks leaving the oven have a moisture content of about 8% to about 16% by weight; and drying the dough blocks in a dryer after the baking operation to produce a baked snack having a moisture content of about 1% to about 3% by weight and having a matrix at least partially formed by natural cheese filling its interior. Attached Figure Description

[0013] This document discloses an implementation scheme for a product method involving a "cheese-first" bite-sized baked snack. This specification includes accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 It is a device, according to some implementation schemes, for making cheese-based bite-sized snacks; Figure 2 This is a perspective view of a cheese-based bite-sized baked snack based on some implementation schemes; Figure 3 It is along Figure 2 A partial sectional view taken from line 2-2 of a cheese-based bite-sized baked snack; Figure 4 It is a bar chart comparing the bulk density of an exemplary cheese-based bite-sized snack after baking and drying operations; Figure 5 It is a bar graph comparing the height of an exemplary cheese-based bite-sized snack stack (i.e., 10 pieces) after the baking and drying processes. Figure 6This is a bar chart comparing the moisture content of an exemplary bite-sized cheese-based snack after baking and drying processes. Figure 7 It is a bar chart comparing the bulk density of an exemplary bite-sized cheese-based snack after baking but before drying. Figure 8 It is a bar graph comparing the height of an exemplary stack (i.e., 10 slices) of a bite-sized cheese snack after baking but before drying. Figure 9 This is a bar chart comparing the dough texture of three different implementations of the dough recipe before the baking and drying processes; Figure 10 It is a bar chart comparing the texture of three different implementations of a bite-sized cheese snack after baking and drying processes; Figure 11 It is a comparison after baking and drying operations. Figure 10 A bar chart of the density of three different implementations of a cheese-based bite-sized snack; Figure 12 It is a flowchart representing a method according to some implementation schemes; Figure 13 A top view of a cutter for cutting dough sheets into multiple dough blocks, according to some embodiments, is shown; Figure 14 It shows Figure 13 Front view of the cutter; Figure 15 The following diagram illustrates the proportions for cutting dough sheets into multiple dough blocks according to some embodiments. Figure 13 A top view of a larger cutter; Figure 16 It shows Figure 15 Front view of the cutter; Figure 17 The following diagram illustrates the proportions for cutting dough sheets into multiple dough blocks according to some embodiments. Figure 15 A top view of a larger cutter; and Figure 18 It shows Figure 17 Front view of the cutter.

[0014] The elements in the accompanying drawings are shown for simplicity and clarity and are not drawn to scale. For example, the size and / or relative position of some elements in the drawings may be exaggerated relative to other elements to aid in understanding the various embodiments of the invention. Furthermore, common but well-understood elements that are available or necessary in commercially viable embodiments are often not drawn to minimize obscuring the view of these various embodiments of the invention. Certain actions and / or steps may be described or drawn in a specific order of appearance, but those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity in order is not actually required. The terms and phrases used herein have the ordinary technical meaning as given to such terms and phrases by those skilled in the art as described above, unless otherwise given a different specific meaning herein. Detailed Implementation

[0015] The following description is not intended to be restrictive, but rather to illustrate the general principles of exemplary embodiments only. Throughout this specification, references to "an embodiment," "an implementation," or similar language mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Therefore, the phrases "in one embodiment," "in an embodiment," and similar language appearing throughout this specification may, but not necessarily all, refer to the same embodiment.

[0016] Generally speaking, the consumer-expected characteristics (e.g., flavor, texture, color, mouthfeel, etc.) of baked snack products (e.g., biscuits, crackers, cookies, extruded products, etc.) at least partially define their perceived quality. Since dough is the precursor to consumable baked snack products, dough manufacturers aim to produce dough that, when baked in an oven, produces baked products with target parameters (e.g., texture, moisture content, weight, height, color, thickness, etc.) that best match consumer-expected characteristics.

[0017] This application relates to a baked bite-sized snack whose main ingredient is cheese. In other words, in the bite-sized baked snack according to the embodiments described herein, the amount of cheese by weight exceeds the amount of flour and any other ingredients by weight. The baked bite-sized cheese-based snack according to the embodiments described herein has a combination of size, shape, texture, color, moisture, and flavor that pleases the consumer.

[0018] Not wishing to be limited by theory, the dough composition for producing a bite-sized cheese-based snack according to the embodiments described herein comprises a blend of flour and starch, which imparts cohesiveness and elasticity to the dough, enabling it to be mixed and formed into a "cheese-first" dough using conventional mixing and machining equipment, subsequently baked in an oven and dried in a dryer to produce an advantageous bite-sized cheese-first baked snack according to the embodiments described herein. It is worth noting that cheese-first baked snacks do not necessarily have to be produced via an oven-dryer combination and can be produced by using an oven alone, although with a longer baking time, and the resulting baked snack has a different texture than baked snacks produced via both baking and drying.

[0019] Figure 1 An exemplary apparatus 100 is illustrated for preparing a bite-sized baked snack 195 as described herein. In the illustrated embodiment, apparatus 100 includes a mixer 110, wherein the ingredients of the baked snack 195 (described in more detail below) are mixed to form a dough. In one embodiment, mixer 110 is an FX continuous mixer manufactured by Reading Bakery Systems, headquartered in Robesonia, PA.

[0020] The device also includes a conveyor 115 with a product propulsion surface configured to support and convey dough stock 180 produced in the mixer 110. Notably, in some embodiments, the device 100 does not include a mixer 110, and the dough may be produced independently of the device 100 (e.g., in an extruder, etc.).

[0021] In some embodiments, the product advance surface of conveyor 115 includes a conveyor belt that is metallic (e.g., steel, etc.) and may have a mesh structure (e.g., open wire mesh material, rolled wire mesh material, etc.), and can be used to advance dough blocks 190 as they bake / dry from above and below to form the final baked snack 195. In one aspect, conveyor 115 is formed of an open wire mesh material that allows convective air to pass through it to heat the bottom of the dough blocks 190 located on the product advance surface of conveyor belt 115. In one aspect, advancing the dough blocks 190 across oven 140 on an open wire mesh material provides the final baked snack 195 with external grill marks on its top and / or bottom surfaces. However, it should be understood that the belt of conveyor 115 does not necessarily have to have a mesh structure, and in some specific embodiments, the belt of conveyor 115 is a solid (non-mesh) metal belt.

[0022] In some embodiments, the dough ingredients mixed together in mixer 110 to form dough mass 180 include, but are not limited to, cheese, flour, pregelatinized starch, and water. It should be understood that, in addition to cheese, flour, pregelatinized starch, and water, the flour compositions according to the various embodiments described herein may also contain additional ingredients, including but not limited to sweeteners (e.g., sugar, etc.), seasonings (e.g., salt, pepper, etc.), herbs (e.g., basil, oregano, rosemary, etc.), oils (e.g., low-erucic acid canola oil, etc.), and dietary fiber (e.g., oat fiber, etc.). Notably, the ingredient present in the dough mixture at the largest weight percentage is cheese. In some specific embodiments, the amount of cheese present in the dough mixture is from about 25% to about 45% by weight. In some aspects, the cheese is natural cheese, which may be selected from cheddar, Parmesan, pepper jack, tetra, etc., or combinations thereof.

[0023] In some specific implementations, flour may be present in the dough mixture in an amount of about 20% to about 35% by weight. In some respects, the term "flour" will be understood to refer to corn flour, wheat flour, gluten-free flour, rice flour, etc., or combinations thereof.

[0024] In some embodiments, pregelatinized starch may be present in the dough mixture in an amount of about 1% to about 25% by weight. In some aspects, the pregelatinized starch is waxy corn starch. Unbound by theory, waxy corn starch has a higher amylopectin content than conventional corn starch and advantageously provides the dough with higher viscosity, cohesiveness, and elasticity, thereby enabling the baked snack 195 to expand (e.g., puff) during baking in the apparatus 100 while limiting the dough block 190 and / or the baked snack 195 from undesirably breaking down during processing.

[0025] Water may be present in the dough mixture in an amount of about 5% to about 15% by weight. Generally, the rheological properties of the dough mixture formed in mixer 110 can vary depending on mixing process variables, including but not limited to: the characteristics of the ingredients, environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, etc.) and / or the mixing time of the ingredients in mixer 110. In one aspect, the amount of water added to the ingredient mixture and the temperature can be varied in order to provide dough with desired properties.

[0026] refer to Figure 1The apparatus 100 also includes a tablet press 120. In the illustrated embodiment, the tablet press 120 is a two-roll tablet press comprising an upper roll 122 and a lower roll 124, which produce continuous dough sheets 185 from dough stock 180. It should be understood that in some specific embodiments, the tablet press 120 may include not only upper roll 122 and lower roll 124, but may include three or more rolls. In some embodiments, the upper roll 122 and lower roll 124 of the tablet press 120 may be provided with a cooling water supply device (not shown) to maintain a suitable temperature of the upper roll 122 and lower roll 124 of the tablet press 120 during the production of dough sheets 185 from dough stock 180.

[0027] In the illustrated embodiment, the device 100 further includes a cutter 130 having a predetermined shape pattern (e.g., hexagons), which is configured to continuously cut the dough sheet 185 into a plurality of different dough blocks 190 having a desired overall shape. Figure 1 As shown, after the dough mass 180 passes through the upper roller 122 and lower roller 124 of the tablet press 122 to form a dough sheet 185, the formed dough sheet 185 is guided by the conveyor 110 from the tablet press 120 toward and through the cutter 130, wherein the dough sheet 185 is cut into a plurality of discrete dough blocks 190 having an overall shape defined by the shape of the cutter 130. In one aspect, the cutter 130 is a rotary cutter, but it should be understood that other suitable cutters may be used alternatively. In some aspects, the cutter skirt speed is 13 feet per minute (FPM) to 15 FPM. In one aspect, the cutter skirt speed is 13.15 FPM to 14.15 FPM.

[0028] In some embodiments, the overall dimensions (e.g., surface area) of the cutter 130 can vary to produce a specific weight of baked snack. In some specific embodiments, the cutter 130 has a maximum height of about 1.3 inches to about 1.7 inches and a maximum width of about 1.3 inches to about 1.7 inches. In some embodiments, the surface area of ​​the cutter 130 can be about 1.4 square inches (900 square millimeters) to about 2.3 square inches (1500 square millimeters), and the weight of each dough block 190 produced by the cutter 130 can be about 2.0 g to about 3.5 g (i.e., the larger the surface area of ​​the cutter 130, the greater the weight of the resulting dough block 190, and vice versa).

[0029] The cutter 130 may have a different number (e.g., 5-9) of perforations, and the perforations of the cutter 130 may have different shapes (e.g., more triangular, more rounded, etc.) and sharpness to promote optimal puffing, aeration, and texture of the dough block 190 produced by the cutter 130 from the dough sheet 185. For example, in some embodiments, the cutter 130 may have perforations with a radius ranging from about 0.04 inches (about 1.02 mm) to about 0.1 inches (about 2.54 mm), the horizontal distance between the perforations of the cutter 130 may be in the range of about 0.35 inches (about 9 mm) to about 0.45 inches (about 11 mm), and the vertical distance between the perforations of the cutter 130 may be in the range of about 0.35 inches (about 9 mm) to about 0.47 inches (about 12 mm). In some aspects, the punch of the cutter 130 may have a height of approximately 0.15 inches (approximately 3.81 mm) to approximately 0.19 inches (approximately 4.826 mm), and the blade of the cutter 130 may have a height of approximately 0.14 inches (approximately 3.556 mm) to approximately 0.18 inches (approximately 4.572 mm). Some exemplary cutters 1330, 1530, and 1730, and their shapes and dimensions are described in... Figures 13 to 18 As shown in the image.

[0030] refer to Figure 13 The exemplary cutter 1330 has a generally hexagonal overall shape and includes seven punch pins 1340. (Reference) Figure 13 The exemplary cutter 1330 has a maximum height of 1.429 inches (36.3 mm), a maximum width of 1.391 inches (35.32 mm), a surface area of ​​1.55 square inches (1002.58 square millimeters), a horizontal distance of 0.364 inches (9.25 mm) between adjacent punches 1340, and a vertical distance of 0.391 inches (9.92 mm) between adjacent punches 1340.

[0031] refer to Figure 14 Each of the seven punches 1340 in the cutter 1330 has a radius of 0.042 inches (1.067 mm) and a height of 0.17 inches (4.318 mm). The cutter 1330 also includes a blade 1350 with a height of 0.16 inches (4.064 mm) and an edge diameter of 0.02 inches (0.508 mm). In one aspect, when the blade 1350 of the cutter 1330 cuts the dough sheet 185 to form a plurality of dough blocks 190, each dough block 190 has a weight of approximately 2.2 g to approximately 2.5 g.

[0032] refer to Figure 15The exemplary cutter 1530 is larger than the cutter 1330, but also has a generally hexagonal overall shape and includes seven punch pins 1340. (Reference) Figure 15 The exemplary cutter 1530 has a maximum height of 1.549 inches (39.35 mm), a maximum width of 1.509 inches (38.33 mm), and a surface area of ​​1.827 square inches (1178.71 square millimeters). The horizontal distance between adjacent punch pins 1540 of the cutter 1530 is 0.394 inches (10 mm), and the vertical distance between adjacent punch pins 1540 of the cutter 1530 is 0.422 inches (10.71 mm).

[0033] refer to Figure 16 Each of the seven punches 1540 in the cutter 1530 has a radius of 0.080 inches (2.032 mm) and a height of 0.17 inches (4.318 mm). The cutter 1530 also includes a blade 1550 with a height of 0.16 inches (4.064 mm) and an edge diameter of 0.02 inches (0.508 mm). In one aspect, when the blade 1550 of the cutter 1530 cuts the dough sheet 185 to form a plurality of dough blocks 190, each of the dough blocks 190 has a weight of about 2.5 g to about 2.9 g (i.e., a greater weight than the weight of the dough blocks 190 produced by the cutter 1330).

[0034] refer to Figure 17 The exemplary cutter 1730 is larger than each of cutters 1330 and 1530, but also has a generally hexagonal overall shape and contains seven punch pins 1740. (Reference) Figure 17 The exemplary cutter 1730 has a maximum height of 1.681 inches (42.69 mm), a maximum width of 1.637 inches (41.58 mm), and a surface area of ​​2.150 square inches (1387.10 square millimeters). The horizontal distance between adjacent punch pins 1740 of the cutter 1730 is 0.427 inches (10.84 mm), and the vertical distance between adjacent punch pins 1740 of the cutter 1730 is 0.458 inches (11.63 mm).

[0035] refer to Figure 16Each of the seven punches 1740 in the cutter 1730 has a radius of 0.065 inches (1.651 mm) and a height of 0.17 inches (4.318 mm). The cutter 1730 also includes a blade 1750 with a height of 0.16 inches (4.064 mm) and an edge diameter of 0.02 inches (0.508 mm). In one respect, when the blade 1750 of the cutter 1730 cuts the dough sheet 185 to form a plurality of dough blocks 190, each of the dough blocks 190 has a weight of approximately 2.8 g to approximately 3.2 g (i.e., a greater weight than the dough blocks 190 produced by each of the cutters 1330 and 1530).

[0036] As described above, the overall shape, surface area, number, and size of the punches 1340, 1540, and 1740, as well as the size and number of the blades 1350, 1550, and 1750 of the cutters 1330, 1530, and 1730, are shown by way of example only and may differ in other embodiments. Generally, the size, shape, and dimensions of the exemplary cutters 1330, 1530, and 1730 (and their punches 1340, 1540, 1740, and blades 1350, 1550, and 1750) are designed to cut dough sheets 185 and product dough blocks 190 with a desired weight range. When dough blocks 190 produced by cutters 1330, 1530, and 1730 and having a desired weight pass through oven 140, the dough blocks 190 are optimally puffed and an optimal level of moisture is removed from the dough blocks 190, and the resulting baked snack 195 ultimately has a desired level of puffing (i.e., height) and a desired level of moisture, such that the resulting baked snack 195 has a desired shelf-life stability.

[0037] To avoid being limited by theory, if the surface area of ​​cutters 1330, 1530, and 1730 is lower than the aforementioned expected range, the resulting dough block 190 may be more fluffy than expected, have a height higher than the aforementioned expected range, and may have a density lower than the expected density, potentially increasing breakage of the dough block 190 during the cutting of dough sheets 185. On the other hand, if the surface area of ​​cutters 1330, 1530, and 1730 is higher than the aforementioned expected range, the fluffiness of the dough block 190 may decrease to a level lower than expected, but the density of the dough block 190 may increase to a density higher than expected, resulting in the resulting baked snack 195 not being as light and airy as expected.

[0038] Undesirablely, if the height of the blades 1350, 1550, and 1750 of the cutters 1330, 1530, and 1730 is lower than the aforementioned expected range, then the blades 1350, 1550, and 1750 may not be able to adequately cut the dough block 190 from the dough sheet 185, which is undesirable because it will produce a less noticeable baked snack 195. On the other hand, if the height of the blades 1350, 1550, and 1750 of the cutters 1330, 1530, and 1730 is higher than the expected range, then the blades 1350, 1550, and 1750 will not only cut the dough sheet 185 but also cut through the product feeding surface (belt) of the conveyor 115, which is also undesirable.

[0039] To avoid being limited by theory, if the weight of the dough block 190 produced by cutting the dough sheet 185 with the blades 1350, 1550, and 1750 of cutters 1330, 1530, and 1730 is lower than the aforementioned expected range, the dough block 190 may expand less when passing through the oven 140, and may result in the baked snack 195 having a lower height and a higher density than expected, making the resulting baked snack 195 less light and airy than expected. On the other hand, if the weight of the dough block 190 produced by cutting the dough sheet 185 with the blades 1350, 1550, and 1750 of cutters 1330, 1530, and 1730 is higher than the aforementioned expected range, the dough block 190 may expand more when passing through the oven 140, and may result in the baked snack 195 having a higher height and a higher density than expected, making the resulting baked snack 195 less light and airy than expected.

[0040] Without being limited by theory, if the punches 1340, 1540, and 1740 of the cutters 1330, 1530, and 1730 have a total number, radius, or height below the aforementioned optimal range, the resulting dough block 190 may be more fluffy, and may result in the baked snack 195 having a height above the aforementioned desired height range. Conversely, if the punches 1340, 1540, and 1740 of the cutters 1330, 1530, and 1730 have a total number, radius, or height below the aforementioned optimal range, the resulting dough block 190 may be less fluffy, and may result in the baked snack 195 having a height below the aforementioned desired height range. Furthermore, if the height of the punches 1340, 1540, and 1740 of the cutters 1330, 1530, and 1730 is higher than the desired range, the punches 1340, 1540, and 1740 of the cutters 1330, 1530, and 1730 can not only pierce the dough sheet 185, but also pierce the product feeding surface (belt) of the conveyor 115, which is undesirable. In addition, if the spacing between the punches 1340, 1540, and 1740 of the cutters 1330, 1530, and 1730 is lower than or higher than the aforementioned punch spacing range, the shape of the dough pieces 190 exiting the cutters 1330, 1530, and 1730 will be inconsistent, resulting in inconsistent shapes of the baked snacks 195 exiting the oven 140, which is also undesirable.

[0041] exist Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the apparatus 100 further includes an oven 140. After the cutter 130 cuts the dough sheet 185 into a plurality of dough pieces 190 having a desired size and shape, the dough pieces 190 travel on a conveyor 110 from the cutter 130 toward the oven 140. In one aspect, the total weight of each of the different dough pieces 190, which will each become a different baked snack 195, is about 2.3 grams to about 2.7 grams (i.e., 23 grams to 27 grams per 10 dough pieces 190). In one embodiment, the oven 140 is a five-zone tunnel single-pass spectrum oven manufactured by Reading Bakery Systems, headquartered in Robesonia, PA. As the dough pieces 190 travel on the conveyor 110 through the oven 140, the oven 140 bakes the dough pieces 190 with preset baking parameters to form a desired overall shape (e.g., hexagonal, as shown). Figure 2 The exemplary baked snack 195 shown is a baked snack 195.

[0042] In some aspects, the dough block 190 is baked in oven 140 under conditions that result in the baked snack 195 leaving oven 140 having a moisture content of about 8% to about 16% by weight. In some embodiments, the dough block 190 is baked in oven 140 at about 200℉-300℉ for about 8-12 minutes. In some specific embodiments, the dough block 190 is baked in oven 140 (e.g., a multi-zone tunnel oven) at a top set temperature of about 230℉ and 450℉ and a bottom set temperature between 150℉ and 375℉ for about 8-10 minutes to achieve a shelf-stable moisture content of less than about 4%. In one embodiment, the temperature of the dough block 190 at the belt of the conveyor 115 traveling above it in oven 140 is about 230℉-240℉, and more preferably about 234℉. In other embodiments, dough block 190 is baked in oven 140 at approximately 400℉-520℉ for about 2-3 minutes.

[0043] It is noteworthy that during the baking of dough block 190 in oven 140 to form baked snack 195, the height of dough block 190 increases relative to its height upon entering oven 140 (e.g., dough block 190 puffs up). In some aspects, baked snack 195 may have a maximum height of about 0.7 cm to about 1.3 cm after baking in oven 140. Furthermore, in some aspects, after exiting oven 140, exemplary baked snack 195 has a bulk density of about 120 g / L to about 240 g / L. In one aspect, the overall texture of baked snack 195 exiting the oven can be described as “soft” and “pillow-like”.

[0044] Furthermore, although the expansion (i.e., puffing) of the dough block 190 creates a hollow interior within the dough block 190, given that the main ingredient of the dough block 190 is cheese, the "cheesy" material of the dough block 190 stretches through the interior of the dough block 190 and forms a cheese-like matrix 240 in the interior 210 of the dough block 190 and in the resulting baked snack 195 exiting the oven 140 (see...). Figure 3 ).

[0045] In the illustrated embodiment, the apparatus 100 further includes a dryer 150, wherein the baked snacks 195 are dried after being baked in an oven 140. Figure 1 As shown, after baking in oven 140, baked snack 195 continues to travel on conveyor 110 and is conveyed by the conveyor to dryer 150 and passes through the dryer, where baked snack 195 is dried to further reduce its moisture content. In one embodiment, dryer 150 is a multi-pass dryer manufactured by ReadingBakery Systems, headquartered in Robesonia, PA.

[0046] In some aspects, the dough block 190 is dried in the dryer 150 under conditions that cause the baked snack 195 leaving the dryer 150 to have a moisture content of about 1% to about 3% by weight. In some embodiments, the dough block 190 is dried in the dryer 150 (e.g., a single-pass dryer) at about 220℉ to about 240℉ for about 20 minutes. In some specific embodiments, the dough block 190 is dried in the dryer 150 (e.g., a three-pass dryer) at about 220℉ to about 250℉ for about 20 to about 40 minutes.

[0047] It is worth noting that during the drying of the baked snack 195 in the dryer 150, the height of the baked snack 195 decreases, thereby slightly reducing the internal size of the baked snack 195, but retaining the cheese matrix 240 within the interior 210 of the baked snack 195. In some embodiments, the baked snack 195 exiting the dryer 150 has a maximum height of about 0.5 cm to about 1.0 cm. Furthermore, in some aspects, after exiting the dryer 150, the exemplary baked snack 195 has a bulk density of about 170 g / L to about 240 g / L.

[0048] As mentioned above, in some specific implementations, the cheese-preferred baked snack is not produced by baking in oven 140 and drying in dryer 150, but only by baking in oven 140 and not drying in dryer 150. Figure 7 Generally, embodiments of baked snack 195 produced by baking only in oven 140 without drying in dryer 150 are shown to have a different texture than embodiments of baked snack 195 produced by baking in oven 140 and drying in dryer 150, and have a bulk density of about 170 g / L to about 240 g / L. Furthermore, in a point bending texture analysis of 30 cycles performed on an exemplary cheddar cheese-based baked snack 195 with 2.55% by weight moisture according to some embodiments, a maximum force of about 15.2 Newtons (standard deviation of 2.56) was detected, which translates to a peak force hardness of about 1300 g to about 1900 g.

[0049] It is worth noting that, Figure 8 The baked snack 195 produced by baking only in oven 140 without drying in dryer 150 has a maximum height of about 0.5 cm to about 0.8 cm. Therefore, the total height of the baked snack 195 in its final form is similar between the oven-only method and the oven-dryer method.

[0050] Although conveyor 110 is illustrated for simplicity as comprising only one dough block 180, only one dough sheet 185, only one cut dough block 190, and only one baked snack 195, it should be understood that, depending on the scale of operation of equipment 100, the product propulsion surface of conveyor belt 110 may be large enough to simultaneously and in parallel convey large quantities (e.g., tens, hundreds, etc.) of dough block 180, cut dough block 190, and baked snack 195.

[0051] Figure 2 An exemplary embodiment of a baked snack 195 that can be made by the apparatus 100 described above is illustrated. Figure 2 The size, shape, and overall dimensions of the baked snack 195 shown are chosen by way of example only, and it should be understood that in other embodiments, the baked snack 195 may have different overall shapes and different overall dimensions (e.g., different perimeters, circumferences, heights, etc.).

[0052] Figure 3 A cross-section of the baked snack 195 is illustrated, as is the interior 210 of the baked snack 195, which extends between the upper surface 220 and the lower surface 230 of the baked snack 195. Figure 3 As shown, a matrix 240, at least in part, formed of natural cheese contained in the dough from which baked snack 195 is made, stretches from the interior of the upper surface 220 of the baked snack through the interior 210 of the baked snack 195 to the interior of the lower surface of the baked snack 195.

[0053] In one aspect, because the cheese-based matrix 240 stretches through the interior 210 of the baked snack 195, the upper surface 220 and lower surface 230 of the baked snack 195 have a firmer texture compared to the interior 210 of the baked snack 195. In other words, the interior 210 of the baked snack 195 can have a softer texture than the outer upper surface 220 and lower surface 230 of the baked snack 195. For example, moisture gradient data obtained from some embodiments of the baked snack 195 indicate that the moisture content of the cheese-based matrix 240 on the interior 210 of the baked snack 195 can be about 4% to about 7% by weight higher than the moisture content of the outer surface of the baked snack 195.

[0054] In some embodiments, the texture of the exemplary baked snack 195 results in a peak force hardness of 1000g to 3000g. In some aspects, to ensure that the baked snack 200 is visually pleasing to consumers, the exterior color of the exemplary baked snack 200 may be in the range of 58L-71L in some embodiments, and in some aspects in the range of 63L-66L.

[0055] Figure 12This illustrates an exemplary method 400 for preparing baked snacks. Method 400 includes forming a dough by combining ingredients comprising natural cheese, flour, pregelatinized starch, and water, such that the natural cheese is present in the dough at a higher weight percentage relative to any other ingredient (step 410). As discussed above, the dough may contain a variety of other ingredients, including but not limited to flavorings, herbs, oils, sweeteners, etc. Furthermore, the dough may be formed from the ingredients in mixer 110, but may be obtained from another suitable source. Also as discussed above, in Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the dough exits from the mixer 110 in the form of dough chunks / dough chunks 180.

[0056] In the illustrated example, method 400 also includes pressing dough stock 180 into dough sheet 185 (step 420). As discussed above, dough can be transformed from dough stock 180 into dough sheet 185 in a sheet press 120, but other suitable devices for forming dough sheet 185 can be used. Figure 12 The method 400 shown also includes cutting the dough sheet 185 to form a plurality of discrete dough blocks 190 (step 430). As discussed above, the dough sheet 185 can be cut into dough blocks 190 via a cutter 130, which can be a rotary cutter.

[0057] Method 400 also includes baking dough block 190 in oven 140 to form baked snack 195 (step 440). As noted above, oven 140 may be a single-pass oven. Also as noted above, dough block 190 may be baked in oven 140 under conditions that produce baked snack 195 with a moisture content of about 11% to about 15% by weight (e.g., about 200℉ to about 250℉, for about 8-15 minutes). It is noteworthy that during baking of dough block 190 in oven 140 to form baked snack 195, the height of dough block 190 increases (i.e., as...). Figure 1 As shown, the height of the baked snack 195 leaving the oven 140 is greater than the height of the dough block 190 entering the oven 140.

[0058] Method 400 further includes drying the baked snack 195 in a dryer 150 to further reduce its moisture content (step 450). As noted above, the dryer 150 may be a single-pass dryer or a multi-pass dryer. Also as noted above, the baked snack 195 may be dried in the dryer 150 under conditions that produce a moisture content of about 1% to about 3% by weight (e.g., about 200℉ to about 250℉, for about 20 minutes to about 40 minutes). It is noteworthy that during the drying of the baked snack 195 in the dryer 150, the height of the baked snack 195 decreases due to the removal of moisture from the baked snack 195 during the drying process (i.e., as...). Figure 1 As shown, the height of the baked snack 195 leaving the dryer 150 is less than the height of the baked snack 195 leaving the oven 140.

[0059] As noted above, during baking in oven 140, a hollow interior 210 is formed in each of the baked snacks 195 during the expansion (i.e., stretching or puffing) of the dough block 190. This hollow interior 210 is filled with a cheese-based matrix 240, which is created by stretching the cheese component of the dough between the upper surface 220 and lower surface 230 of the baked snack 195 during baking. In some embodiments, the baked snack may have a maximum height of about 0.7 cm to about 1.3 cm after baking in oven 140, and a maximum height of about 0.5 cm to about 1.0 cm after drying in dryer 150.

[0060] The advantages and implementation methods of the compositions described herein are further illustrated by the following examples; however, the specific conditions, processing methods, materials and amounts listed in these examples should not be construed as unduly limiting the overall scope of the intended compositions.

[0061] Unless otherwise stated, all percentages listed herein are by weight. In the following examples, "dough LFRA" means, as used with Stevens-LFRA. ™ The dough viscosity was measured using a texture analyzer, with a spherical probe inserted into the dough.

[0062] In the dough preparations listed in the examples below, the yeast aqueous solution contains the following ingredients: 15.76% by weight of compressed yeast and 84.05% by weight of water.

[0063] Example The following examples illustrate various embodiments of the dough composition and the resulting baked bite-sized snacks. As discussed above, the inventors have surprisingly and unexpectedly discovered that the dough composition described herein, combined with the processing conditions described herein, produces bite-sized cheese-preferred baked snacks with appealing flavor, color, moisture, and texture to consumers.

[0064] Example 1 : The following illustrates exemplary dough recipes and certain selected processing conditions for making natural cheese-based baked snacks, according to some embodiments. In this embodiment, the target temperature of the dough is 85℉-95℉.

[0065] In one dough preparation, the cheese used is fresh cheddar cheese, and the dough composition contains four groups of ingredients mixed together: Group 1: 15.91 wt% cheddar cheese, 14.32 wt% pregelatinized waxy corn starch, 0.95 wt% sugar, 0.14 wt% baking soda, 0.14 wt% salt, 0.14 wt% basil (whole leaves), and 0.06 wt% chopped rosemary; Group 2: 3.82 wt% low-erucic acid canola oil, 12.41 wt% water (at 140℉), and 2.44 wt% yeast aqueous solution; Group 3: 31.83 wt% flour (Climax). ® Flour) and 1.91% oat fiber; and Group 4: 15.91% cheddar cheese.

[0066] The mixing procedure is as follows: for each of groups 1 and 2, mix at a low speed (e.g., 20 rpm) for 2 minutes; for group 3, mix at a high speed (e.g., 40 rpm) for 7 minutes; and for group 4, mix at a high speed (e.g., 40 rpm) for 2 minutes. The dough preparation runs well through the aforementioned equipment 100 and successfully produces baked snacks 195 with the desired size, shape, color, flavor, and texture characteristics.

[0067] In an alternative cheddar cheese-based dough formulation, the cheese used is fresh cheddar cheese, and the dough composition contains four groups of ingredients mixed together: Group 1: 16.12 wt% cheddar cheese, 14.51 wt% pregelatinized waxy corn starch, 0.97 wt% sugar, 0.14 wt% baking soda, 0.14 wt% salt, 0.14 wt% basil (whole leaves), and 0.06 wt% chopped rosemary; Group 2: 3.87 wt% low-erucic acid rapeseed oil, 11.28 wt% water (at 140℉), and 2.48 wt% yeast aqueous solution; Group 3: 32.24 wt% flour (Climax). ® Flour) and 1.93% oat fiber; and Group 4: 16.12% cheddar cheese.

[0068] The mixing procedure is as follows: for each of groups 1 and 2, mix at a low speed (e.g., 20 rpm) for 2 minutes; for group 3, mix at a high speed (e.g., 40 rpm) for 7 minutes; and for group 4, mix at a high speed (e.g., 40 rpm) for 2 minutes. The dough preparation runs well through the aforementioned equipment 100 and successfully produces baked snacks 195 with the desired size, shape, color, flavor, and texture characteristics.

[0069] Seven exemplary cheddar cheese dough formulations were prepared, with slight variations between batches, and the measurements of the resulting doughs are shown in Tables 1 through 3.

[0070] Table 1: Characteristics of exemplary cheddar cheese-based dough formulations Table 2: Characteristics of dough based on cheddar cheese after baking Table 3: Characteristics of dough based on cheddar cheese after drying Each of the seven cheddar cheese-based dough formulations listed above operated well through the aforementioned equipment 100 and successfully produced baked snacks 195 with the desired size, shape, color, flavor, and texture characteristics.

[0071] In a point bending texture analysis of 30 cycles on an exemplary cheddar cheese-based dough formulation with 1.74% by weight of moisture according to some embodiments, the maximum force detected was approximately 19.9 Newtons (standard deviation of 8.68).

[0072] In the color analysis test of the exemplary cheddar cheese-based baked snack 195 exiting oven 140, the color of the exterior of the upper surface 220 of the baked snack 195 was measured to be between 67 L and 69 L, while the color of the exterior of the lower surface 230 of the baked snack 195 was measured to be between 66 L and 67 L. In the color analysis test of the exemplary cheddar cheese-based baked snack 195 exiting dryer 150, the color of the exterior of the upper surface 220 of the baked snack 195 was measured to be between 64.5 L and 65.5 L, while the color of the exterior of the lower surface 230 of the baked snack 195 was measured to be between 63.5 L and 64.5 L. It is worth noting that a Hunter rotational colorimeter was used to perform the color analysis test on the sample.

[0073] Example 2 : The following illustrates exemplary dough recipes and certain selected processing conditions for making natural cheese-based baked snacks, according to some embodiments. In this embodiment, the target temperature of the dough is 85℉-95℉.

[0074] In one dough preparation, the cheese used is fresh, full-fat (50 wt% fat and 44 wt% moisture) pepper jack cheese, and the dough composition contains four groups of ingredients mixed together: Group 1: 15.97 wt% pepper jack cheese, 14.37 wt% pregelatinized waxy corn starch, 0.96 wt% sugar, 0.14 wt% baking soda, 0.14 wt% salt, 0.14 wt% basil (whole leaves), and 0.06 wt% chopped rosemary; Group 2: 3.83 wt% low-erucic acid canola oil, 12.13 wt% water (at 140℉), and 2.45 wt% yeast aqueous solution; Group 3: 31.93 wt% flour (Climax). ® Group 1: flour and 1.92% oat fiber; and Group 4: 15.97% pepper jack cheese. The mixing program was as follows: for each of Groups 1 and 2, mix at a low speed (e.g., 20 rpm) for 2 minutes; for Group 3, mix at a high speed (e.g., 40 rpm) for 7 minutes; and for Group 4, mix at a high speed (e.g., 40 rpm) for 2 minutes.

[0075] Two exemplary dough formulations based on full-fat pepper jack cheese were prepared, with slight variations between batches, and the measurements of the resulting doughs are shown in Tables 4 through 6 below.

[0076] Table 4: Characteristics of exemplary dough preparations based on full-fat pepper jack cheese Table 5: Characteristics of dough based on full-fat pepper jack cheese after baking Table 6: Characteristics of dough based on full-fat pepper jack cheese after drying Both dough formulations based on full-fat pepper jack cheese listed above operated well through the aforementioned equipment 100 and successfully produced baked snacks 195 with the desired size, shape, color, flavor, and texture characteristics.

[0077] In another dough formulation, the cheese used is fresh, reduced-fat (33% moisture) Pepper Jack cheese, and the dough composition contains four groups of ingredients mixed together: Group 1: 15.97 wt% Pepper Jack cheese, 14.37 wt% pregelatinized waxy corn starch, 0.96 wt% sugar, 0.14 wt% baking soda, 0.14 wt% salt, 0.14 wt% basil (whole leaves), and 0.06 wt% chopped rosemary; Group 2: 3.83 wt% low-erucic acid canola oil, 12.13 wt% water (at 140℉), and 2.45 wt% yeast aqueous solution; Group 3: 31.93 wt% flour (Climax). ®Group 1: flour and 1.92% oat fiber; and Group 4: 15.97% pepper jack cheese. The mixing program was as follows: for each of Groups 1 and 2, mix at a low speed (e.g., 20 rpm) for 2 minutes; for Group 3, mix at a high speed (e.g., 40 rpm) for 7 minutes; and for Group 4, mix at a high speed (e.g., 40 rpm) for 2 minutes.

[0078] In one exemplary embodiment, the dough is prepared using pepper jack cheese through the following five stages: (1) adding shredded cheese, one or more herbs (e.g., basil, rosemary, and / or oregano) and salt and mixing them together at a low speed (e.g., 20 rpm) for about 1 minute to enhance the cheese flavor; (2) adding pregelatinized waxy cornstarch, sugar, and baking soda to the mixture from stage 1 and mixing the ingredients together at a low speed (e.g., 20 rpm) for about 1 minute to incorporate the starch and cheese; (3) adding low-erucic acid rapeseed at 140℉. Oil and water are added to the mixture in stage 2, and the ingredients are mixed together at a low speed (e.g., 20 RPM) for about 2 minutes to hydrate the starch-cheese matrix; (4) flour (e.g., wheat flour or gluten-free flour), oat fiber and yeast solution are added to the mixture in stage 3, and the ingredients are mixed at a higher speed (e.g., 40 RPM) for about 7 minutes to incorporate the flour, yeast and fiber; and (5) more semi-shredded ingredients are added to the mixture in stage 4, and the ingredients are mixed at a higher speed (e.g., 40 RPM) for about 2 minutes to incorporate the remaining cheese into the mixture.

[0079] Two exemplary dough formulations based on reduced-fat pepper jack cheese were prepared, with slight variations between batches, and the measurements of the resulting doughs are shown in Tables 7 through 9 below.

[0080] Table 7: Characteristics of dough preparations based on reduced-fat pepper jack cheese Table 8: Characteristics of dough based on reduced-fat pepper jack cheese after baking Table 6: Characteristics of dough based on reduced-fat pepper jack cheese after drying process Example 3 : The following illustrates exemplary dough recipes and certain selected processing conditions for making natural cheese-based baked snacks, according to some embodiments. In this embodiment, the target temperature of the dough is 85℉-95℉.

[0081] In one dough preparation, the cheese used is dried, grated Parmesan cheese, and the dough composition contains four groups of ingredients mixed together: Group 1: 15.28 wt% Parmesan cheese, 13.75 wt% pregelatinized waxy corn starch, 0.92 wt% sugar, 0.13 wt% baking soda, 0.13 wt% salt, 0.13 wt% basil (whole leaf), and 0.06 wt% oregano; Group 2: 3.67 wt% low-erucic acid rapeseed oil, 15.89 wt% water (at 140℉), and 2.35 wt% yeast aqueous solution; Group 3: 30.56 wt% flour (Climax). ® Group 1: flour and 1.83% oat fiber by weight; and Group 4: 15.28% Parmesan cheese by weight. The mixing program is as follows: for each of Groups 1 and 2, mix at a low speed (e.g., 20 rpm) for 2 minutes; for Group 3, mix at a high speed (e.g., 40 rpm) for 7 minutes; and for Group 4, mix at a high speed (e.g., 40 rpm) for 2 minutes.

[0082] Two exemplary Parmesan-based dough formulations were prepared, with slight variations between batches. Measurements of the resulting doughs are shown in Tables 10-12.

[0083] Table 10: Characteristics of Exemplary Parmesan-Based Dough Preparations Table 11: Properties of Parmesan-based dough after baking Table 12: Properties of Parmesan-based dough after drying Both Parmesan cheese-based dough formulations listed above operated well through the aforementioned equipment 100 and successfully produced baked snacks 195 with the desired size, shape, color, flavor, and texture characteristics.

[0084] In another dough formulation, the cheese used is a four-cheese blend, and the dough composition contains four groups of ingredients mixed together: Group 1: 7.88 wt% rich white cheddar cheese, 7.88 wt% dry Romano cheese, 14.19 wt% pregelatinized waxy corn starch, 0.95 wt% sugar, 0.14 wt% baking soda, 0.14 wt% salt, 0.14 wt% basil (whole leaf), and 0.06 wt% oregano; Group 2: 3.78 wt% low-erucic acid rapeseed oil, 13.24 wt% water (at 140℉), and 2.42 wt% yeast aqueous solution; Group 3: 31.53 wt% flour (Climax). ®Group 1: flour and 1.89% oat fiber; and Group 4: 7.88% mozzarella cheese and 7.88% aziago cheese. The mixing procedure was as follows: for each of Groups 1 and 2, mix at a low speed (e.g., 20 rpm) for 2 minutes; for Group 3, mix at a high speed (e.g., 40 rpm) for 7 minutes; and for Group 4, mix at a high speed (e.g., 40 rpm) for 2 minutes.

[0085] Four exemplary four-cheese dough preparations were made, with slight variations between batches. Measurements of the resulting dough are shown in Tables 13-15.

[0086] Table 13: Characteristics of Exemplary Four-Cheese-Based Dough Preparations Table 14: Characteristics of dough based on four cheeses after baking Table 15: Properties of dough based on four cheeses after drying Each of the four four-cheese-based dough formulations listed above operated well through the aforementioned equipment 100 and successfully produced baked snacks 195 with the desired size, shape, color, flavor, and texture characteristics.

[0087] In another dough formulation, the cheese used is Cheddar Fruit and Seed, and the dough composition contains three groups of ingredients mixed together: Group 1: 14.16 wt% rich white cheddar cheese, 12.74 wt% pregelatinized waxy corn starch, 0.85 wt% sugar, 0.12 wt% baking soda, 0.12 wt% salt, 0.12 wt% basil (whole leaves), and 0.06 wt% chopped rosemary; Group 2: 3.40 wt% low-erucic acid canola oil, 11.33 wt% water (at 140℉), 2.17 wt% yeast solution, 4.53 wt% sunflower seeds, and 6.23 wt% cranberry pieces; and Group 3: 28.31 wt% flour (Climax). ® Flour), 1.70% oat fiber; and 14.16% rich white cheddar cheese. The mixing program is as follows: for each of Group 1 and Group 2, mix at a low speed (e.g., 20 rpm) for 2 minutes; for Group 3, mix at a high speed (e.g., 40 rpm) for 7 minutes; and for Group 4, mix at a high speed (e.g., 40 rpm) for 2 minutes.

[0088] An exemplary dough formulation based on fruit and nut cheddar cheese was prepared, and the measurements of the resulting dough are shown in Tables 16-18.

[0089] Table 16: Characteristics of Fruit and Nut Cheddar Cheese Dough Preparations Table 17: Characteristics of Fruit, Nut, and Cheddar Cheese Dough After Baking Table 18: Characteristics of Fruit and Nut Cheddar Cheese Dough after Drying The dough preparation runs smoothly through the aforementioned equipment 100 and successfully produces baked snacks 195 with the desired size, shape, color, flavor, and texture characteristics.

[0090] Figures 4 to 6 The bar charts show the bulk density, stack (i.e., 10 baked snacks 195) height, and moisture content of some of the exemplary cheese-based bite-sized snacks 195 discussed above after baking in oven 140 and drying in dryer 150. Figure 4 As shown, generally speaking, after drying the cheese-based baked snack 195 in the dryer 150, the bulk density of the cheese-based baked snack 195 (after baking in the oven 140) tends to decrease further. Figure 5 As shown, generally speaking, after drying the cheese-based baked snacks 195 in the dryer 150, the stack height of the cheese-based baked snacks 195 (after baking in the oven 140) tends to decrease further. Figure 6 As shown, after drying the cheese-based baked snack 195 in the dryer 150, the moisture content of the cheese-based baked snack 195 (after baking in the oven 140) is significantly reduced.

[0091] Figure 7 and Figure 8 The bar charts show the post-baking bulk density and stack height of an exemplary embodiment of a bite-sized portion of cheese prepared by baking only in oven 140 and not in dryer 150. Figure 7 As shown, the texture of baked snack 195 produced by baking only in oven 140 without drying in dryer 150 is significantly different from the texture of baked snack 195 produced by baking in oven 140 and drying in dryer 150. However, Figure 8 As shown, the baking method alone can produce baked snack 195 with an overall height similar to that produced by the dryer method.

[0092] Example 4 : Three different dough recipes were prepared for making baked snacks based on natural cheese with significantly different amounts of starch and flour. The three exemplary recipes are listed side by side in Table 19 below.

[0093] Table 19: Dough Recipes with Optimal, High, and Low Amounts of Starch and Flour Table 20 below provides a comparison of the weight percentages of natural cheese, starch, flour, and water among the three recipes listed in Table 19 above.

[0094] Table 20: Comparison of weight percentages of cheese, starch, flour, and water in three dough recipes Table 21 below provides a comparison of baking times for the dough recipes listed in Tables 19 and 20 above.

[0095] Table 21: Baking times for three dough recipes A comparison of various parameters for the three doughs before baking is shown in Table 22 below. Figure 9 The data also includes LFRA data for prebaked dough in bar chart form, expressed in grams of peak load.

[0096] Table 22: Pre-baking parameters for three dough recipes Table 22 and Figure 9 This indicates that dough containing low starch and low flour (i.e., dough #2) is soft, which also makes it sticky and difficult to sheet, making it less than ideal for large-scale operations. Table 22 and Figure 9 Further analysis showed that the dough containing high starch and high flour (i.e., dough #3) was harder than both the control (i.e., dough #1) and dough #2. The hardness of dough #3 may also make it potentially difficult to sheet. On the other hand, the control dough (i.e., dough #1) was easy to sheet and cut due to its texture and was not sticky to the touch.

[0097] Doughs 1, 2, and 3 were baked until color developed, but removed from oven 140 before burning. The higher starch and flour content in dough #3 resulted in a longer baking time and higher moisture content for this dough. The texture of baked snack 195 prepared from doughs 1, 2, and 3 was analyzed by crisp biscuit density and 3-point bending texture measurements.

[0098] A comparison of the three-point bending texture analysis of baked snacks produced from the three dough recipes in Tables 19-22 is shown below. Figure 10 And in Table 23 below.

[0099] Table 23: Post-baking texture of three different baked snacks like Figure 10As can be seen in Table 23, the textures of baked snack 195 produced from dough formulas 1, 2, and 3 are significantly different. It is noteworthy that the preferred texture range for baked snack 195 is defined by the baked snack 195 produced from the control dough (i.e., dough #1). This texture range (i.e., 15.47 ± 5.34 N) is within... Figure 10 The middle section is visually depicted by rectangular areas oriented at a relatively light horizontal angle. It is worth noting that... Figure 10 As shown, the texture of some baked snacks produced from high-starch, high-flour dough #3 falls within the preferred texture range.

[0100] Baked snack 195, produced from dough #2, has a brittle texture, which can lead to cracking and fragility, generally undesirable. Baked snack 195, produced from dough #3, has a higher standard deviation due to its "bubbly" texture and typically requires more force to crack, indicating that it has an average higher than expected bite force. Conversely, baked snack 195, produced from dough #1, advantageously possesses a range of breaking forces, allowing for easy biting with less effort but not too easily crumbling, which is appealing to consumers.

[0101] A comparison of density measurements of baked snacks produced from the three dough recipes in Tables 19-23 is shown in Table 22 above. Figure 11 Table 22 and Figure 11 The density of baked snack 195 produced from dough #1 is shown to be approximately 0.176 g / cm³. 3 The density of baked snack 195 produced from dough #2 is approximately 0.231 g / cm³. 3 Furthermore, the density of baked snack 195 produced from dough #3 is approximately 0.210 g / cm³. 3 The density of the baked snack 195 produced from dough #1 is lower than that of the baked snack 195 produced from dough #2 and dough #3, which advantageously produces a light and airy crisp cookie with a crunchy texture, which is attractive to consumers.

[0102] Those skilled in the art will recognize that many other modifications, alterations, and combinations can be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the scope of the present invention, and such modifications, alterations, and combinations will be considered to fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A baked snack, said baked snack comprising: Natural cheese, flour, and pregelatinized waxy corn starch; The natural cheese is present in the baked snack at a higher weight percentage than any other ingredient; and The interior of the baked snack is filled at least in part with a matrix formed from the natural cheese.

2. The baked snack according to claim 1, wherein: The natural cheese is present in the baked snack in an amount of about 25% to about 45% by weight; The pregelatinized waxy corn starch is present in the baked snack in an amount of about 2% to about 25% by weight; and The flour is present in the baked snack in an amount of about 20% to about 33% by weight.

3. The baked snack according to claim 1, wherein the peak force hardness of the baked snack is from 500 g to 2500 g.

4. The baked snack according to claim 1, wherein the density of the baked snack is from about 110 g / L to about 240 g / L.

5. The baked snack according to claim 1, wherein the baked snack further comprises a moisture content between about 1% and about 4%.

6. The baked snack according to claim 1, wherein the baked snack has a maximum height of about 0.6 cm to about 1.2 cm.

7. The baked snack according to claim 1, wherein the exterior of the baked snack has a color in the range of 58 L-71 L.

8. The baked snack according to claim 1, wherein the baked snack comprises a plurality of punch holes, each of the punch holes having a diameter of 0.065 to 0.

080.

9. The baked snack of claim 1, wherein the natural cheese is selected from at least one of the following: cheddar, parmesan, pepper jack, aziago, gouda, Fontina, and blends of cheddar, parmesan, aziago and mozzarella.

10. A method, the method comprising: Dough is formed by combining ingredients including natural cheese, flour, pregelatinized waxy corn starch and water, wherein the natural cheese is present in the dough at a higher weight percentage relative to any other ingredient; The dough is pressed into a sheet to form a dough sheet; Cut the dough sheet to form multiple dough blocks; The dough block is baked in an oven, wherein the dough block leaving the oven has a moisture content of about 8% to about 16% by weight; and After the baking operation, the dough blocks are dried in a dryer to produce baked snacks having a moisture content of about 1% to about 3% by weight and having a matrix at least partially formed by the natural cheese filling its interior.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein: The natural cheese is present in the baked snack in an amount of about 25% to about 45% by weight; The pregelatinized waxy corn starch is present in the baked snack in an amount of about 2% to about 25% by weight; and The flour is present in the baked snack in an amount of about 20% to about 33% by weight.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the baked snack has a peak force hardness of 500 g to 2500 g.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the baked snack has a density of about 110 g / L to about 240 g / L.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the baked snack has a maximum height of about 0.6 cm to about 1.2 cm.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the baked snack has an exterior color in the range of 58 L to 71 L.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the natural cheese is selected from at least one of cheddar, Parmesan, and pepper jack cheese.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of forming the dough further comprises: The first mixture is formed by mixing the first part of the cheese, one or more herbs, and one or more seasonings together at about 20 revolutions per minute for about 1 minute; A second mixture is formed by adding pregelatinized waxy corn starch, one or more sweeteners, and baking soda to the first mixture, and the second mixture is mixed at about 20 rpm for about 1 minute; A third mixture is formed by adding one or more parts of water at approximately 140℉ and one or more types of oil to the second mixture, and the third mixture is mixed at approximately 20 rpm for approximately 2 minutes. A fourth mixture is formed by adding wheat flour or gluten-free flour, fiber, and yeast solution, and the fourth mixture is mixed at about 40 rpm for about 7 minutes. as well as The fifth mixture is formed by adding the second part of the cheese to the fourth mixture, and the fifth mixture is mixed at about 40 rpm for about 2 minutes.

Images