Hard candy containing gummy candy

Abstract

This invention relates to a hard candy containing 5-30% by weight of a gummy candy core, characterized in that the hardness of 20% of the gummy candy constituting the core when compressed is 3N or more and the elasticity retention rate is 85% or more. The gummy candy constituting the core also contains 10-20% by weight of a thickener, 1-20% by weight of glycerin, and 10-25% by weight of water.

Description

Hard candies containing soft candies The present invention relates to a hard candy containing soft candy having a soft candy center. The so-called hard candy generally refers to an amorphous candy with a moisture content of less than 5.0% by weight, which is made by boiling sugar, starch syrup and other main ingredients, adding auxiliary ingredients such as acidulants, spices, and pigments, and then molding. The so-called amorphous refers to an amorphous state without crystallization. The hard candy made in this way has a smooth and comfortable licking feeling. As a candy, it has been popular since ancient times. For example, it can be eaten not only at home, but also at work or when you have an appetite or when you want to satisfy your appetite when you are out. However, in recent years, the popularization of IT has increased remote work, and since the end of 2019, the spread of the new coronavirus infection has led to an increase in restrictions on going out, and thus the opportunity to lick hard candy has been lost. In contrast, in order to meet the diversification of food habits, various technologies for changing the eating experience of hard candies have been proposed. For example, hard candies with a powder center are known, wherein powder is sealed in the center of the hard candy (Patent Document 1), candies with a liquid center are known, wherein a liquid center containing a disaccharide or higher sugar or a disaccharide or higher sugar alcohol, a monosaccharide alcohol, ethanol, and water is coated with candy (Patent Document 2), and a dessert composition comprising a hard-boiled candy shell, wherein the hard-boiled candy shell contains a jam-like shear-thinning filler, wherein the jam-like shear-thinning filler is formed by adding a thickener and a polar edible liquid to the center (Patent Document 3). The physical properties of the center contained in these hard candies are limited to being soft or nearly liquid. When these hard candies are chewed forcefully, they have the feeling of being broken into small pieces. Like hard candies, although the contents of the center may seep out and change the taste, the eating experience is not significantly changed compared to hard candies. [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 2788642 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 3002050 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-529552 [Problems to be solved by the invention] The object of the present invention is to provide a hard candy containing soft candy that not only has the smooth and comfortable licking feeling unique to hard candy, but also has a novel chewing feel that does not stick to the teeth and has a springy texture. [Means for Solving the Problem] The present inventors, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, conducted a detailed review and surprisingly discovered that it is possible to produce hard candies containing soft candies with a specific hardness and elasticity retention rate to form the center portion. This hard candy can be chewed without sticking to the teeth and has a springy feel, which allows for a novel eating experience not previously available in hard candies. This has led to the completion of the present invention. That is, the present invention relates to: (1) a hard candy containing soft candy, which is a hard candy containing soft candy containing 5 to 30% by weight of a core portion composed of soft candy, wherein 20% of the soft candy constituting the core portion has a hardness of 3N or more when compressed and an elasticity retention rate of 85% or more; and (2) a hard candy containing soft candy as described in (1), wherein the soft candy constituting the core portion contains 10 to 20% by weight of a thickener, 1 to 20% by weight of glycerin, and 10 to 25% by weight of water. [Effects of the Invention] The hard candy containing soft candy of the present invention has a smooth and comfortable licking feeling that is unique to hard candy, and can be enjoyed with a novel elastic eating feeling that does not stick to the teeth when chewing because the soft candy with a specific hardness and elasticity retention rate is contained in the center. For example, the hard candy containing soft candy of the present invention can be enjoyed with an elastic eating feeling by gently chewing. In addition, when licking, the hard candy with a smooth eating feeling can be enjoyed, and when the soft candy is licked to a certain extent, the hard candy and the soft candy can be chewed at the same time to enjoy the eating feeling of both. Or after completely exposing the center, by chewing the elastic soft candy body, the hard candy and the soft candy can be enjoyed continuously. By licking and chewing at the same time, a change occurs in the eating method, which can give new value to the hard candy. [Modes of carrying out the invention] The present invention is described in further detail below. The hard candy containing soft candy of the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as the hard candy of the present invention) is a hard candy containing soft candy containing 5 to 30% by weight of a core portion consisting of soft candy, and the soft candy constituting the aforementioned core portion is characterized by having a hardness of 3N or greater when 20% is compressed and an elasticity retention rate of 85% or greater. The aforementioned center portion is used to impart elasticity to the hard candy of the present invention. In the hard candy of the present invention, the soft candy constituting the aforementioned center portion may be positioned so as to provide a sense of elasticity even when chewing the hard candy portion. Examples include configurations such as placement within the hard candy of the present invention, with the soft candy completely surrounding the hard candy; configurations such that a portion of the surface of the hard candy is exposed while the remaining portion is covered by the hard candy; and configurations such that the hard candy and the soft candy form a layer. In order to provide a sense of integration between the soft candy and the hard candy, it is preferred that at least 80% of the surface area of ​​the soft candy constituting the aforementioned center portion is covered by the hard candy. The hard candy of the present invention comprises a core portion comprising 5 to 30% by weight of the soft candy in the total weight of the candy. If the core portion comprises less than 5% by weight, the soft candy constituting the core portion is difficult to sense, and the chewy texture is not enjoyable. Furthermore, if the core portion comprises more than 30% by weight, the soft candy having a specific hardness and elasticity retention is used, making it difficult to enclose the soft candy in the hard candy core during manufacture. This can lead to problems such as the soft candy leaking out and adhering to the hard candy, or contaminating the manufacturing process. To achieve the desired effects of the present invention, the core portion preferably comprises 10 to 30% by weight. The soft candy constituting the center portion has a hardness of 3N or greater at 20% compression and an elasticity retention rate of 85% or greater. The hard candy of the present invention, having the soft candy having the elasticity described above in the center portion, can achieve a springy texture different from that of hard candy when chewed. The soft candy should have a hardness of 3N or greater at 20% compression. If the hardness is less than 3N, the soft candy will feel soft, like jam, when chewed directly, and the hard candy of the present invention will tend to lack the hardness or elasticity characteristic of soft candies. A hardness of 4N or greater is preferred. While there is no particular upper limit to the hardness, a hardness of 30N or less suffices. The soft candy has a springiness retention rate of 85% or greater. If the springiness retention rate is less than 85%, the hard candy of the present invention tends to have a less resilient chewing sensation. The springiness retention rate is preferably 87-100%, more preferably 87-99%. The hardness and elasticity retention of the aforementioned soft candies can be measured using the methods described in the Examples below. While the hardness and elasticity retention of the prepared soft candies are measured at 20% compression, the hardness and elasticity retention can also be measured by removing a soft candy portion from a hard candy containing soft candies after molding and then heating and dissolving the portion. The composition of the aforementioned soft candy is not particularly limited as long as it can achieve the aforementioned elasticity. For example, the sugar candy may be combined with a thickener, glycerin, and optionally with dietary fiber, oil, protein, fruit juice, dried fruit, vegetable juice, dried vegetables, nuts, chocolate, dairy ingredients, or with acidulants, flavorings, colorings, emulsifiers, antioxidants, gelling agents, sweeteners, etc. as food additives. Examples of sugars used in the soft candies include, but are not particularly limited to, granulated sugar, lactose, fructose, powdered sugar, glucose, corn syrup, fructose-glucose syrup, reduced corn syrup, maltose, maltitol, xylitol, erythritol, and trehalose. Ingredients other than sugars may be any ingredients conventionally used in soft candies. The soft candy preferably contains 10 to 20% by weight of a thickener, 1 to 20% by weight of glycerin, and 10 to 25% by weight of water, from the viewpoint of easily obtaining a soft candy having the aforementioned elasticity. The thickening agent preferably contains at least one selected from the group consisting of gum arabic, xanthan gum, locust bean gum, guar gum, gellan gum, carrageenan, pullulan, pectin, gelatin, and processed starch. A combination of two or more of these thickening agents may also be used. There are no particular limitations on the thickening agent, as long as it provides a soft candy texture. The content of the thickener in the soft candy is preferably 10 to 20% by weight from the viewpoint of achieving the desired elasticity and flavor. The glycerin content in the soft candy is preferably 1 to 20% by weight, from the viewpoint of easily adjusting the elasticity of the soft candy and preventing the soft candy from separating from the water, and from the viewpoint of improving the durability and flavor. The water content (water value) of the soft candy is preferably 10 to 25% by weight, from the perspective of maintaining a springy texture and preventing the hard candy from becoming sticky due to water transfer. There is no particular limitation on the composition of the hard candies used in the hard candies of the present invention. For example, sugars, dietary fiber, oils, proteins, fruit juices, dried fruits, vegetable juices, dried vegetables, nuts, chocolate, dairy raw materials, or acidulants, flavorings, colorings, emulsifiers, antioxidants, gelling agents, sweeteners, etc. as food additives can be used in combination to the extent that the elasticity of the hard candies of the present invention is not affected. Examples of sugars used in the hard candies include, but are not limited to, granulated sugar, lactose, fructose, powdered sugar, glucose, starch syrup, fructose-glucose syrup, reduced starch syrup, maltose, maltitol, xylitol, erythritol, and trehalose. Ingredients other than sugars may be any ingredients conventionally used in hard candies. The water content of the hard candy may be 1 to 5% by weight from the viewpoint of durability of the candy without becoming sticky. The shape of the hard candy of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as the central portion is hard candy, and examples thereof include spheres, cubes, rectangular parallelepipeds, triangular pyramids, pyramids, prisms, cylinders, cones, and polyhedrons. The weight ratio of the hard candy in the hard candy of the present invention can be the remainder of the soft candy, and is 70-95 weight % of the total weight of the hard candy of the present invention. From the perspective of achieving the effects of the present invention, 70-90 weight % is preferred. The shape of the central portion is not particularly limited. However, from the perspective of facilitating the elasticity of the central portion, the central portion may be provided at only one location, or may be provided at two or more locations in accordance with the shape of the hard candy of the present invention. The hard candy of the present invention can be produced, for example, by the following method. First, the thickener, sugar, and water are heated and dissolved, then cooked until the final moisture content reaches 10-25% to create a syrup. Next, gelatin and glycerin are added, and auxiliary ingredients such as fruit juice, acidulant, and flavoring are added as needed to create the raw material for the center of the candy. The raw materials of hard candy can be produced according to a known hard candy production method, for example, by mixing and dissolving the aforementioned sugars in water, adding additives as needed, and concentrating the mixture using a known method such as vacuum evaporation. Next, the soft candy material used in the center is injected and coated onto the hard candy material while being extended by a roller having a central injection nozzle, thereby manufacturing a hard candy material containing soft candy. Next, the obtained raw material is formed by stamping, ball breaking, etc., and then cooled at room temperature or below to solidify to obtain the hard candy containing the center of the present invention. [Example] The present invention is further described in detail with reference to the following examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In the following examples, "parts" and "%" represent "parts by weight" and "% by weight" respectively unless otherwise specified. (Example 1) For the center portion of the soft candy, according to the recipe in Table 1, sugar, starch syrup, and pectin are mixed and dissolved in water, and the mixture is concentrated in a vacuum kettle until the moisture content reaches the specified value. Then, gelatin dissolved in warm water preheated to around 60°C is added. Then, glycerin and a small amount of fruit juice, acidulant, and spices are added to obtain a soft candy raw material with a moisture content of 20% for the center portion. Regarding hard candies, according to the recipe in Table 2, sugar and starch syrup are heated and concentrated in a vacuum kettle, and a small amount of acidulant and flavoring is added to obtain a hard candy raw material with a moisture content of 2.0% by weight. Next, the soft candy material used for the center portion was injected into the center of the prepared hard candy material to a weight ratio of 20%. Spherical hard candies containing soft candies A (each weighing 3.5 g) with the composition shown in Table 4 were then formed. The spherical hard candies containing soft candies A had the soft candies forming the center portion completely covered with hard candies. (The candies prepared in Examples 2 and thereafter had the same shape as in Example 1.) (Example 2) Spherical hard candies B containing soft candies (center weight ratio: 5%) having a weight of 3.5 g and a composition shown in Table 4 were obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the center weight ratio was adjusted to 5%. (Example 3) Spherical soft candy C (center weight ratio: 30%) weighing 3.5 g and having the composition shown in Table 4 was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the center weight ratio was adjusted to 30%. (Example 4) Spherical hard candy D containing soft candy (weight ratio of the center: 20%) with a single weight of 3.5 g and the composition shown in Table 4 was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the contents of pectin and gelatin in the soft candy were each adjusted to 10%. (Example 5) Spherical hard candies E containing soft candies (weight ratio of the center: 20%) with a single weight of 3.5 g and the composition shown in Table 4 were obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the moisture content of the soft candy raw material was set to 10 wt%. Comparative Example 1 A spherical hard candy F containing soft candy (weight ratio of the center: 20%) with a single weight of 3.5 g and the composition shown in Table 4 was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the pectin and gelatin were reduced to 2.5% each. Comparative Example 2 A spherical hard candy G containing soft candy (weight ratio of the center: 20%) having a single weight of 3.5 g and the composition shown in Table 4 was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the moisture content of the soft candy raw material was set at 30 wt %. Comparative Example 3 A spherical soft candy H (core weight ratio: 4%) having a weight of 3.5 g and a composition shown in Table 4 was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the core weight ratio was adjusted to 4%. (Comparative Example 4) Except for adjusting the weight ratio of the center portion to 35%, the same method as in Example 1 was used to obtain spherical hard candy I containing soft candy (weight ratio of the center portion: 35%) with a single weight of 3.5 g and the composition shown in Table 4. However, during manufacturing in the factory, many cracks and defects were observed on the hard candy portion. Since the center portion would leak out of the hard candy portion, it was determined that the manufacturing was difficult. (Comparative Example 5) A spherical hard candy having a single weight of 3.5 g was obtained by not adding a center portion (center portion weight ratio: 0%) and the composition shown in Table 2. (Test Example 1: Measurement of Physical Properties of Soft Candy Raw Materials) In order to objectively quantify the "hardness" and "elasticity retention rate" of the soft candy raw materials manufactured by Examples 1 to 5 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3, an analysis machine (Texture Analyzer TA. XT. plus, manufactured by Stable Micro Systems) was used to measure the hardness and elasticity under the following conditions. The results are shown in Table 3. Each sample was cast into a rounded plastic mold with a length of 18.5 mm, a width of 21.4 mm, and a height of 10.8 mm and cut and prepared. The sample was removed from the mold within 24 to 48 hours after preparation and then measured. (1) Hardness Hardness was measured by a cyclic test under the following conditions. The load absorption peak value at the time of probe entry was measured for n=3 samples, and the average value was used as the "hardness". ･Measurement mode: Cyclic test (after compression to a certain position, return to the measurement start position, and repeat the compression a specified number of times) ･Probe: SMSP / 75 (circular flat probe, bottom diameter 25mm, aluminum) ･Entry distance: 20% of the sample height ･Entry speed: 1mm / s ･Return speed: 1mm / s ･Number of repetitions: 2 times ･Sample temperature: Room temperature (20℃) (2) Elasticity retention rate: Two cycles of testing were performed under the following conditions. The elasticity retention rate was expressed as a percentage of the second load absorption peak relative to the first load absorption peak. The average value of n = 3 samples was calculated. ･Measurement mode: Cyclic test (after compression to a certain position, the compression is repeated a specified number of times before returning to the measurement starting position) ･Probe: SMSP / 75 (circular flat probe, bottom diameter 25mm, aluminum) ･Entry distance: 20% of the sample height ･Entry speed: 1mm / s ･Return speed: 1mm / s ･Number of repetitions: 2 times ･Sample temperature: Room temperature (20℃) "Elasticity retention rate = 100 × Second load absorption peak / First load absorption peak (%)" (Test Example 2: Sensory Evaluation of Eating Feel) Five panelists consumed soft candies A-H, prepared in Examples 1-5 and Comparative Examples 1-3, and evaluated their eating feel according to the following criteria. The results are shown in Table 3. ◯: No sticking to teeth and excellent elasticity. △: No sticking to teeth and excellent elasticity. X: No sticking to teeth, but no backlash and unacceptable elasticity. The aforementioned evaluation is the average evaluation of the sensory evaluators, and hard candies containing soft candies evaluated as "0" or "△" indicate that they have elasticity. The results shown in Table 3 indicate that the soft candies A to E obtained in Examples 1 to 5 all had the smooth and comfortable licking feel characteristic of hard candies. The soft candies constituting the center had a hardness of 3N or greater and an elasticity retention rate of 85% or greater, indicating a springy feel when chewed. On the other hand, the hard candies F and G containing soft candies obtained in Comparative Examples 1 and 2 both had a hardness of the soft candy raw material constituting the center part that was less than 3N. When chewed directly, they had a taste like jam. There was no reaction force when chewing the hard candies F and G containing soft candies, and the elastic taste was poor. In addition, when the hard candy H containing soft candies obtained in Comparative Example 3 is compared with the hard candy B containing soft candies obtained in Example 2, since the weight ratio of the center portion is less than 5 weight%, when chewing, one can feel the hardness unique to hard candies, but since there is less soft candies, the unique elasticity of soft candies cannot be felt, and therefore, two different eating sensations cannot be felt. Furthermore, since the soft candy itself was not present in the center of the hard candy obtained in Comparative Example 5, only the hardness of the hard candy was felt during chewing. Table 4 shows the compositions of the soft candy raw materials prepared in Examples 1 to 5 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4.

Claims

1. A hard candy containing gummy candy, comprising 5 to 30% by weight of a gummy candy core, characterized in that 20% of the gummy candy constituting the aforementioned core has a hardness of 3N or more when compressed and an elasticity retention rate of 85% or more.

2. The hard candy containing gummy candy as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gummy candy constituting the aforementioned central portion contains 10-20% by weight of thickener, 1-20% by weight of glycerin and 10-25% by weight of water.