Chocolate to be heated

Abstract

The present invention addresses the problem of providing: a chocolate to be heated that exhibits a new mouthfeel after being heated; and a composite food in which bakery dough and the chocolate to be heated are used.　This chocolate to be heated satisfies all of requirements (1)-(3).　(1) The contained amount of a starch decomposition product is 5-40 mass%. (2) The contained amount of a milk product is at most 8 mass%. (3) The contained amount of oil is 25-50 mass%.

Description

Heating chocolate

[0001] RELATED ART This application claims the benefit of priority from Application No. 2024-053273 filed with the Japan Patent Office on March 28, 2024. The priority application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0002] The present invention relates to a chocolate for heating.

[0003] Foods that use fats and oils as a continuous phase, such as chocolate, have a rich flavor and a wide variety of flavors, making them widely used as luxury goods. Among these, they are sometimes used in combination with foods other than chocolate. In particular, by incorporating or scattering fats and oils in bakery foods, a chocolate-like flavor can be imparted to the bakery foods (Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0004] JP 2018-171014 A JP 2016-082937 A

[0005] Patent Document 1 describes a granular oil and fat composition with heat-resistant shape retention. Patent Document 2 describes chocolates for bakery products that have a moderate hardness when combined with pre-baked dough and a smooth, creamy chocolate texture after baking. However, both of these chocolates either retain their shape after heating and baking, or have a creamy, oil-based chocolate texture, and there is no suggestion for achieving a new texture. The inventors wondered whether it would be possible to provide new bakery products using chocolate ingredients that exhibit a new texture different from that of conventional chocolates. Therefore, an objective of the present invention is to provide a heating chocolate that exhibits a new texture after heating, and to provide a composite food product using the heating chocolate and bakery dough.

[0006] After extensive research, the inventors discovered that by adding a certain amount of starch hydrolysate and adjusting the dairy product content and oil content, it is possible to create a heated chocolate that exhibits a new texture after heating, and this led to the present invention.

[0007] That is, the present invention provides: (1) a chocolate for heating that is heated in combination with bakery dough, satisfying all of the requirements 1) to 3) below; 1) a starch hydrolysate content of 5% by mass to 40% by mass, 2) a dairy product content of 8% by mass or less, and 3) an oil content of 25% by mass to 50% by mass (2) a composite food in which the chocolate for heating described in (1) and bakery dough are heated simultaneously; (3) a method for producing chocolate for heating that satisfies all of the requirements 1) to 3) below, and includes a step of mixing powdered ingredients with oils and fats; 1) a starch hydrolysate content of 5% by mass to 40% by mass, 2) a dairy product content of 8% by mass or less, and 3) an oil content of 25% by mass to 50% by mass (4) a method for producing a composite food in which bakery dough is filled with the chocolate for heating produced by the method described in (3) below and baked; (5) A method for improving the texture of chocolate after heating, which comprises simultaneously heating a chocolate that meets all of the following requirements (1) to (3) with bakery dough: (1) the content of starch hydrolysates is 5% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less, (2) the content of dairy products is 8% by mass or less, and (3) the oil content is 25% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less.

[0008] The present invention provides a chocolate for heating that exhibits a new texture after heating. It also provides a composite food product using the chocolate for heating and bakery dough. In particular, by simultaneously baking the chocolate for heating and the bakery dough, solids having a gel-like layer can be scattered throughout the bakery food product, providing a composite food product such as a new bakery food product.

[0009] In the present invention, chocolate refers to chocolates and generally refers to foods in which fats and oils form a continuous phase. The chocolates referred to in the present invention are not limited to "pure chocolate," "chocolate," "semi-chocolate," and "chocolate-based foods" as defined by the National Chocolate Industry Fair Trade Council, but also include fat-and-oil processed foods that contain fats and oils as an essential ingredient and use cocoa mass, whole milk powder, dried fruit juice powder, dried vegetable powder, sugars, starch hydrolysates, cocoa butter, cocoa butter substitutes, hard butter, etc. Therefore, chocolate may also be a general term for foods in which edible materials are dispersed in a fat-and-oil base, such as matcha-flavored or strawberry-flavored foods that incorporate vegetable or fruit powders.

[0010] In the present invention, chocolate for heating refers to chocolate that is eaten after being heated. In the present invention, heating can be exemplified by direct baking in an oven or high-frequency heating. The chocolate for heating of the present invention is combined with bakery dough and baked. The method of combining with bakery dough is not particularly limited, and examples include methods such as incorporating the chocolate into the bakery dough, dispersing it, placing it on top of the bakery dough, kneading it, applying it, injecting it, and enveloping it. Particularly preferred embodiments include incorporating or dispersing the chocolate in the bakery dough. Bakery dough refers to bread dough or baked confectionery dough, which is a food dough made from flour and baked in an oven or the like, and is not particularly limited. Examples of bread dough include Danish dough, croissant dough, steamed bread dough, donut dough, scone dough, and pie dough, and examples of baked goods dough include cookie dough, biscuit dough, cracker dough, tart dough, sable dough, muffin dough, pound cake dough, and financier dough.

[0011] In some embodiments, the chocolate for heating of the present invention contains starch hydrolysates. Starch hydrolysates are produced by hydrolyzing starch and are classified by their DE value (Dextrose Equivalent), an indicator of the degree of decomposition. Those with a DE value of 20 or higher are considered corn syrup, while those with a DE value of less than 20 are considered maltodextrin. Those with a DE value of 10 or lower are sometimes further classified as dextrin. The starch hydrolysates used in the present invention refer collectively to all of the above-mentioned starch hydrolysates, including dextrin, powdered syrup, starch hydrolysates, and maltodextrin. The content of the starch hydrolysates in the chocolate for heating is 5% to 40% by mass. The preferred lower limit of the content is 6% by mass, more preferably 8% by mass, and even more preferably 9% by mass. The preferred upper limit of the content is 35% by mass, more preferably 30% by mass, and even more preferably 25% by mass. By adjusting the content of the starch hydrolysates appropriately, it is possible to prepare chocolate for heating that exhibits a new texture. In particular, solids with a gel-like layer, such as molasses, can be interspersed within the bakery dough.

[0012] In one embodiment, the chocolate for heating of the present invention has a dairy product content of 8% by mass or less. Preferably, it is 7% by mass or less, 6% by mass or less, more preferably 5% by mass or less, 4% by mass or less, 3% by mass or less, and even more preferably 2% by mass or less, 1% by mass or less, less than 1% by mass, or 0% by mass. Dairy products refer to all raw milk-derived ingredients traditionally used in chocolates, including whole milk powder, skim milk powder, whey powder, buttermilk powder, and cream powder. For use in chocolates, it is preferable to use powdered dairy products with a moisture content of less than 10% by mass. With an appropriate dairy product content, it is possible to prepare chocolate for heating that exhibits a new texture.

[0013] The chocolate for heating of the present invention is combined with a moisture-containing bakery dough and heated and baked simultaneously. The new texture obtained by combining the chocolate for heating of the present invention with the moisture-containing bakery dough and heating and baking simultaneously is presumed to be as follows: A portion of the moisture in the bakery dough migrates to the chocolate for heating. The migrated moisture combines with the solids contained in the chocolate for heating, forming a molasses-like gel-like layer on the surface of the chocolate. A center, in which this gel-like layer and the fat remaining within it are the continuous phase, exists in the solid, imparting a new texture different from conventional chocolates. After being heated together with the bakery dough, the chocolate for heating of the present invention has a multilayer structure consisting of a gel-like layer and a center. The gel-like layer has a viscous texture like molasses, and the center exists within it. This center has fat as the continuous phase, has a smooth texture, and can achieve a texture that is integrated with the gel-like layer.

[0014] The mass of the gel layer of the chocolate for heating of the present invention after heating can also be quantified by subtracting the mass of the center of the chocolate after heating from the total mass of the chocolate for heating. The gel layer has translucent starch syrup-like properties, and the difference from the central part where fat is the continuous phase can be confirmed visually. The mass of this gel layer can be divided by the total mass of the chocolate for heating to calculate the proportion of the gel layer in the chocolate after heating.

[0015] When the chocolate for heating of the present invention is incorporated into bakery dough and baked, a solid material having a layer of a viscous gel-like texture similar to molasses can be scattered throughout the bakery food after baking. When commonly known molasses or gel-like foods are incorporated into bakery dough and baked, they tend to soak into the dough during baking, making it difficult to scatter them. However, the chocolate for heating of the present invention partially transforms into a gel-like solid material during baking, allowing the solid material with the gel-like layer to remain without soaking into the dough. This solid material with a gel-like layer has properties different from those of chocolate chips in conventional composite foods such as chocolate chip cookies. Specifically, rather than a solid material that maintains its shape like chocolate chips, it has a gel-like layer similar to molasses and a central layer with a fat as a continuous phase therein, and does not neatly maintain its pre-baked shape like chocolate chips. By scattering this solid material having a gel-like layer inside the bakery food, a strong flavor can be felt locally, making it possible to provide a composite food product with a new texture and flavor.

[0016] In the present invention, the oil content in the chocolate for heating is, in one embodiment, 25% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less. It is preferably 27% by mass or more and 45% by mass or less, and more preferably 29% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less. By adjusting the oil content within an appropriate range, it is possible to prepare a chocolate for heating that exhibits a new texture. The oil content in the chocolate for heating refers to the mass % including all the oils and fats contained in the raw materials, such as dairy products, in addition to the oils and fats directly blended.

[0017] The chocolate for heating according to the present invention preferably contains approximately 0.3 to 3% by mass of moisture. Most of this moisture is due to the small amounts of moisture contained in the raw materials, such as the cocoa raw material, sugar, and starch hydrolysate. The moisture content can be measured by the sea sand method.

[0018] The fats and oils used in the heated chocolate of the present invention are not particularly limited, but examples of fats and oils that can be used include vegetable fats and oils such as soybean oil, sunflower seed oil, high oleic sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, rapeseed oil, high erucic acid rapeseed oil, peanut oil, rice oil, rice bran oil, corn oil, olive oil, kapok oil, sesame oil, safflower oil, evening primrose oil, linseed oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, shea butter, and monkey fat, as well as animal fats and oils such as milk fat, beef tallow, lard, and fish oil, algae oil, fats and oils derived from microbial fermentation, medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), and their hardened oils, fractionated oils, hardened fractionated oils, fractionated hardened oils, processed fats that have been subjected to interesterification, and further mixed fats and oils thereof.

[0019] The chocolate for heating of the present invention can be scattered throughout bakery foods as a solid material with a gel-like layer, regardless of its viscosity or yield value. The yield value is an index for evaluating fluidity and refers to the critical stress at which the chocolate begins to flow when an external force is applied. Generally, a high yield value makes the chocolate less likely to flow and more likely to retain its shape. However, when the chocolate for heating of the present invention is baked within bakery dough, it can be scattered throughout baked foods as a solid material with a molasses-like gel-like layer, regardless of the yield value. In the present invention, fluidity can be measured using a viscometer. Viscometers are not particularly limited as long as they measure the viscosity of fluids with non-Newtonian characteristics. Generally, B-type viscometers such as the BM, BH, and BL types can be used to measure viscosity. The yield value can also be calculated from the results of measuring shear stress at different shear rates. The equipment used for measurement and calculation is not particularly limited. For example, the yield value can be calculated from shear stress measured using an instrument such as the Rheolab-QC manufactured by Anton Paar. For the calculation, the Casson approximation formula can be used. Specifically, the yield value can be calculated by measuring the shear stress of molten chocolate adjusted to 45°C while decelerating from 50 revolutions per second to 2 revolutions per second over 180 seconds, and then mathematically formulating the value using the Casson approximation formula.

[0020] The method for producing the chocolate for heating of the present invention can be carried out in the same manner as for producing ordinary chocolates. Specifically, the chocolate for heating can be obtained by mixing various powdered ingredients such as sugars, starch hydrolysates, and dairy products, as well as emulsifiers, flavorings, and colorants, with fats and oils, followed by rolling as a pulverizing step, adding the remaining ingredients as appropriate, and then performing a conching or mixing step. Alternatively, a production method in which the mixing and pulverizing steps are carried out in parallel using a ball mill or bead mill can also be used.

[0021] The shape of the chocolate for heating of the present invention is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include granular, plate, spherical, chunk, chip, and dice shapes for solid chocolates, as well as liquid and paste shapes. The manner in which the moist bakery dough and the chocolate for heating are combined can be selected appropriately according to the shape of the product design. For example, in the case of solid chocolates, they can be enclosed in the bakery dough, dispersed, or placed on top. In the case of liquid or paste forms, they can be kneaded into the dough, applied to the surface of a dough that has been molded to a certain extent, or injected or enveloped.

[0022] The heating method for the chocolate for heating of the present invention is not particularly limited, but as mentioned above, it is preferable to heat and bake it simultaneously with bakery dough. In particular, it is preferable to heat and bake it while it is enclosed in bakery dough. The method for co-baking with bakery dough is not particularly limited, but conventionally known methods such as direct baking in an oven can be used as appropriate. In the case of an oven, the temperature is usually 100 to 250°C for a period of several seconds to several tens of minutes, and more preferably 150 to 250°C for 5 to 20 minutes.

[0023] The chocolate for heating of the present invention can be combined with bakery dough and heated at the same time to prepare chocolates with a new texture. Therefore, this method can be said to be a method for improving the texture of chocolate after heating.

[0024] The raw materials used in the chocolate for heating of the present invention are not particularly limited, except for starch hydrolysates. The composition of general chocolates can also be used as a reference. For example, dairy products, starch, oils and fats, and other edible ingredients can be appropriately combined. Other additives include emulsifiers, antioxidants, flavorings, etc., but the type and amount are not limited, and they may not be added at all.

[0025] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples.

[0026] ●Study 1 According to the formulations in Table 1, powdered ingredients such as sugar and other sugars were mixed in a mixer with a portion of melted vegetable oil. The mixed dough was pulverized in a roll refiner, and then the remaining vegetable oil, lecithin, emulsifier, and flavoring were added and mixed to prepare the respective chocolates. The resulting chocolates were tempered, formed into 10mm x 10mm x 10mm dice, and aged at 20°C for one week. The following ingredients were used in this study: Starch hydrolyzate A: DE40 powdered sugar, Pine Index #6 (Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) Vegetable oil (1): Melano NEWSS7 (Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.) Vegetable oil (2): Palmel 26 (Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.) Other commercially available ingredients were used.

[0027] Co-baking test with bread The molded chocolates were enclosed in bread dough prepared with the mix of bun dough shown in Table 2 and heated by co-baking. For the baking, 10g of diced chocolate was enclosed in 50g of bun dough, and the oven was set to an upper heat of 210°C and a lower heat of 190°C for 11 minutes.

[0028] After cooling at 25°C for 3 hours, the rolls containing the chocolates were cut and the properties of the chocolates inside were evaluated according to the following criteria. The evaluation was confirmed by a sensory evaluation of the chocolates baked simultaneously with the bread dough by five panelists with expertise in chocolate. The panelists unanimously assigned scores of 1 to 5 according to the following criteria: : 1 point: almost nonexistent ・Texture of the chocolate centre 5 points: sufficiently soft and integrated with the gel layer 4 points: somewhat soft 3 points: somewhat hard but tolerable 2 points: hard 1 point: very hard A score of 3 or more was considered acceptable for all of the above evaluation items. ・Overall evaluation Based on the results of the above evaluation items, the quality was judged comprehensively using the following criteria. Pass: 3 points or more in all evaluation items Fail: At least one of the evaluation items has a score of less than 3 points The component values ​​and evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

[0029]

[0030]

[0031]

[0032] In the example using the starch hydrolysate, a gel-like layer and a central layer were formed, and a new texture with good quality was obtained.

[0033] ● Study 2 According to the formulations in Table 4, various chocolates were prepared in the same manner as in Study 1, except that the type of starch hydrolysate was changed or replaced with other ingredients. The resulting chocolates were tempered, formed into 10mm x 10mm x 10mm dice, and aged at 20°C for one week. The following new ingredients were used for this study. Soybean flour: Commercially available whole soybeans were used as the raw material, and halved soybeans that had been dehulled and de-hypocotyled were heated with steam, dried, and then crushed into powder. Starch hydrolyzate B: DE16 maltodextrin, TK-16 (manufactured by Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) Starch hydrolyzate C: DE8 dextrin, Pinedex #1 (manufactured by Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) Inulin: Fuji FF (manufactured by Fuji Nihon Thai Inulin Co., Ltd.) Starch: cornstarch (commercially available product) Starch hydrolyzate D: DE4 dextrin, Pinedex #100 (manufactured by Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) A bread baking test was conducted using the obtained diced chocolates as in Study 1, and the quality was evaluated in the same manner. The results are shown in Table 5.

[0034]

[0035]

[0036] The use of starch hydrolysate resulted in the formation of a gel layer and a central layer, creating a new texture that could not be achieved with starch or dietary fibre.

[0037] ● Study 3 Chocolates were prepared in the same manner as in Study 1, using the formulations in Table 6 and varying the amount of starch hydrolysate. The resulting chocolates were tempered, shaped into 10 mm x 10 mm x 10 mm dice, and aged at 20°C for one week. A bread baking test was conducted using the resulting diced chocolates as in Study 1, and the quality was similarly evaluated. The results are shown in Table 7.

[0038]

[0039]

[0040] It was shown that by adding a certain amount or more of starch hydrolysate, a gel layer and a central layer were formed, resulting in a new texture. Furthermore, when multiple sugars were combined, as in Example 7, a gel layer and a central layer were similarly formed, resulting in a new texture.

[0041] Study 4: Each chocolate was prepared according to the formulations in Table 8, using the same procedure as in Study 1. Example 8, however, was prepared using the same formulation as Example 3, but without milling using a roll refiner, by simply mixing the ingredients. Before molding the resulting chocolates, the BM viscosity and yield value were measured. The viscometer used was a TVB-10M digital viscometer manufactured by Toki Sangyo Co., Ltd., with a No. 3 or No. 4 rotor, at 45°C and 12 rpm. The yield value was calculated using the Casson approximation formula, using a Rheolab-QC manufactured by Anton Paar GmbH with a CC27 rotor, and shear stress was measured at 45°C. After measuring the viscosity, the chocolates were tempered and molded into 10 mm x 10 mm x 10 mm dice shapes. The resulting diced chocolates were then aged at 20°C for one week. The resulting diced chocolates were used in a bread baking test similar to Study 1, and their quality was evaluated. The results are shown in Table 9.

[0042]

[0043]

[0044] Regardless of viscosity or yield value, the chocolates of the examples formed a gel-like layer and a central layer, providing a new texture.

[0045] Study 5: Chocolates containing different amounts of whole milk powder (a dairy product) were prepared in the same manner as in Study 1, according to the formulations in Table 10. The resulting chocolates were tempered, shaped into 10 mm x 10 mm x 10 mm dice, and aged at 20°C for one week. A bread baking test was conducted using the resulting diced chocolates in the same manner as in Study 1, and the quality was evaluated in the same manner. The results are shown in Table 11.

[0046]

[0047]

[0048] The chocolate containing 15% by mass of dairy products was unable to form a sufficient gel layer, and was insufficient to provide a new texture.

[0049] ●Study 6: Using the oil-based foods previously investigated, a study was conducted to quantify the amount of gel layer. <Method> The masses of the diced chocolate samples obtained in the previous study (Examples 2-4, 8, and Comparative Examples 3 and 4) and Examples 1, 5, 6, and Comparative Examples 5 and 6) were measured. Four pieces of chocolate were then enclosed in 50 g of bread dough prepared with the bun dough composition listed in Table 2 and baked simultaneously. The oven was set to 210°C for the top heat and 190°C for 11 minutes. After baking, the bread was allowed to cool at 25°C for 3 hours, and the center portion, where the fat constituted the continuous phase, was removed and weighed. The mass of the gel layer was calculated by subtracting the mass of the center from the mass of the entire chocolate sample, which was previously measured. Two samples were tested for each experiment, and the average was used to determine the mass of the gel layer. The gel layer ratio was calculated by dividing the mass of the gel layer by the mass of the entire chocolate sample. The results are shown in Tables 12 and 13 together with the state and texture of the gel, the sensory evaluation results of the gel amount, and the overall evaluation shown above.

[0050]

[0051]

[0052] As can be seen from Table 12, the gel layer ratio differed between the examples using starch hydrolysates and the comparative examples using inulin or starch, and a viscous, good texture was obtained in the examples. As can be seen from Table 13, the examples containing 5% or more by mass of starch hydrolysates had a high gel layer ratio and a viscous, good texture was obtained. In comparative example 6, a reduction in chocolate was confirmed, but a viscous gel layer like that in example 5 was not obtained, and the mass of the gel layer could not be measured.

[0053] The above study showed that chocolate that meets the following requirements forms a gel layer and a central layer, resulting in a new texture: (1) A starch hydrolysate content of 5% to 40% by mass, (2) A dairy product content of 8% or less by mass, and (3) An oil content of 25% to 50% by mass.

[0054] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a chocolate for heating that exhibits a new texture after heating, and also to provide a composite food product using the chocolate for heating and bakery dough.

Claims

1. Chocolate for heating, which is heated in combination with bakery dough, and which meets all of the following requirements (1) to (4). (1) Starch hydrolysate content is 8% by mass or more and 25% by mass or less (2) The dairy product content is 8% by mass or less (3) Oil content is 29% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less (4) When heated in combination with bakery dough, it has a gel-like layer.

2. A composite food in which the heating chocolate and bakery dough described in claim 1 are heated simultaneously.

3. A method for producing chocolate for heating, which satisfies all of the following requirements (1) to (4) and includes a step of mixing powdered raw materials and oils and fats. (1) Contains starch hydrolysates in an amount of 8% to 25% by mass. (2) The dairy product content is 8% by mass or less (3) Oil content is 29% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less (4) When heated in combination with bakery dough, it has a gel-like layer.

4. A method for producing a composite food, comprising incorporating heating chocolate produced by the manufacturing method described in claim 3 into bakery dough and then heating and baking it.

5. A method for improving the texture of heated chocolate, which involves heating chocolate that meets all of the following requirements (1) to (4) simultaneously with the bakery dough. (1) Starch hydrolysate content is 8% by mass or more and 25% by mass or less (2) The dairy product content is 8% by mass or less (3) Oil content is 29% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less (4) When heated in combination with bakery dough, it has a gel-like layer.