Methods for producing a frozen dough piece and methods for producing baked goods

Abstract

Method for producing a frozen dough piece, comprising the following steps: a) Producing or providing a dough mixture comprising cereal flour, water and yeast with a mass fraction in the range of 0.5 to 2% based on the mass of the cereal flour and portioning the dough mixture to obtain at least one dough piece, b) Cooling the dough piece at a temperature of -4 °C or less for a period of 2 to 12 h and then storing the dough piece at a temperature in the range of -7 to 7 °C for a period of 3 to 24 h to obtain a retarded dough piece, c) Conditioning the retarded dough piece for a period of 2 to 12 hours at a temperature of 15 °C or more to achieve a predetermined state of doneness of a cooked dough piece, wherein the predetermined state of doneness is in the range of 55 to 95% of the maximum state of doneness, and d) Cooling the cooked dough to obtain a frozen dough with a core temperature of -6 °C or less, and storing the frozen dough at a temperature of -14 °C or less for a storage time of 6 hours or more.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for producing a frozen dough using interrupted fermentation, and a corresponding method for producing baked goods from corresponding frozen dough pieces. Also disclosed is a baking additive for enabling the use of interrupted fermentation in the production of rye-rich bread and the corresponding use of such a baking additive for enabling the use of interrupted fermentation in the production of rye-rich bread.

[0002] The subject matter of the invention is defined in the appended claims.

[0003] The baking trade has a centuries-old tradition and has always been concerned with the question of how to optimize the quality of baked goods, for example, in terms of the visual appearance of the crumb or digestibility. In addition to the quality aspect, however, there is now a similarly strong interest in both craft and industrial companies in optimizing production planning and work time management in order to avoid over- or under-production of baked goods in the company and simultaneously minimize labor costs, for example, by avoiding weekend and / or night work.

[0004] After a baker has prepared the dough, it is usually divided into pieces and the dough pieces are subjected to a fermentation process. Due to the yeast used as a raising agent, fermentation gases are produced during fermentation, which increase the volume of the dough pieces. Only when a defined volume or a sufficient degree of fermentation or cooking time has been reached can the dough pieces be baked.

[0005] A bakery with several branches and small customers, which usually only receives orders for the required baked goods the evening before, must in principle pre-produce the ordered items the following night, for which the necessary workers must be scheduled during the night shift, which not only increases labor costs but also makes the profession of baker unattractive in the eyes of many young professionals.

[0006] To increase product quality and improve these organizational aspects, so-called fermentation time control has become established in modern bakeries as a technology for producing baked goods. This technology serves to improve production and logistics processes and regularly contributes to improving baked goods quality. The technology of fermentation time control encompasses, in particular, the methods familiar to those skilled in the art: long-term fermentation, delayed fermentation, and interrupted fermentation. S. Keller provides a good overview of fermentation time control technology and the corresponding state of the art in his article "Technology of Fermentation Time Control," which is an abridged version of a presentation given at the 59th Bakery Technology Conference 2008 in Detmold and published on January 30, 2009, by the German Cereal Research Association (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Getreideforschung eV).

[0007] The term "long-term fermentation" describes the deliberate extension of the fermentation time of dough pieces to approximately 7 to 8 hours by reducing the amount of yeast and / or the storage temperature. The dough pieces are typically stored at a temperature in the range of approximately 15 to 25 °C, with the dough pieces reaching the desired level of doneness for baking at the end of the long-term fermentation.

[0008] Delayed fermentation is an alternative to long-term fermentation, which, unlike long-term fermentation, allows the fermentation time to be extended to up to 24 hours. To achieve this, the dough pieces are stored at a temperature between -5 and 5 °C. At these temperatures, the activity of the yeast and enzymes in the dough is greatly reduced, but does not completely cease, so the dough pieces continue to rise during the delayed fermentation.

[0009] In contrast to delayed fermentation, with interrupted fermentation, the temperature is reduced to such an extent that the fermentation processes in the dough are almost completely stopped, as the dough freezes. For this purpose, the dough pieces are typically stored at a temperature in the range of -18 to -7 °C. With interrupted fermentation, storage times of up to 72 hours are usually achieved.

[0010] These processes make it possible to control the fermentation process in such a way that, for example, night or weekend work can be avoided. A significant disadvantage of this production method, however, is that the quantity of goods pre-produced using long-term processing or delayed fermentation often does not exactly match the quantity actually required. Short-term adjustments to changing order quantities, for example, in the event of unexpectedly high demand or special customer orders, are not possible without considerable additional effort. In other words, once a certain number of dough pieces has been produced, only this quantity can be baked following this production process.

[0011] If the required quantity needs to be changed, an adjustment is not possible at all for a reduced quantity, and for an increased quantity, it requires considerable additional effort. Therefore, the production of long-term baked goods inevitably leads to overproduction or underproduction, even if the company has comparatively good experience with the required production quantities. Such overproduction can usually only be distributed or disposed of. Shortages, on the other hand, are difficult to compensate for, so they are missing from sales and can not only lead to lost revenue but also reduce customer satisfaction.

[0012] At first glance, a possible solution to this problem appears to be interrupting the fermentation process, or rather, freezing. Experts refer to freezing as the long-term storage of frozen dough pieces at a temperature of -18 °C or below. Freezing can be applied to both unproofed dough pieces and already proofed dough pieces (usually three-quarters proofed dough pieces), which can be baked directly after thawing without further proofing.

[0013] In particular, frozen cooked dough pieces, as disclosed, for example, in DE 10 2004 003 927 B4, appear in principle to be promising for optimising the control of production quantities by keeping a quantity of baked goods corresponding to the usual fluctuation only as frozen cooked dough pieces, which - so the reasoning goes - can be available at short notice when needed and does not lead to overproduction.

[0014] The problem, however, is that the use of frozen, pre-cooked dough pieces is impractical in practice for numerous reasons, especially for bread production. In practice, frozen, pre-cooked dough pieces can only be thawed with considerable time expenditure; the so-called regeneration time, for example, for a 600 g dough piece for bread with a baked weight of 500 g, can easily take around three hours. This is due to the fact that freezing takes place at -18 °C, and the temperature gradient within the dough piece causes the outer layer of the dough piece to thaw first. However, due to its porous structure, this layer itself has an insulating effect on the core.Due to the delayed thawing of the powerful core mass, the oven spring necessary for the development of the shape and the overall volume of a baked good only begins after the outer layer has solidified and can therefore only develop to a limited extent, so that the baking result is inadequate if regeneration is insufficient.

[0015] The thawing step therefore significantly increases the total baking time, especially for bread. For this reason, the option of replicating the baking process with frozen, cooked dough pieces, for example, in an oven with a thawing program, has, to the inventor's knowledge, been used in the state of the art at best for small dough pieces with a low unit weight (up to approximately 150 g).

[0016] For dough pieces weighing more than 150 g, such as bread dough pieces with a weight of up to 1,400 g, corresponding to a baked weight of approximately 1,250 g, this procedure is hardly practical for providing baked goods at short notice during normal store hours.

[0017] Irrespective of this, baked goods made from frozen cooked dough pieces, especially breads, regularly show significant quality losses, such as reduced volume, weakened shape, low crispness, and a shorter shelf life compared to baked goods made without freezing the dough pieces.

[0018] The quality losses are often perceived as particularly pronounced compared to baked goods that are not only produced without freezing, but also using long-term fermentation or delayed fermentation. Since the production of frozen, cooked dough pieces is not subject to the same time pressure as fresh production, frozen, cooked dough pieces are usually produced without long-term fermentation or interrupted fermentation for reasons of efficiency, so that they can be frozen as quickly as possible, as disclosed, for example, in DE 10 2004 003 927 B4.

[0019] In addition to the patent literature, further information on the state of the art can also be found in the non-patent literature, for example in: i) Keller, Stefan: “Current guided tours of bread rolls”; summary of the lecture given by Stefan Keller at the 61st Conference on Bakery Technology 2010 in Detmold; ii) Schünemann, Claus; "Learning Fields of Bakery Production." Third edition. Alfeld / Leine: Gildebuchverlag GmbH & Co. KG, 2011. Pages 270 to 271. - ISBN: 978-3-7734-0165-6; and iii) Hermann, Christine: “Baking of small baked goods in a newly developed microwave-assisted convection oven”; abstract of the lecture given by Christine Hermann at the 58th Conference on Bakery Technology in Detmold in 2007.

[0020] The overarching object of the present invention was to provide a method for producing a frozen dough piece which eliminates or at least reduces the disadvantages of the prior art described above.

[0021] In particular, it was an object of the present invention to provide a method for producing a frozen cooked dough piece, with which a frozen cooked dough piece can be obtained which can be thawed and baked without the losses in product quality known from the prior art, wherein the aim was that corresponding frozen cooked dough pieces can be stored without loss of quality even over a period of several days.

[0022] The process should also be suitable for larger dough pieces, such as bread dough. Furthermore, the process should be able to do without the use of complex packaging materials for the dough pieces. In this respect, it was particularly desirable that the frozen, cooked dough pieces could be stored in a space-saving manner without any additional packaging and be as resistant to external influences as possible.

[0023] A particularly important object of the present invention was that the process can produce a frozen, cooked dough piece that can be baked without any loss of quality even if the thawing is accelerated many times over by the use of modern methods.

[0024] Accordingly, it was also a central object of the present invention to provide a method for baking bread from a corresponding frozen cooked dough piece, which, through the use of modern manufacturing methods, enables a considerable acceleration of the production process and thereby delivers a product of high quality.

[0025] A complementary task was to design the specified processes in such a way that the positive effects on the product quality of the finished baked goods that can be achieved through long-term processing and delayed fermentation are also evident in baked goods produced using corresponding processes from frozen, cooked dough pieces. It was desired that these positive effects could also be realized starting from frozen, cooked dough pieces in companies that do not have specialized equipment, such as fully automatic fermenters.

[0026] Compared to conventional methods of fermentation time control, the object of the present invention was to provide a method for baking baked goods that ensures the exact delivery of the ordered baked goods, while compensating for any deviations from estimated demand with very high reaction speed and without economic losses or massive changes to production planning, thus avoiding delayed delivery of missing baked goods and eliminating the additional costs of compensating for quantity differences. In particular, the present invention is intended to enable compressed and efficient production during regular working hours and thus enable reduced personnel deployment during the more expensive night hours.

[0027] A particularly important object within the scope of the present invention was that the methods to be specified are applicable to essentially all types of bread.

[0028] Even if the last of the aforementioned aspects may be inconspicuous to the layperson, the skilled person will immediately recognize that this is an important facet of the present invention and that this point particularly concerns rye breads, namely, above all, breads with a high rye flour content of 50% or more. In accordance with expert nomenclature, rye-containing breads with a rye flour content of less than 90% in the cereal flour are referred to as mixed rye breads, whereas rye-containing breads with a rye flour content of 90% or more in the cereal flour are referred to as rye breads, among which the so-called pure rye breads with a rye flour content of 99% or more, i.e. breads whose cereal flour consists almost exclusively of rye flour, are of particular relevance. In the following, these breads with a rye flour content of 50% or more are collectively referred to as high-rye breads.

[0029] The production of rye-rich mixed rye bread or rye bread, and especially pure rye bread, by means of delayed or interrupted fermentation is not readily possible. The use of fermentation time control methods, in particular delayed or interrupted fermentation, is known to lead to significant quality defects in such rye-rich breads, resulting in unsaleable products. Breads produced in this way regularly exhibit an undesirable, irregular pore pattern, with partially torn pore walls and interconnected cavities of undesirable size, making slicing these breads almost impossible and the slices virtually impossible to spread. In particular, rye-rich breads produced using time control achieve only a significantly reduced, unsightly baked volume, especially in rye bread and pure rye bread.

[0030] As a result of the circumstances described above, bakeries ultimately largely forgo the production of rye-rich bread by delaying and / or interrupting fermentation. Accordingly, rye-rich bread is generally produced fresh in bakeries. This involves using large quantities of yeast to shorten the fermentation time of the dough pieces. These breads must therefore be produced at night so they can be baked fresh and delivered in the morning. The consequence for the bakery is a six-day work week for production employees, with predominantly night shifts.

[0031] Although the majority of bakeries could actually produce other breads, such as wheat and mixed-wheat breads, as well as mixed-rye breads with a lower rye flour content, during the daytime using time-controlled fermentation, as described above, it is often economically viable to employ all production personnel at night due to the necessity of night shifts for the fresh production of high-rye bread. This enables concentrated production rather than installing a multi-shift operation exclusively for the fresh production of, for example, pure rye breads.

[0032] It was therefore a very special challenge of the present invention to provide a method which can also be used for mixed rye breads with a high rye flour content of 50% or more as well as for rye breads and the so-called pure rye breads with a rye flour content of 90% or more or 99% or more and which makes the advantages of fermentation time control, both with regard to product quality and work organization, accessible to these baked goods.

[0033] In light of the above, a central object of the present invention was to enable the production of such rye-rich breads outside of the cost-intensive night hours or even several days in advance, thus enabling simplified shift operations in bakeries with less night and weekend work. As a side effect of the improved process organization, a more efficient and consistent production of all baked goods in the bakery should be enabled, thereby reducing the waste and error rate. A not to be underestimated object of the present invention is to increase occupational safety, reduce the health risks for staff, and make work in a bakery more attractive, even for those just starting out in the profession, by aligning rye bread production with other baked goods and enabling daytime work.

[0034] In addition, it was desirable to provide a process by which the amount of yeast required for such rye-rich breads could be reduced in order to save material costs and at the same time achieve an improvement in taste.

[0035] The inventor has now recognized that the aforementioned objects can surprisingly be achieved if the dough mixture used to produce the dough pieces is prepared with a reduced yeast content, and the dough pieces are subsequently subjected successively to a delayed fermentation, a long-term fermentation, and finally a fermentation interruption or prolonged freezing, while undergoing a specific temperature profile. The combination of these three process steps is actually completely counterintuitive to the person skilled in the art, particularly due to the considerable time required. However, in combination with the reduced yeast addition to the dough, it results in frozen dough pieces that can be used to produce baked goods, especially breads, of excellent quality even after several months of storage.

[0036] Without wishing to be bound by this theory, it is assumed that the quality of baked goods made from frozen dough pieces, which is often perceived as inadequate, is related to an unfavorable distribution of the water present in the dough, which is often referred to by experts as pouring water, since this water is at least partly present in unbound form.

[0037] The inventive process allows for an unusually long processing time until the dough piece is cooked to the desired doneness, allowing the bulk water to swell particularly intensively with the other components of the dough mixture, thus significantly minimizing the amount of free bulk water before freezing. This reduces damage to the dough piece during the freezing process.

[0038] The specific temperature profile, which leads to a characteristic temperature gradient (from warm to cold to warm to cold) and an alternation of freezing and thawing, ensures a specific thermal and mechanical influence on the structure of the dough through the formation and breakdown of ice crystals in the dough, which leads to a special suitability for freezing.

[0039] The fermentation processes during the long-term fermentation process entail the creation of fermentation gases, which are trapped within the dough and, as they expand, increase the dough volume, resulting in a foamy, viscous dough structure. According to the inventor, this increased volume and the almost homogeneous swelling of the pouring water with the remaining components of the dough mix, especially the flour, at the end of the long-term fermentation process are precisely the cause of the formation of microscopically small and finely distributed ice crystals in the frozen dough during freezing, which determine the high quality of the bread produced from the frozen dough.

[0040] Furthermore, it was found that not only is the quality improved, but also the thawing process of corresponding dough pieces under normal thawing conditions is significantly faster and without any loss of quality.

[0041] Furthermore, it was found that, despite the freezing process, baked goods made from corresponding frozen dough pieces retain the positive properties that baked goods acquire through long-term fermentation and delayed fermentation, particularly high digestibility. The high degree of swelling of the bulk water during the baking process also reduces the evaporation of the bulk water, which is otherwise observed with unbound bulk water, so that more moisture remains in the finished bread, which is beneficial for extended freshness.

[0042] In contrast, frozen dough pieces produced without the inventive method regularly contain larger amounts of free, i.e., unbound and unswollen, bulk water. This, with conventional freezing methods, forms considerably larger ice crystals, causing greater mechanical stress in the dough piece. The frozen bulk water is thus less evenly distributed throughout the dough piece. This adversely affects the length of the thawing process and leads to frozen dough pieces from which only unsatisfactory baked goods can be obtained, even after a long thawing process.

[0043] It was found, particularly surprisingly, that the specific properties of the frozen three-quarters-cooked dough pieces obtained by the process according to the invention allow the cooked dough pieces to be thawed in a microwave, while still yielding baked goods of excellent quality after baking. Even though microwave thawing is known in private households for frozen fully baked, i.e., fully baked, baked goods, such as frozen rolls, the use of a microwave to thaw conventional frozen three-quarters-cooked dough pieces, particularly on the scale of a craft or industrial operation, would be unthinkable, as the expected quality of the resulting baked goods would be inadequate.

[0044] Thanks to the now possible use of a microwave oven, dough pieces can be advantageously thawed and prepared for baking in just a few minutes, allowing bakeries to supply additional high-quality baked goods from frozen storage at very short notice, which are equivalent in quality to those produced regularly using long-term processing or in direct processing (i.e., fresh production). This can solve the previously described problems of work organization in bakeries.

[0045] In principle, any commercially available model can be used as a microwave, although industrial microwaves are preferred as they allow larger quantities to be defrosted at the same time.

[0046] In practice, the use of a microwave to thaw frozen dough pieces produced using the method according to the invention has not only proven to be non-detrimental, but has consistently led to improved baking results. This is attributed to the particularly uniform thawing of the frozen dough pieces, with the homogeneously distributed and particularly small ice crystals extending into the core of the dough piece. This prevents uneven thawing with a delayed thawing process in the core, as is regularly observed for conventional frozen dough pieces and which regularly leads to detrimental baking results.

[0047] During the development of the process according to the invention, the inventor discovered, quite surprisingly, that this process can also be used to produce rye-rich mixed rye bread or rye bread, and even pure rye bread, using delayed and interrupted fermentation without significant loss of quality. This was entirely unexpected given the existing reservations among experts. The inventor discovered that this is possible in the process according to the invention if a specific baking additive is used, which has been optimized, particularly with regard to its water-binding and swelling components, in combination with a specific enzyme combination.

[0048] To the inventor's knowledge, this allows for the first time the benefits of interrupted and delayed fermentation, both in terms of work planning within the company and in terms of product quality, to be realized in corresponding rye-rich breads without significant quality losses. In particular, frozen dough pieces can also be preserved with the advantages described above. Perhaps the greatest advantage of this invention, however, is that the production of corresponding rye-rich breads no longer has to take place at night, allowing the majority of bakery operations to take place during regular business hours.

[0049] The above-mentioned objects are therefore achieved by methods, baking additives, and uses as defined in the claims. Preferred embodiments of the invention emerge from the subclaims and the following statements.

[0050] Such features of processes according to the invention, as well as of disclosed baking additives and uses, which are designated as preferred below, are combined in particularly preferred embodiments with other features designated as preferred. Thus, combinations of two or more of the processes, baking additives, and uses designated as particularly preferred below are very particularly preferred.

[0051] The invention relates to a method for producing a frozen dough piece, in particular a frozen cooked dough piece, comprising the steps: a) producing or providing a dough mixture comprising cereal flour, water and yeast with a mass fraction in the range of 0.5 to 2% based on the mass of cereal flour and portioning the dough mixture to obtain at least one dough piece, b) cooling the dough piece at a temperature of -4 °C or less for a period of 2 to 12 hours and then storing the dough piece at a temperature in the range of -7 to 7 °C for a period of 3 to 24 hours to obtain a delayed-fermentation dough piece, c) conditioning the delayed-fermentation dough piece for a period of 2 to 12 hours at a temperature of 15 °C or more to achieve a predetermined cooking state of a cooked dough piece, wherein the predetermined cooking state is in the range of 55 to 95% of the maximum cooking state, and d) cooling the cooked dough piece to obtain a frozen dough piece with an internal temperature of -6 °C or less, and storing the frozen dough piece at a temperature of -14 °C or less for a storage time of 6 hours or more.

[0052] The dough mix can be prepared in the process according to the invention in a conventional manner, for example by mixing and kneading the ingredients. Alternatively, the dough mix can be prepared, for example by purchasing a pre-made dough mix.

[0053] The dough mix comprises cereal flour, water, and yeast. For the process according to the invention, it has proven essential that the yeast content be in the range of 0.5 to 2% based on the mass of the cereal flour. The dough mix may contain other ingredients, such as baking additives, and the cereal flour may consist of different types of cereal flour.

[0054] Portioning dough pieces is a common process step in the bakery industry, although a dough mix can also be portioned as a single dough piece. The terms "portioning" and "dough piece" therefore do not inherently contain any information about the mass or volume of the dough piece, and these parameters may change for a dough piece during the process according to the invention, for example, due to the division or combination of individual dough pieces during the process. However, this is not preferred with regard to the quality of the resulting baked goods.

[0055] In step b), the process according to the invention utilizes a specific variant of delayed fermentation to extend the overall process time until the desired degree of fermentation is reached, thereby allowing sufficient time for the bulk water to swell. Here, the dough pieces, which typically have a temperature above 20°C, frequently around 24°C, are cooled for a first period and then delayed fermentation for a second period. The temperatures set for the defined storage times are typically not suitable for reducing the core temperature of the dough piece to below -6°C, and thus at least a low fermentation activity should typically remain in the dough piece. This ultimately depends on the composition of the dough mixture and can be adjusted accordingly by a specialist.

[0056] In step b), there may be overlaps between the cooling phase and the fermentation delay at low temperatures, with the defined times being added in accordance with the understanding of the person skilled in the art, so that, for example, storage at a temperature of -5 °C for 5 to 36 h can be understood as cooling at -5 °C for a period of 2 to 12 h and storage at -5 °C for a period of 3 to 24 h.

[0057] Particularly preferred process parameters for this step were identified in our own test series. A process according to the invention is preferred, wherein the cooling in step b) takes place for a period of 4 to 8 hours, preferably 5 to 7 hours, and / or wherein the cooling in step b) takes place at a temperature in the range of -8 to -5°C, and / or wherein the storage in step b) takes place at a temperature in the range of -5 to 5°C, and / or wherein the storage in step b) takes place for a period of 5 to 16 hours, preferably 6 to 10 hours, particularly preferably 7 to 9 hours.

[0058] In step c), the method according to the invention uses a specific variant of long-term processing following the delayed fermentation, whereby the delayed fermentation dough piece is stored for a specified period of time at a temperature of 15°C or more. This step serves to establish a predetermined degree of doneness of the cooked dough piece, wherein the predetermined degree of doneness lies in the range of 55 to 95% of the maximum doneness. The doneness is expressed as a percentage and is a term familiar to those skilled in the art, which they can readily state when comparing the volume of a cooking dough piece with the initial volume and the volume of the maximum doneness, which is also referred to as full fermentation. The latter can be determined by the person skilled in the art using the so-called thumb pressure test.

[0059] In our own experiments, particularly preferred process parameters were also identified for this step. A process according to the invention is preferred wherein the conditioning in step c) takes place at a temperature in the range of 15 to 30 °C, preferably in the range of 20 to 28 °C, particularly preferably 22 to 26 °C, and / or wherein the conditioning in step c) takes place for a period of 4 to 8 hours, preferably 5 to 7 hours.

[0060] To increase the quality of the subsequent baked goods, it has proven advantageous to carry out steps b) and / or c) at high air humidity. For optimal results, it has also been shown that the cooked state of the cooked dough pieces before freezing should not be too low. Thus, a method according to the invention is preferred, wherein the relative air humidity during storage in step b) and / or conditioning in step c) is in the range of 60 to 90%, preferably in the range of 70 to 80%. A method according to the invention is according to the invention, wherein the predetermined cooked state is in the range of 55 to 95%, preferably in the range of 65 to 85%, very particularly preferably in the range of 70 to 80% of the maximum cooked state.

[0061] Only after undergoing the specific pretreatment according to steps b) and c) is the cooked dough cooled in step d) to obtain a frozen dough with a core temperature, i.e., a temperature at the center of the dough, of -6°C or less. This is necessary to completely halt the fermentation processes in the dough, thus interrupting fermentation. The resulting frozen dough is then stored at a temperature of -14°C or less for a storage period of 6 hours or more and can then be used to produce baked goods.

[0062] For most dough mixes, it has proven effective to further reduce the core temperature during cooling to completely interrupt the fermentation activity in the dough. Accordingly, a method according to the invention is preferred, wherein the cooling of the cooked dough piece is carried out to obtain a frozen dough piece with a core temperature of -7 °C or less, preferably -8 °C or less.

[0063] The prior art DE 102004003927 B4 teaches that freezing should be carried out with a low temperature gradient and that this can lead to a better bread structure. In contrast, the present method has shown that particularly good results are obtained when the proofed dough pieces, starting from the temperature after the long-term fermentation of more than 15 °C, are cooled with the largest possible temperature gradient. Accordingly, a method according to the invention is preferred, wherein the cooling takes place at a temperature of -14 °C or less, particularly preferably -18 °C or less.

[0064] Especially at low storage temperatures, particularly long storage times for frozen dough pieces can be achieved with the method according to the invention. Accordingly, a method according to the invention is preferred wherein the storage in step d) takes place at a temperature of -16°C or less, preferably -18°C or less, and / or wherein the storage in step d) takes place for a storage time of 12 hours or more, preferably 24 hours or more.

[0065] Although the process according to the invention is in principle suitable for all types of dough pieces, it is particularly advantageous for bread dough pieces, since the problems of the prior art, particularly with regard to the unfavorable thawing time and inhomogeneous thawing behavior, are particularly evident with these heavier dough pieces. Accordingly, a process according to the invention is preferred, wherein the dough piece in step a) has a mass in the range of 400 to 2000 g, preferably 500 to 1600 g, particularly preferably 600 to 1600 g, and most preferably more than 600 g.

[0066] As explained above, the process according to the invention also makes it possible, quite surprisingly, to obtain rye-rich mixed rye breads, rye breads, and even pure rye breads from frozen dough pieces of excellent quality. Thus, contrary to the prevailing prejudices of the experts, the advantages of interrupted fermentation can also be efficiently utilized in these rye-rich breads. This only requires that a special baking additive be added to the dough mix.

[0067] Accordingly, a method according to the invention is preferred, wherein the cereal flour in the dough mixture, based on the total mass of the cereal flour, consists of more than 50%, preferably more than 70%, particularly preferably more than 90%, most particularly preferably more than 99% rye flour, and wherein the dough mixture additionally contains a baking additive, wherein the baking additive comprises the following components: - one or more emulsifiers selected from the group consisting of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids, esters of acetic acid and / or tartaric acid with mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids and lecithins, - pregelatinised flour, preferably pregelatinised wheat flour, and / or one or more hydrocolloids selected from the group consisting of polysaccharides, - one or more phosphates selected from the group consisting of mono- and di-phosphates, - Gluten, preferably wheat gluten, - Fat, and - an enzyme mixture comprising α-amylase and xylanase, wherein these components in the dough mixture have a combined mass fraction of 0.5 to 4%, preferably 0.8 to 3%, based on the mass of the cereal flour.

[0068] The above-defined components of the baking additive are known to the person skilled in the art and are sometimes also used in baking additives for other breads, such as wheat breads. However, in this combination, they are not known as a baking additive for high-rye breads. It was not foreseeable that this specific combination of components could make it possible to interrupt fermentation for high-rye breads, and in particular even for pure rye breads. Of course, the corresponding baking additive can also be used for non-high-rye breads.

[0069] The baking additive may optionally contain other common ingredients.

[0070] The proportions of the components defined above can be adapted to the composition of a planned dough mixture by the person skilled in the art through routine tests, whereby the person skilled in the art should efficiently start from a baking additive which contains the six components gluten, pregelatinised flour and / or hydrocolloids, emulsifiers, phosphates, fat and the enzyme mixture in order of descending mass fractions.

[0071] Without wishing to be bound by this theory, these essential components, apart from the enzyme mixture, seem to be connected with the distribution and swelling of pouring water in the dough mixture, which is probably of crucial importance in enabling the interruption of fermentation in rye-rich breads.

[0072] The one or more emulsifiers contribute to a better distribution of water in the dough mix and improve the gas retention capacity, machinability, volume, and fermentation tolerance. For the purposes of this invention, the term "fatty acids" refers to naturally occurring fatty acids of animal or plant origin. Corresponding emulsifiers are approved in the European Union, for example, as food additives E 471 and E 472e. Emulsifiers of fatty acids of plant origin are preferred.

[0073] The pregelatinizing flour and / or hydrocolloids increase the water absorption of the dough mixture and contribute significantly to the comprehensive swelling in the process according to the invention.

[0074] The phosphates increase the dough's leavening power, stabilize the acidity, and improve water absorption. Gluten also absorbs and binds free water, thereby improving dough stability.

[0075] The fat, together with the water and the emulsifiers, ensures that a smooth, plastic dough is created that has improved volume.

[0076] In the enzyme mixture, amylase provides food for the yeast by breaking down starch, thus increasing the dough's volume. Xylanase creates a smooth dough structure and also increases the dough's volume.

[0077] In the design of the process according to the invention, some components have proven particularly suitable for use as a baking additive for rye-rich breads. A process according to the invention as defined above is particularly preferred, wherein the baking additive comprises: - one or more first emulsifiers selected from the group consisting of diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids, - one or more second emulsifiers selected from the group consisting of monoglycerides of fatty acids, - pregelatinised flour, preferably pregelatinised wheat flour, and xanthan gum, - one or more phosphates selected from the group consisting of calcium phosphate, disodium diphosphate, trisodium diphosphate, tetrasodium diphosphate and dicalcium diphosphate, - wheat gluten, - vegetable fat, and - an enzyme mixture comprising α-amylase and xylanase, and optionally one or more components selected from the group consisting of monosaccharides, whole soy, fillers and ascorbic acid.

[0078] It should be noted that those skilled in the art will, of course, know that, in addition to the baking additive, a sourdough is required for the production of rye-rich breads. However, in the context of the present invention, this is assigned to the dough mix and is not directly related to the invention. Nevertheless, a process according to the invention is conceivable, wherein the dough mix comprises a sourdough, in particular a pumpable sourdough with a dough yield of 213, i.e., 100 parts of rye flour and 113 parts of water are used, based on this amount of flour.

[0079] From the frozen, cooked dough pieces, baked goods of particularly high quality can be obtained particularly quickly for all types of bread, including pure rye bread. Accordingly, the invention also relates to a corresponding method for producing baked goods, in particular bread, comprising the steps of the method according to the invention for producing a frozen dough piece, as well as the following steps: e) thawing the frozen dough to reach an internal temperature of 4 °C or more, and f) Baking the thawed dough.

[0080] Even though the frozen dough pieces produced using the method according to the invention also exhibit improved thawing behavior in conventional thawing processes, it is particularly noteworthy that, contrary to the expectations of the expert, such dough pieces can also be thawed in a microwave without resulting in a product of inferior quality. This allows particularly short thawing times to be achieved, with the dough pieces advantageously being able to thaw particularly evenly. The preferred method significantly shortens the overall duration of the production process for baked goods from frozen dough pieces. Our own experiments have shown that particularly good baking results are achieved if the surface of the frozen dough piece is moistened with water before thawing in the microwave.

[0081] Accordingly, a method according to the invention is preferred, wherein the thawing in step e) takes place in a microwave oven, wherein the surface of the frozen dough piece is preferably wetted with water before thawing, preferably by spraying or by means of an immersion bath.

[0082] During optimization of the process according to the invention, it has been shown that a process according to the invention is preferred, wherein the thawing takes place in the microwave oven at a power of 100 to 500 W, preferably 200 to 400 W, particularly preferably 250 to 350 W, and for a time of 5 to 13 min, preferably 6 to 11 min, particularly preferably 7 to 9 min.

[0083] The frozen dough pieces can advantageously be stored without outer packaging, and it is also possible, in principle, to thaw or bake them without reshaping. Nevertheless, a method according to the invention is conceivable, particularly for rye bread and pure rye bread, in which the thawing and / or baking takes place in an open mold, preferably a wooden mold, since this allows for the production of particularly visually appealing baked goods. The wooden mold is particularly suitable because it can be used in both microwave ovens and ovens.

[0084] Also disclosed is a frozen dough piece produced by a method according to the invention and a corresponding bread produced by a method according to the invention.

[0085] Also disclosed is a baking additive for enabling the use of fermentation interruption in the production of dough pieces with a mass fraction of rye flour in the total cereal flour of more than 50%, preferably more than 70%, particularly preferably more than 90%, most particularly preferably more than 99%, comprising: - one or more first emulsifiers selected from the group consisting of diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids, - one or more second emulsifiers selected from the group consisting of monoglycerides of fatty acids, - pregelatinized wheat flour and xanthan gum, - one or more phosphates selected from the group consisting of calcium phosphate, disodium diphosphate, trisodium diphosphate, tetrasodium diphosphate and dicalcium diphosphate, - wheat gluten, - vegetable fat, and - an enzyme mixture comprising α-amylase and xylanase.

[0086] In this case, a baking additive is preferred which additionally comprises one or more components selected from the group consisting of whole soy, monosaccharides, fillers and ascorbic acid.

[0087] Also disclosed is the use of a baking additive in a dough mixture with a mass fraction of rye flour in the total cereal flour of more than 50%, preferably more than 70%, particularly preferably more than 90%, most particularly preferably more than 99%, to enable the use of fermentation interruption in the production of dough pieces and / or breads.

[0088] In this case, a use is preferred wherein the mass fraction of yeast in the dough mixture is in the range of 0.5 to 2%, preferably 0.8 to 1.7%, based on the weight of the cereal flour, and / or wherein the mass fraction of water is in the range of 70 to 90%, preferably 76 to 82%, particularly preferably 79 to 81%, based on the weight of the cereal flour, and / or wherein a sourdough is added to the dough mixture, in particular a pumpable sourdough with a dough yield of 213.

[0089] The invention is explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments. Example A - Wheat bread:

[0090] A first dough mix comprising 776.4 g of type 550 wheat flour, 15.5 g of yeast, 15.5 g of iodized table salt, and 442.3 g of water, as well as a second dough mix with a reduced yeast content comprising 776.4 g of type 550 wheat flour, 23.3 g of baking additive 1, 1.6 g of baking additive 2, 10.1 g of yeast, 15.5 g of iodized table salt, and 473.6 g of water, were freshly prepared by mixing with a spiral mixer (5 min slow, 9 min fast). Two 600 g dough pieces were formed from each dough mix.

[0091] A two-component baking additive was used in the second dough mix. Baking Additive 1 consists of sugar, flavorings, ascorbic acid, and fillers, as well as approximately two-thirds wheat gluten, diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E472e), phosphates (E341 and E450), vegetable fat, xanthan gum as a hydrocolloid, and an enzyme mixture containing α-amylase and xylanase. Baking Additive 2 consists of wheat gluten, pregelatinized wheat flour, mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E471), vegetable fat, xanthan gum as a hydrocolloid, and an enzyme mixture containing α-amylase and xylanase.

[0092] The dough pieces from the first dough mixture were brought to three-quarter proofing in a manner analogous to the procedure disclosed in DE 102004003927 B4, i.e., by allowing them to rise for a total of approximately 75 minutes at a fermentation temperature of 32 °C. The temperature of the proofed dough pieces was slowly lowered in accordance with the teaching of DE 102004003927 B4 before the dough pieces were stored at -18 °C for 48 hours.

[0093] The dough pieces of the second dough mixture were treated according to the method of the invention. Immediately after processing, the dough pieces were cooled to a room temperature of -6°C for a period of 6 hours and then stored for a period of 8 hours to obtain delayed-fermentation dough pieces. The room temperature was increased linearly from -6°C to +5°C over the 8 hours of storage, so that the room temperature of +5°C was not reached until the end of the 8 hours. The delayed-fermentation dough pieces were then stored for a period of 6 hours to adjust the dough pieces' doneness to 75%. The room temperature was increased linearly from +5°C to +24°C over the 6 hours, so that the room temperature was above 15°C for approximately 3 hours. The resulting cooked dough pieces were then immediately cooled to a room temperature of -18°C and stored at this temperature for 48 hours.

[0094] The frozen dough pieces were each removed from the freezer, thawed, and then baked under standard conditions (45 minutes, 200°C in a preheated oven). Thawing was performed for the two dough pieces from the first dough mix by slow regeneration at +24°C, and for the two dough pieces from the second dough mix, thawing was performed in a standard microwave oven for 8 minutes at 300 watts. The corresponding dough pieces from the second dough mix were previously moistened by briefly immersing them in water. The dough pieces from the second dough mix then remained in the switched-off microwave oven for a further 2 minutes to allow the heat energy generated in the dough pieces to spread as evenly as possible.

[0095] The quality of the resulting loaves was assessed by a master baker with over 20 years of professional experience according to industry-standard quality criteria, focusing in particular on volume, pore structure, crumb elasticity, crust color, crust texture, chewiness, sliceability, and flavor. The results are summarized in Table 1. Table 1 Quality criterion Evaluation first dough mixture (not according to the invention) second dough mixture (according to the invention) Pastry volume very good outstanding, significantly improved Crust color good, a bit bland / pale very good, attractive gold / brown Crust texture somewhat brittle, compacted delicately splintery Pore ​​structure irregular, partially compacted pore pattern, partially wild pore pattern pore membranes are dull / matt, dry impression rather uniform coarse structure, pore membranes are glassy / transparent and shiny, moist impression Crumb elasticity good, elastic when tested with thumb pressure, slightly weakening very good, elastic when thumb pressure tested, stable Cut resistance Interface is crumbly / dry / crumbly Interface is silky / smooth Chewing impression Tough to bite, balled / sticky, rubbery, saliva solubility is delayed, the crumb sticks to the teeth and in the mouth, the impression of consumption is rather unpleasant short and tender / crispy in the bite the saliva solubility of the crumb is noticeably shortened and the consumption impression is therefore pleasant / digestible The taste bland, little aroma very aromatic, balanced

[0096] The expert evaluation of the process results summarized in Table 1 demonstrates the advantages of the process according to the invention. With regard to the dough composition, a preferred dough mix was used in the process according to the invention, which also includes a baking additive that was identified as particularly advantageous with regard to the baking results obtained. However, the advantages of the process according to the invention summarized above also arise for low-rye breads such as this (possibly somewhat less pronounced) without the use of specific baking additives.

[0097] With regard to the process parameters, more challenging conditions were deliberately chosen in the experiments for the inventive process by using a microwave oven for thawing instead of the slow regeneration of the dough pieces. This allows the efficiency of the inventive process to be demonstrated particularly clearly, since even when using a microwave oven for rapid thawing, correspondingly positive baking results can be achieved, with the use of a microwave oven being particularly advantageous from an economic perspective. Example B - Pure rye bread:

[0098] A third dough mixture comprising 423.3 g of rye flour type 1150, 600.9 g of rye sourdough TA 213, 15.8 g of table salt (iodized), 8.7 g of yeast, 176.4 g of pouring water and 24.9 g of honey and a fourth dough mixture comprising 423.3 g of rye flour type 1150, 600.9 g of rye sourdough TA 213, 15.8 g of table salt (iodized), 6.2 g of yeast, 191.2 g of pouring water, 24.9 g of honey, 21.2 g of baking additive 1 and 1.4 g of baking additive 2 were freshly prepared by mixing the ingredients with a spiral kneader (5 min slow, 7 min fast). The rye sourdough TA 213 (with a dough yield of 213) consisted of 282.1 g of rye flour type 1150 and 318.8 g of pouring water.

[0099] The dough yield of the resulting third dough mix was 170.2% for a total dough quantity of 1250 g, with 495.2 g of water and 705.4 g of grain flour. The dough yield of the resulting fourth dough mix was 172.3% for a total dough quantity of 1293.9 g, with 510 g of water and 705.4 g of grain flour.

[0100] A two-component baking additive was again used in the fourth dough mix. Baking Additive 1, in addition to sugar, flavorings, ascorbic acid, and fillers, consists of approximately two-thirds of the following components: wheat gluten, diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E472e), phosphates (E341 and E450), vegetable fat, xanthan gum as a hydrocolloid, and an enzyme mixture comprising α-amylase and xylanase. Baking Additive 2 consists of wheat gluten, pregelatinized wheat flour, mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E471), vegetable fat, xanthan gum as a hydrocolloid, and an enzyme mixture comprising α-amylase and xylanase.

[0101] The third and fourth dough mixtures were each portioned into two dough pieces of 600 g each, placed in molds and covered with cotton cloths to prevent the dough surface from drying out.

[0102] The dough pieces of the third dough mix were stored for a fermentation period of 60 min at a room temperature of 32 °C and a fermentation humidity of 78%, thereby bringing them to three-quarters proof before the dough pieces were stored for 48 h at -18 °C.

[0103] The dough pieces of the fourth dough mix were treated according to the method according to the invention. Immediately after processing, the dough pieces were cooled at a room temperature of -6°C for a period of 6 hours and then stored for 8 hours at a moisture content of 78% to obtain delayed-fermentation dough pieces. The room temperature was increased linearly from -6°C to +5°C over the 8 hours of storage, so that the room temperature of +5°C was not reached until the end of the 8 hours. The delayed-fermentation dough pieces were then stored for a period of 6 hours to adjust the dough pieces' doneness to 75%. The room temperature was increased linearly from +5°C to +24°C over the 6 hours, so that the room temperature remained above 15°C for approximately 3 hours. The resulting cooked dough pieces were then immediately cooled to a room temperature of -18°C and stored at this temperature for 48 hours.

[0104] The frozen dough pieces were removed from the freezer, thawed, and then baked under standard conditions (45 minutes, 200°C in a preheated oven). Thawing was performed for the two dough pieces from the third dough mix by slow regeneration at +24°C, and for the two dough pieces from the fourth dough mix, thawing was performed in a standard microwave oven for 8 minutes at 300 watts. The corresponding dough pieces from the fourth dough mix were previously moistened by briefly immersing them in water. The dough pieces from the fourth dough mix then remained in the switched-off microwave oven for a further 2 minutes to allow the heat energy generated in the dough pieces to spread as evenly as possible.

[0105] The quality of the resulting breads was again assessed qualitatively by a master baker with over 20 years of professional experience, focusing in particular on volume, pore structure, crumb elasticity, crust color, crust texture, chewiness, sliceability, and flavor. The results are summarized in Table 2. Table 2 Quality criterion Evaluation third dough mixture (not according to the invention) fourth dough mixture (according to the invention) Pastry volume good very good, significant increase in volume Crust color species-typical attractive, well-tanned Crust texture thick, tough crust, impaired crispness, partial cracking thin, crispy crust, pronounced crispness, smooth surface Pore ​​structure good very good, glassy pore membrane, uniform, coarse Porous, juicy appearance Crumb elasticity decreasing when thumb pressure is tested stable, elastic when thumb pressure tested Cut resistance crumbly, sticky, knife guidance difficult, bread slices stick together smooth cut, easy knife guidance, clean separation of the bread slices Chewing impression Crumb clumps when chewing, very sticky, tough, saliva solubility is delayed, the crumb sticks to the teeth and in the mouth, the impression of consumption is rather unpleasant, short in the bite, easily soluble in the mouth, very juicy, pleasant mouthfeel The taste inharmonious, not rounded, yeasty very aromatic, balanced, slightly sweet

[0106] The expert evaluation of the process results summarized in Table 2 demonstrates the advantages of the process according to the invention. Regarding the dough composition, the baking additive used in the process according to the invention was identified as particularly advantageous with regard to the baking results obtained for rye breads.

[0107] With regard to the process parameters, more challenging conditions were deliberately chosen in the experiments for the inventive process, as a microwave oven was used for thawing the dough pieces instead of the slow regeneration process. This allows the efficiency of the inventive process to be demonstrated particularly clearly, since correspondingly positive baking results can be achieved even when using a microwave oven for rapid thawing.

Claims

[1] A process for producing a frozen dough piece, comprising the steps of: a) producing or providing a dough mixture comprising cereal flour, water and yeast with a mass fraction in the range of 0.5 to 2% based on the mass of cereal flour and portioning the dough mixture to obtain at least one dough piece, b) cooling the dough piece at a temperature of -4 °C or less for a period of 2 to 12 hours and then storing the dough piece at a temperature in the range of -7 to 7 °C for a period of 3 to 24 hours to obtain a delayed-fermentation dough piece, c) conditioning the delayed-fermentation dough piece for a period of 2 to 12 hours at a temperature of 15 °C or more to achieve a predetermined cooking state of a cooked dough piece, wherein the predetermined cooking state is in the range of 55 to 95% of the maximum cooking state, and d) cooling the cooked dough piece to obtain a frozen dough piece with an internal temperature of -6 °C or less, and storing the frozen dough piece at a temperature of -14 °C or less for a storage time of 6 hours or more. [2] Process according to claim 1, wherein the dough piece in step a) has a mass in the range of 400 to 2000 g, preferably 500 to 1600 g, particularly preferably 600 to 1600 g, most particularly preferably more than 600 g. [3] Method according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the predetermined cooking state is in the range of 65 to 85%, preferably in the range of 70 to 80% of the maximum cooking state. [4] Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cereal flour in the dough mixture consists of more than 50%, preferably more than 70%, particularly preferably more than 90%, most particularly preferably more than 99%, of rye flour, based on the total mass of the cereal flour, and wherein the dough mixture additionally contains a baking additive, wherein the baking additive comprises the following components: - one or more emulsifiers selected from the group consisting of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids, esters of acetic acid and / or tartaric acid with mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids and lecithins, - pregelatinised flour, preferably pregelatinised wheat flour, and / or one or more hydrocolloids selected from the group consisting of polysaccharides, - one or more phosphates selected from the group consisting of mono- and di-phosphates, - Gluten, preferably wheat gluten, - vegetable fat, and - an enzyme mixture comprising α-amylase and xylanase, wherein these components in the dough mixture have a combined mass fraction of 0.5 to 4%, preferably 0.8 to 3%, based on the mass of the cereal flour. [5] The method of claim 4, wherein the baking additive comprises: - one or more first emulsifiers selected from the group consisting of diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids, - one or more second emulsifiers selected from the group consisting of monoglycerides of fatty acids, - pregelatinized wheat flour and xanthan gum, - one or more phosphates selected from the group consisting of calcium phosphate, disodium diphosphate, trisodium diphosphate, tetrasodium diphosphate and dicalcium diphosphate, - wheat gluten, - vegetable fat, and - an enzyme mixture comprising α-amylase and xylanase. [6] A process for producing baked goods, comprising the steps of the process for producing a frozen dough piece according to any one of claims 1 to 5, and the steps: e) thawing the frozen dough to reach an internal temperature of 4 °C or more, and f) Baking the thawed dough. [7] Method according to claim 6, wherein the thawing in step e) takes place in a microwave oven, wherein the surface of the frozen dough piece is preferably wetted with water before thawing, preferably by spraying or by means of an immersion bath. [8] Method according to claim 7, wherein the thawing in the microwave oven is carried out at a power of 100 to 500 W, preferably 200 to 400 W, particularly preferably 250 to 350 W, and for a time of 5 to 13 min, preferably 6 to 11 min, particularly preferably 7 to 9 min.