Ready-to-bake Cheesecake Batter Pasteurization and Aeration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cheesecake products sacrifice quality for convenience and shelf life, often requiring additional ingredients and effort to achieve a texture and flavor similar to a from-scratch cheesecake, and they typically do not maintain the quality and flavor of a traditionally baked cheesecake.
Innovation Solution
A ready-to-bake cheesecake batter made from high-quality ingredients like cream cheese, cream, and eggs, which is heated to at least 140°F, aerated, and cooled to create a stable mixture that can be stored for over 120 days without additional ingredients, allowing for a high-quality, baked-from-scratch cheesecake with ease.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If ready-to-use cheesecake products are used to save time and effort, then convenience is improved, but quality and flavor are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary action by pre-mixing all cheesecake ingredients (cream cheese, sugar, eggs, cream, vanilla) in precise proportions during manufacturing, so that the consumer only needs to pour and bake without any mixing or ingredient preparation. This pre-preparation maintains quality by ensuring correct ingredient ratios while maximizing convenience.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses parameter changes by pasteurizing the egg-containing batter to extend shelf life from a few days to several months while maintaining safety and quality. The batter is heated to pasteurization temperatures to eliminate pathogens, then rapidly cooled and stored refrigerated, allowing long-term storage without freezing while preserving the fresh-cheesecake quality.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If dry mixes are used that can be stored at ambient temperature, then shelf life is improved, but quality and texture are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies parameter changes by controlling the temperature parameter to enable long shelf life without ambient storage. The batter is pasteurized and then rapidly cooled to refrigerated temperatures, where it can be stored for several months. This temperature control achieves both long shelf life and high quality without requiring the consumer to store the product at ambient temperature.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the water activity and microbial growth factors that would allow ambient storage, creating a product that requires refrigeration. By controlling water activity through pasteurization and formulation, the product cannot support microbial growth at ambient temperatures, necessitating refrigerated storage but enabling long shelf life with high quality.
3Ease of operation
If cold-set mixes are used to eliminate baking, then ease of preparation is improved, but texture and mouthfeel are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the gelatin and starch components from cold-set mixes that create unwanted textures. By formulating a batter without these gelling agents, the product achieves a smooth, creamy texture characteristic of traditional baked cheesecakes rather than the gelatinous texture of cold-set products.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention inverts the approach by requiring baking instead of avoiding it. Rather than creating a product that sets in the refrigerator like cold-set mixes, this invention is designed to be baked, which develops the desired texture and mouthfeel through the baking process while still providing a ready-to-use convenience.
4Stability of the object's composition
If ingredients with longer shelf life are substituted, then stability is improved, but flavor and texture are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies parameter changes by pasteurizing the entire batter mixture, which extends the shelf life of fresh ingredients like cream cheese, eggs, and cream from a few days to several months. This heat treatment eliminates pathogens and slows spoilage without significantly affecting the flavor and texture when the product is freshly baked.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite materials by formulating a balanced mixture of cream cheese, sugar, eggs, cream, and vanilla in specific proportions. This composite formulation creates a stable emulsion that maintains the flavor and texture characteristics of fresh ingredients while achieving extended shelf life through pasteurization and refrigerated storage.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a cheesecake with the quality and flavor of a traditional baked cheesecake, maintaining stability and flavor for extended periods, allowing consumers to bake a premium cheesecake with minimal effort and time, while ensuring the batter remains stable and ready to use.
Implementation Method 1
heating the mixture to at least 140°F to create a heated mixture
Implementation Method 2
aerating the heated mixture
Implementation Method 3
cooling the heated mixture to form a batter
Data Source
AI summary
A ready-to-bake batter and method for manufacture are provided. The method includes the steps of: combining cream cheese, cream, sweetener, and eggs to form a mixture; heating the mixture to at least 140° F. to create a heated mixture; injecting an inert gas into the heated mixture; aerating the heated mixture; and cooling the heated mixture to form a batter. The batter is stable when stored for over 120 days such that when baked, the batter provides a cake similar to a fresh made-from-scratch cake.