Method of making bread and product thereof

Abstract

A method of producing a bread product such as a flatbread comprises forming a dough comprising at least 35% by weight water and flour comprising at least 10% by weight protein content, proving the dou

Description

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of producing bread products which retain freshness after a second baking process (i.e. a ‘bake at home’ process) and a bread product made by that method. In particular, the present invention relates to a method of producing bread products with increased hydration levels, and bread products made by that method. Background of the Invention Bread products have been a staple of human diets around the world for thousands of years. As such, bread is an important and widespread commercial product. However, bread is known to have optimum taste and texture when as fresh as possible: overtime, the gluten which provides the elasticity of bread crystallizes, causing it to ‘go stale’ and deteriorating taste and texture. It is therefore a challenge to produce widely-available bread easily which can imitate the taste and texture of freshly baked bread. One such solution is to provide bread which can be reheated at home by a consumer. However, this can often still not provide the same textures as offered by freshly baked bread. Typically, manufacturers also employ the use of additives, such as enzymes, in such bread products. The present invention seeks to overcome these problems to provide bread which tastes freshly baked, without using additives. Summary of the Invention Aspects and embodiments of the present invention are set out in the appended claims. These and other aspects and embodiments of the invention are also described herein. According to a first aspect of the disclosure there is provided a method of producing a bread product, comprising: forming a dough comprising at least 35% by weight water with flour comprising at least 10% by weight protein content; proving the dough at an ambient temperature below 25 °C; baking the dough under high impingement of hot gas flow and high humidity; and rapidly cooling the bread product such that a core temperature of the bread product is reduced to 10 °C or less within 240 seconds or less. This method can produce a bread product with particularly high moisture content and particularly desirable moistness, softness and lightness after a second baking step at home. Advantageously the dough may comprise at least 40% by weight water. The dough may comprise up to 50% by weight water, preferably up to 45% by weight water. Advantageously the dough may comprise flour with at least 12% by weight protein content. The dough may comprise flour with up to 15% by weight protein content, preferably up to 13% by weight protein content. To prevent premature fermentation the method may further comprising mixing the dough under avoidance of a dough temperature increasing above 25 °C due to mixing action. The method may comprise bulk fermentation. The bulk fermentation may be at an ambient temperature below 23 °C, preferably below 22 °C. The bulk fermentation may be at an ambient temperature above 20 °C, preferably at 21 °C +1- 1 °C. For softness and lightness the method may comprise manual forming of the dough, preferably by pinning. The bread product may be a flatbread, optionally with one or more toppings. The bread product may be a leavened flatbread. The bread product may be a pre-baked bread product for secondary baking before consumption. The bread product may be for chilled storage and / or for refrigerated storage. The bread product may be for storage at 10 °C or below, or 8 °C or below, or 5 °C or below. The bread product may be for storage above 0 °C. The bread product may be a dough ball, a pizza base, a Neapolitan pizza, a pinsa, or a focaccia. The bread product may be a type of bread associated with a soft crumb structure combined with a thin crust. The bread product may be a bread product that is conventionally associated with a thicker or more leathery crust, such as a sourdough bread, a ciabatta, ora baguette. To promote dough strength while enabling softness the proving may be at an ambient temperature below 23 °C, preferably below 22 °C. The proving may be at an ambient temperature above 20 °C, preferably at 21 °C +1-1 °C. For maintaining moisture the baking may be at a temperature above 250 °C, preferably above 260 °C. The baking may be at a temperature below 295 °C, preferably below 285 °C. A duration of the baking step may be at least 2 minutes, preferably at least 3 minutes. A duration of the baking step may be up to 10 minutes, preferably up to 5 minutes, preferably up to 4 minutes. The hot gas flow in the baking step may have a velocity of at least 30 m / minute, optionally up to 300 m / minute. The hot gas flow in the baking step may have a volumetric flow rate of at least 40 m3 / min, optionally up to 170 m3 / minute. The hot gas flow in the baking step may have at least 30 % by weight water vapour and up to 100 % by weight water vapour. In the baking step liquid water 5 may be continuously provided into the baking chamber. At the end of the baking step the bread product may have a surface temperature of at least 190 °C, preferably at least 200 °C. At the end of the baking step the bread product may have a core temperature of at least 80 °C, preferably at least 95 °C. For maintaining moisture in the cooling step a core temperature the bread product may be 10 reduced to 5 °C or less. In the cooling step a core temperature the bread product may be reduced to 5 °C or less within 210 seconds or less. The cooling step comprises exposing the bread product to a cold air stream, liquid nitrogen and / or solid carbon dioxide. According to another aspect there is provided a pre-baked bread product for chilled distribution and secondary baking before consumption, wherein a firmness after the secondary baking is less L5 than 5N as measured by penetration test with a Multiple Puncture Probe, preferably less than 4N, more preferably less than 3.5N. The firmness after the secondary baking may be at least 0.5N lower than a firmness before the secondary baking, optionally at least 1N lower. A non-uniformity as measured with a C-Cell analysis may be 2 or more, preferably 3 or more. An 20 average cell diameter, optionally as measured with a C-Cell analysis, may be 3mm or more, preferably 3.5mm or more. The pre-baked bread product may be produced according to a method as aforementioned. Any apparatus feature as described herein may also be provided as a method feature, and vice versa. 25 Any feature in one aspect of the invention may be applied to other aspects of the invention, in any appropriate combination. In particular, method aspects may be applied to apparatus aspects, and vice versa. Furthermore, any, some and / or all features in one aspect can be applied to any, some and / or all features in any other aspect, in any appropriate combination. It should also be appreciated that particular combinations of the various features described and defined in any aspects of the invention can be implemented and / or supplied and / or used independently. Brief Description of the Figures One or more aspects will now be described, by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings having like-reference numerals, in which: Figure 1 shows a workflow of an exemplary method of preparing a bread product; Figure 2 shows an exemplary workflow of the ‘Mixing’ stage; Figure 3 shows an exemplary workflow of the ‘Make up’ stage; Figure 4 shows an exemplary workflow of the ‘Pinning’ stage; Figure 5 shows a schematic side view of an oven used in the method; Figure 6 shows a schematic perspective view of the oven used in the method; Figure 7 shows a force-time graph from a firmness measurement; Figure 8 shows firmness measurements of different flatbreads; Figure 9a shows microscope images of flatbreads prepared by the described process; and Figure 9b shows microscope images of comparison flatbreads. Detailed Description While consumers like the texture and taste of freshly baked bread, it can be difficult to have easy access to a bakery (or similar) in which to locate it. There has therefore grown a demand for ‘bake at home’ products, whereby a user bakes the bread product at home. Such products undergo an initial baking process before they are packaged and distributed to retailers. However, such products can typically be described as hard and crisp after the reheating at home. The process 1000 of the present invention, as illustrated in Figure 1, is configured to achieve a product which has a thin and crisp crust and a soft internal texture, typically referred to as an ‘egg shell’ crust, after being reheated by a user at home. In particular, the method 1000 of the present invention is configured to increase and retain hydration of the bread product. Figure 1 shows an overview workflow of the overall bread manufacturing process 1000. This process is used to manufacture a bread product, such as a flatbread. Flatbreads are typically characterized by having a round or oval and generally ‘flat shape’, or, in other words, having a relative small height. Generally, flatbreads may be leavened or unleavened, but the process 1000 as described refers to leavened breads (containing yeast). As a brief overview of the process, as shown in Figure 1: during the ‘Mixing’ stage 100 the ingredients are combined, before being made up into portions in the ‘Make up’ stage 200. The portions are shaped in a process known as ‘Pinning’ 300. The ‘Bake’ stage 400 and ‘Cooling’ stage 500 are both configured to retain a high water content in the bread product, as will be described in detail later. Toppings such as pesto or mozzarella (simply by way of example) can be added in the optional ‘Topping’ step 600. The bread product is then placed and sealed in suitable packaging during the ‘Packing’ step 700. The bread product can then be distributed to retailers. Turning to the stages of the manufacturing process in more detail, Figure 2 illustrates the workflow of steps of the ‘Mixing’ stage 100. A first step comprises ingredient mixing 110, which involves the mixing of flour, salt, yeast, sugar and water. A high proportion of water is used to form a very hydrated dough. Typically the water level is described as a percentage in relation to the weight of flour in a batch of dough excluding the other ingredients For the process in question the water level is between 65 and 80% of the flour weight depending on the product type. In other words, for 1kg flour about 650-800g water are added. The resulting dough is about 40-45% by weight water depending on the product type. However, a high water content affects the stretch, strength, stability and surface tackiness of a dough, so the process must be tailored to accommodate this level of hydration. Firstly, the grist (the flour recipe) comprises a high proportion of hard wheat and is subsequently relatively high in protein. In an example the protein content of the grist is 12 - 13 % by weight. The higher level of protein can provide strength and stability to create a matrix of bubbles during bulk fermentation a high proportion of which are retained through the subsequent dough processing stages. The higher protein level can also facilitate high water absorption, this aids in achieving a soft dough with good extensibility for hand shaping. The flour may be selected to provide a favourable ratio of gliadins to glutenin. Glutenins can provide strength and elasticity to a gluten matrix in the dough, supporting the formation of a strong network of gas bubbles during the fermentation process. Gliadins can affect extensibility, reducing some of the elasticity which prevents the dough from shrinking back after it has been shaped. A favourable ratio of gliadins to glutenin can promote a dough with good gas retention properties but which also retains sufficient extensibility for hand-shaping prior to cooking. A favourable grist composition with a favourable protein content and a favourable ratio of gliadins to glutenin can be found by trial and error and may need adaptation for instance with annual wheat harvest as the protein level and make-up can vary crop-to-crop. This process may be required more than once per year with wheat from disparate growing regions (North America vs Europe vs UK). Notably, the dough ingredients do not include further additives such as enzymes. High protein wheat typically requires a greater level of work input to develop the gluten. High levels of hydration can also affect the mixing and kneading requirement. Input of higher levels of energy into the dough can cause issues, as some of the energy generally converts to heat and increases the dough temperature resulting in an undesirably high dough temperature. To avoid this a relatively gentle mixing procedure can be adapted to prevent input of too much energy in the dough while permitting sufficient mixing and kneading. Gentle mixing can be achieved by selection of mixing tools (geometry, size, positioning relative to one another and to container) and selection of mixing tool motion and motion of mixing container (trajectory and speed) for instance. The next step of the ‘Mixing’ stage 100 comprises fermentation 120 of the mixed dough. In this exemplary implementation of the process, the dough undergoes bulk fermentation (i.e. in a large, single mass). This is performed at “ambient” temperature where the “bulk fermentation” area is temperature controlled and maintains a steady 21 °C +1-1 °C. The fermentation process involves the formation of organic acids and carbon dioxide, which respectively give the dough flavour and strength, and volume and lightness. The timing and conditions of the fermentation process are important to ensure that the reactions progress to the correct extent and the resulting dough does not become ‘under-proofed’ or ‘over-proofed’. The specific gravity of the dough, which is a measure of the density of the dough in relation to a reference material (typically water) can be used as a measure of the extent of progress of the fermentation process. Optimum results for the processing pre-final proof have been found when the bulk mix has doubled in size. This can be combined with temperature measurements of both the dough and the ambient room temperature. Via such techniques, it has been found that a bulk fermentation at room temperature (between 20 and 22 °C) for 45 minutes achieves the desired result - sufficient fermentation has taken place over a sustained period and is evenly distributed throughout the batch. Once the dough has undergone fermentation 120, the process moves on to the ‘Make up’ stage 200, in which the dough is formed into individual portions. Figure 3 illustrates the steps of the ‘Make up’ stage 200. As a first step 210, the large single mass of dough from the fermentation step 120 is portioned. These portions will form the individual bread products, and in this instance are typically between 200g to 250g to form individual flatbreads. The individual portions are then coated in semolina in the next step 220. This step 220 may optionally further include first coating the dough portions in oil before then coating in semolina. The application of semolina to the surface of the dough has the purpose of reducing the stickiness of the outside portions of the dough. The high water content of the dough can cause stickiness, which can make it difficult to handle. Coating the dough portions in semolina can make the dough portions easier to handle and can prevent the high water content affecting the machinery used in processing the dough. The application of the semolina is performed using a coating machine adapted to treat the dough portions gently, thereby preserving the internal matrix structure and retaining the gas bubbles created during fermentation. The individual dough portions are then allowed to prove fora further45 minutes, in step 230. Some bread making processes employ a forced proof where the dough is held at higher temperatures to increase the rate offermentation of the yeast, referred to as “gassing”, and higher levels of humidity to prevent a dry skin forming on the outer surface of the dough piece. Whilst this can shorten the overall process duration in the present example an ambient proof for 45 minutes is preferred as this results in the dough in convenient condition for hand-shaping and baking. The dough is rested, more extensible and suitable for hand-shaping but still retains sufficient “life” to show some “oven spring” or expansion in the first stage of baking. Once the dough portions have been proved, they are shaped in what is known as a ‘Pinning’ process 300. Figure 4 illustrates the workflow of steps of an exemplary implementation of this stage. As a first step, the dough undergoes hand shaping 310. In this example, to form a flatbread, this involves hand stretching each dough portion in two directions (broadly perpendicular to one another) and pushing it into a template to ensure size consistency. The template is typically in the form of a circular or oval ring, within which the dough portion is placed. The dough is then pushed to fill the inside of the ring. This ‘pinning’ technique is the traditional method of shaping a loaf and is sufficiently gentle to preserve the matrix structure and air bubbles while achieving the desired shape. Alternative shapes and sizes can be used as required. As an optional further step 320, toppings can be applied to the dough to be baked into the bread. Such toppings may include butter, pesto, or cheese such as mozzarella. The process then moves on to the baking stage, ‘Bake’ 400 of the process 1000, as illustrated in Figure 1. The dough is baked in a high-impingement, high moisture oven, unlike ovens conventionally used for bread products. Figures 5 and 6 show, respectively, schematic side and perspective views of such an oven 10. A continuously moving conveyer grid 18 sits between a plurality of upper heaters 12a, 12b, 12c (and so on) and a plurality of lower heaters 14a, 14b, 14c (and so on). High impingement airflow directs streams 20 of controlled hot gas (air with or without water vapor or water vapour) from both of the pluralities of heaters 12a, 12b, 12c, etc. and 14a, 14b, 14c. These streams 20 of hot gas hit the bread product being “cooked” from above and below as it travels along through the oven on the conveyer grid 18. The streams 20 of controlled hot gas are typically forced at high velocity, and at a substantial mass flow rate, toward the top and bottom surfaces of the conveyor in thin transverse sheets. After discharge the hot gas is recirculated within the oven with a fan and heated with a heater. Each oven is split into zones and each zone can set up to follow different temperature and gas flow parameters and within the zone. In each zone the temperature and rate of gas flow onto the top and bottom of the product can be set independently. Typical temperatures for baking range 260 - 285 °C with zones typically set to a falling profile with the temperatures in the first zone set higher than middle and end zones. Gas flows are based on fan speeds set to a % of their maximum output. In an example the fans provide a gas flow at an outlet velocity of about 30 - 300 metres per minute. In an example the fans provide a gas flow volume in the range of 40-170 m3 / minute. A relatively low gas flow velocity and a relatively high gas flow volume can be favorable to circulate the maximum amount of heat energy around the product without disturbing or displacing any of the toppings which have been applied pre-bake. Products typically travel through the oven at 6 - 7 metres per minute. Each bread product portion (in this case flatbread) travels and is baked within the oven 10 for between 3 and 4 minutes. It will be appreciated that these parameters depend on factors such as bread product thickness, toppings and size. The oven zones are continually supplied with fresh water, a proportion of which evaporates into the bake chamber. In an example around 7 litres / minute of water is fed into each zone of the oven to boil off to vapour. In an example the streams 20 of controlled hot gas flowing in the oven may be about 30 - 100% by weight water vapour in air. This high level of water vapour present in the oven can slowdown some aspects of the cooking process. When bread bakes, a crust forms as moisture evaporates from the surface, causing the uppermost layers of dough to dry out and become rigid; gluten in the dough bond to one another to form a solid structure. Humidity can delay formation of a crust. Water vapour within the oven can also condense on the relatively cold dough, leaving a film of water on the exposed surface. This additional moisture can affect the dough’s surface temperature and slow down the dehydration process and prevent the gluten from bonding too soon. The result is that the dough can remain flexible for longer. This flexibility can be beneficial. In the early stages of baking, bread rises significantly in an expansion process known as “oven spring.” This is caused by three factors. The first is that the yeast in the dough undergoes a final burst offermentation, producing bubbling gases (before it dies at around 60 °C). The second is existing gas bubbles in the dough expand when the temperature rises. Finally, the heat transforms any dissolved carbon dioxide in the dough into gas molecules. If a crust forms early on, it restricts the dough’s expansion—but keeping the dough’s surface supple for as long as possible allows it to stretch to its maximum volume, resulting in a product with a more open, lighter texture. The moist bake also helps crust formation. When the surface of the dough reaches 80-85 °C, the starches in the slowly forming crust start absorbing moisture. They eventually become so saturated that they burst and liquify. As the bread continues to cook, this starch gel turns into a brittle shell. The moist bake also affects crust colour and prevents it from burning. When the crust reaches 135 °C, its sugars start to caramelize, contributing colour and flavour. Between 150 °C and 205 °C, the crust browns even more thanks to a process called the Maillard reaction in which sugars and amino acids react with each other. A short bake time combined with the moist oven prevents the surface temperature from getting this high during the baking process, while the inside of the loaf of a relatively thin product has time to cook through without too much of the crust thick / dark in colour. With crust formation delayed, the end result is a relatively thin crust, thinner than it would be if there were no steam. Given the relatively short bake time (between 3 and 4 minutes) the extent of crust formation is limited and as the crust formation is delayed by the presence of steam it is also much thinner than in a “drier” oven. Typically the effect of the Maillard reaction is very limited in the short bake. The Maillard reaction is achieved on consumer reheat where the bake time is significantly longer. This heating arrangement firstly provides continuous, in-line, high volume production and secondly facilitates even consistency, colour and texture of the cooked product. At the bottom of the oven 10, there is a water bath 16. The presence of the water bath 16 helps to maintain a high level of humidity in the oven and aids the formation of a thin crust as discussed above. This also helps to maintain the high level of hydration incorporated in the dough as the bread product bakes. Additionally, the water bath reduces the risk of a fire in the oven 10, as toppings which are baked into the bread (such as pesto, butter, cheese etc.) can create a fire risk. Firstly, the high hydration level in the oven 10 due to the water bath 16 reduces the likelihood that these toppings will catch fire. Secondly, if the toppings fall from the bread, they fall into the water bath and are removed from the oven before they can accumulate to form a fuel source. Both effects can reduce the likelihood of catching fire. Once the bread product (flatbread) has passed through the oven 10, it undergoes a Cooling stage 500. The bread product is cooled rapidly using liquid nitrogen, in order to retain a high moisture content (i.e. prevent water loss during cooling as much as possible). It is observed that rapid cooling can assist in retaining moisture in the interior of the bread and assist in formation of a thin, crisp crust as is particularly desirable. Typically the bread product exits the oven with a surface temperature in excess of 200 °C and a core temperature of over 95 °C. A core temperature the bread product can be measured e.g. with a temperature probe. The cooling is performed in such a manner that a differential is maintained between the temperature of the surface and the temperature of the inside of the bread. The surface temperature falls rapidly and the core is cooled by conduction as the temperature differential between the surface and the core inverts. A core temperature of <5 °C is achieved within 210 seconds. Particularly fast cooling can be achieved for example by exposure to cold air streams (e.g. involving blowing air at e.g. -30 °C and -50 °C and flow rates of 3-6 linear meters per second) or controlled blasts of liquid nitrogen. In an example the bread product is transported on a conveyor belt into a chamber flooded with liquid nitrogen. Fast cooling can help to lock in moisture content and preserve an ‘egg shell’ crust. Using a fast cooling process, moisture loss can be limited to less than 1%. As an optional next stage, further toppings may be added to the now cool bread product, in the ‘Topping’ stage 600 of Figure 1. As a final step, the bread product is packaged ready to be distributed to retailers. This ‘Packing’ stage 700 typically comprises sealing the bread product (flatbread) in an airtight plastic packaging. This can be, for example, achieve by a flow-wrapping process. This can prevent moisture loss from the bread product and suppresses pathogens and mould growth. The packaged bread product is typically refrigerated until use, e.g. stored, distributed and sold as a chilled product. In some examples the packaged bread product is distributed, sold and stored at ambient temperature. The bread product is intended to be baked prior to consumption, e.g. at home. The home baking step (second baking step) is for example (for a chilled flatbread) for 8-10 mins in an oven preheated to 200°C (or 180°C in a fan-assisted oven or level 6 in a gas oven). The bread product as produced by process 1000 described above has a higher water content than similar bread products on the market. This facilitates a softness when baked at home, recreating a ‘freshly baked’ bread product. By contrast, similar bread products can be described as too firm after re-heating at home, and certainly much firmer than ‘freshly baked’ products. It is known that firmness is closely related to a consumer’s impression of the freshness of a bread product. Measurements can be taken of the bread product to quantify this ‘firmness’ by performing mechanical testing using a texture analyser (such as TA-XT2 Plus by Stable Micro Systems), following the AACC (74-09) standard method. The firmness is defined as the maximum force needed to compress the bread sample (and consequently is defined in N). Figures 8a, 8b, 9a and 9b illustrate the results of firmness measurements taken of bread products produced by the process 1000 in comparison to ‘bake-at-home’ bread products produced in a conventional manner. Details of the firmness measurement protocol (also referred to as a penetration test) followed are as follows: a Stable Micro Systems™ TA-XT2 texture analyser instrument with a Multiple Puncture Probe from Stable Micro Systems™ (part reference A / MPP) with 13 tines was used. The instrument measures the force required to compress or penetrate a sample, by means of a probe attached to a load cell. The instrument moves the probe according to the Test Sequence, continuously capturing distance and force data as the sample is compressed or punctured. Control of the instrument and data analysis are handled through dedicated Exponent software. A Multiple Puncture Probe was used because of the non-uniform nature of flatbreads, with variations in thickness across the product, a non-uniform crumb texture and a rough surface texture. Together, these factors combine to make texture analysis with e.g. a cylinder probe unreliable. The Multiple Puncture Probe punctures the product at discrete points over a slighter broader area, with the effect of averaging out the non-uniformity of the product during testing. With multiple tests repeated around the edge of the product, the non-uniformity is reduced further. The Test Sequence used to produce the measurements is as follows: 1. The probe moves down toward the product at a pre-test speed of 5 mm / s. 2. When the probe encounters the product (as determined by observation of a ‘trigger force’ of 5 grams (0.05 N), the probe continues at a test speed of 2 mm I s. The height of the probe at observation of the trigger force, i.e. the height of the product, is recorded. 3. Force data is captured continuously from observation of a ‘trigger force’ until the test end point. 4. The test end occurs when the probe reaches a midway point as determined from the height of the probe at observation of the trigger force, i.e. when the probe has been inserted through to 50% of the product height. This is referred to as a target mode of strain, with a 50% strain target. This takes account of the non-uniform thickness of the product. 5. The probe is withdrawn at a speed of 10 mm I s. Figure 7 shows an example of data obtained from such a test, with the force applied by the probe plotted against the time. With this data the peak force can be determined and the work of penetration can be calculated. In the example illustrated in Figure 7 the peak force, also referred to as the firmness, is 421.4 grams (4.13 N) and the work of penetration is 1509 gram x sec (the area under the curve between the vertical marker 1 at the start of the test and the vertical marker 2 at the zero-force point). Eight tests around the edge of the product are averaged and recorded. Figure 8 shows the firmness of different types of garlic flatbread after it has been baked again (the ‘baking at home’ stage), as determined by the method described above. Products 1-6 are produced by the process 1000 described above and comparisons 1 and 2 are not produced by the process described above. The firmness of the sample flatbreads produced by the method 1000 (products 1-6) is determined to be 306g; 281g; 242g; 280g; 297g; and 284g; the average across the 6 samples is 282g (2.765 N). The firmness of the comparison flatbreads (comparisons 1 and 2) is 602g and 643g, average 623g (6.11 N). It can be seen that the flatbread produced by the process 1000 described above has a lower firmness. Before the second baking, the sample flatbreads produced by the method 1000 (products 1-6) and the comparison flatbreads (comparisons 1 and 2) have comparable firmness, e.g. in the region of 4-5N (e.g. around 4.5N). In an example the flatbread produced by the process 1000 has a firmness of 4.60 N before the second baking and the comparison flatbread has a firmness of 4.48 N before the second baking. The flatbread produced by the process 1000 develops a lower firmness after the second baking, whereas the comparison flatbread develops a similar or higher firmness after the second baking. In another example the firmness of a cheese and onion flatbread produced by the method 1000 and a comparison flatbread product before is evaluated before and after it has been baked again (the ‘baking at home’ stage). Before baking, the flatbread produced by the process 1000 has a firmness of 5.45N, comparable to the comparison flatbread with a firmness of 4.68N. After the second baking, the flatbread produced by the process 1000 has a similarly lower firmness (3.88N) than the comparison flatbread (5.1 ON) as with the garlic flatbread. Toppings can materially change the local firmness (e.g. if the topping is a soft and moist material, confit onions for example, then an area can be much softer); the effects of the baking process 100 described above may be less pronounced in the region of toppings. This can be taken into account by avoiding measurement in the region of toppings. The freshness of a bread product to a consumer can also be dependent on the internal structure of the bread, which gives rise to the texture. A light and aerated structure in combination with a soft, moist crumb texture can replicates freshly baked bread much more readily than a product with a relatively closer structure with a firmer drier crumb texture. To quantify the internal structure of bread products a core section is prepared, the core section is imaged, and the images are analysed with an image processing suite such as C-Cell™. Measures derived from the image analysis include: • Slice Brightness: a mean grey level (0-255) of pixels within the slice. The value is lower for products with a darker crumb (e.g. wholemeal bread as compared with white bread), and for products with larger or deeper cells that contribute to greater shadows. • Cell Contrast: a ratio of the mean brightness of cells to the mean brightness of cell walls. Higher values indicate shallower cells with little contrast, which often give a product a lighter appearance. • Number of Cells: a number of discrete cells detected within the slice. Higher values may be due to a finer structure or a larger total slice area. • Number of Holes: The number of holes in the slice. Borderline cases are given a reduced weighting. • Area of Cells I %: a total area of cells as a percentage of the slice area. Large values indicate a more open texture. • Area of Holes I %: a total area of holes as a percentage of the slice area. Borderline cases are given a reduced weighting. • Volume of Holes: a combined volume of all the holes in the slice. This is based on considering all the pixels within the holes as if they were part of a single hole, and then calculating its volume. Borderline cases are given a reduced weighting in the calculation. • Wall Thickness I mm: an average thickness of cell walls. Walls close to the edge of the slice are given a reduced weighting in the calculation. • Cell Diameter / mm: an average diameter of cells (pixels), based on measurements of the average cell area. This is a good general-purpose indicator of the coarseness of the texture, but does not take the depth of cells into account. Cell Volume provides an alternative measurement that also includes consideration of cell depth. • Cell Vol Range (map): a measure of the degree of variation in cell volumes within the slice • Cell Volume (map): a volume at a threshold between fine and coarse regions of the slice • Relative Vol Range (map): a ratio of Cell Vol Range (map) to Cell Volume (map). This provides a dimensionless measurement of the degree of variation in cell volumes, normalised for average cell volume. • Coarse I Fine Clustering: a measure of the extent to which fine and coarse regions of the slice are strongly segregated, possibly suggesting large patches of coarse or fine texture. A lower value indicates intermingled fine and coarse texture. The value can theoretically range from 0 to 1, with a value of 1 signifying a perfectly circular region of coarse or fine texture. • Non-Uniformity: a measure of the lack of uniformity between fine and coarse texture (including holes) across the slice. High values indicate less uniformity of texture • Cell Volume: a measurement of the average volume of cells. This provides a good general-purpose indicator of the coarseness of the texture. Unlike Cell Diameter, this measurement takes the depth of cells into account. It is the volume for which half of the total area of cells is represented by cells of smaller volume and half is represented by cells of larger volume. • Coarse Cell Volume: a measurement of the volume typical of the coarser cells within the slice (including holes). It is the volume for which three quarters of the total area of cells is represented by cells of smaller volume and one quarter is represented by cells of larger volume. Figures 9a and 9b show photographs of core sections of flatbreads prepared by the process 1000 and comparison flatbread products not produced by the process described above, both after being baked again (the ‘baking at home’ stage). Figure 9a shows the internal structure of four garlic flatbread produced by the process 1000. Figure 9b shows the internal structure of four comparison garlic flatbread. The garlic flatbread produced by the process 1000 has a more open structure with larger air pockets, creating a light aerated texture. By contrast, the comparison flatbread has a denser structure, which can lead to an impression of a firmer and less fresh product. Metrics of the core sections shown in 9a and 9b are derived from analysis of the photographs as outlined above and averaged for the four samples to provide a representative quantity for 5 flatbreads prepared by the process 1000 and comparison flatbread products. The values are provided in the following tables: Slice Brightness Cell Contrast Number of Cells Number of Holes Area of Cells (%) Average flatbread 1-4 129.425 0.65025 1920.5 0.25 57.2 Average comparison 1-4 148.35 0.7035 2000 0.3225 53.65 Area of Holes (%) Volume of Holes Wall Thickness (mm) Cell Diameter (mm) Cell Vol Range (map) Relative Vol Range (map) Average flatbread 1-4 1.6675 14.15 0.41225 3.7015 50.75 1.025 Average comparison 1-4 0.8725 14.6 0.40925 2.49325 19.25 0.6025 Cell Volume (map) Coarse / Fine Clustering Non Uniformity Cell Volume Coarse Cell Volume Average flatbread 1-4 49.75 0.322 3.521 14.155 31.1175 Average comparison 1-4 31.25 0.224 1.7525 8.0875 15.1375 The values quantify that flatbreads prepared by the process 1000 have a relatively open, irregular texture. Fewer smaller cells are observed and instead more larger cells are observed. Overall a greater cell volume is observed. Higher cell non-uniformity is observed. Comparison flatbreads have a closer, more uniform texture. A higher number of smaller cells is 5 observed. Overall a lower cell volume is observed. The same trends are observed fore.g. cheese and onion flatbread and for other toppings. It should be understood that the present invention has been described above purely by way of example, and modifications of detail can be made within the scope of the invention. Each feature disclosed in the description, and (where appropriate) the claims and drawings may 10 be provided independently or in any appropriate combination. Reference numerals appearing in the claims are by way of illustration only and shall have no limiting effect on the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method of producing a bread product, comprising:forming a dough comprising at least 35% by weight water with flour comprising at least 10% by weight protein content;proving the dough at an ambient temperature below 25 °C;baking the dough under high impingement of hot gas flow, wherein liquid water is continuously provided into the baking chamber to maintain high humidity;rapidly cooling the bread product such that a core temperature of the bread product is reduced from a temperature of at least 80 °C to a temperature of 10 °C or less within 240 seconds or less; andstoring the bread product at a chilled temperature between 0 °C and 10 °C.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the dough comprises at least 40% by weight water.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the dough comprises up to 50% by weight water.

4. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the dough comprises flour with at least 12% by weight protein content.

5. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the dough comprises flour with up to 15% by weight protein content.

6. A method according to any preceding claim, further comprising mixing the dough under avoidance of a dough temperature increasing above 25 °C due to mixing action.

7. A method according to any preceding claim, further comprising manual forming of the dough.

8. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the bread product is a flatbread.

9. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the proving is at an ambient temperature below 23 °C.

10. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the proving is at an ambient temperature above 20 °C.

11. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the baking is at a temperature above 250 °C.

12. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the baking is at a temperature below295 °C.

13. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein a duration of the baking step is at least 2 minutes.

14. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein a duration of the baking step is up to 5 minutes.

15. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the hot gas flow in the baking step has a velocity of at least 30 m / minute; and / or wherein the hot gas flow in the baking step has a volumetric flow rate of at least 40 m3 / minute.

16. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the hot gas flow in the baking step is at least 30 % by weight water vapour and up to 100 % by weight water vapour.

17. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein at the end of the baking step the bread product has a surface temperature of at least 190 °C.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein at the end of the baking step the bread product has a surface temperature of at least 200 °C.

19. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein at the end of the baking step the bread product has a core temperature of at least 95 °C.

20. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein in the cooling step a core temperature the bread product is reduced to 5 °C or less.

21. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein in the cooling step a core temperature the bread product is reduced to 5 °C or less within 210 seconds or less.

22. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the cooling step comprises exposing the bread product to a cold air stream, liquid nitrogen and / or solid carbon dioxide.

23. A chilled pre-baked bread product for chilled distribution and secondary baking before consumption, produced from a dough comprising at least 35% by weight water and pre-baked in an oven in which liquid water is continuously provided into the baking chamber to maintain high humidity according to a method of any preceding claim, wherein the pre-baked bread product has a sufficiently high water content that it is configured to maintain a firmness of less than 5N asmeasured by penetration test with a Multiple Puncture Probe after a second baking comprising baking for at least 8 minutes and no more than 10 minutes in an oven at a temperature of at least 180 °C and no more than 200 °C, and wherein the firmness after the secondary baking is at least 1N lower than a firmness before the secondary baking.

24. A pre-baked bread product according to claim 23, wherein a non-uniformity as measured with a C-Cell analysis is 2 or more; and / or an average cell diameter is 3mm or more.

25. A pre-baked bread product according to claim 24, wherein a non-uniformity as measured with a C-Cell analysis is 3 or more; and / or an average cell diameter is 3.5mm or more.

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