Ganache-Type Coating Composition for Frozen Confectionery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing ganache coatings for frozen confections face challenges such as long setting times, brittleness, and difficulty in maintaining a soft texture, which affects their usability and consumer preference.

Innovation Solution

A composition comprising 50-60 wt% non-fat solids and 40-50 wt% fat, with a fat blend of 45-55 wt% liquid oil and 55-45 wt% hardening fat, including at least 8% anhydrous milk fat, and the use of structuring agents like palm stearine or waxes to achieve a soft and chewy texture similar to traditional ganache, while being free from water to prevent separation and enhance shelf-life.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a traditional ganache coating is applied to frozen confectionery, then a soft and creamy texture is achieved, but the coating requires a long setting time and becomes brittle

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoating softnessVSAvoidsetting time
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the coating by using a fat blend with specific proportions of liquid oil (45-55 wt%) and hardening fat (55-45 wt%), where the hardening fat contains at least 8% anhydrous milk fat. This parameter modification allows the coating to achieve both softness and rapid setting without requiring long setting times, resolving the contradiction between coating softness and setting time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Strength

If a water-containing emulsion coating is used, then a soft texture is achieved, but the coating is prone to separation and has shorter shelf-life

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoating softnessVSAvoidshelf-life
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes water from the coating formulation, transitioning from a water-containing emulsion system to a pure fat-based coating. By eliminating water, the coating avoids separation issues and extends shelf-life while maintaining softness through the carefully balanced fat blend composition, thus resolving the contradiction between softness and shelf-life.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Loss of time

If a standard compound coating is used, then the coating sets quickly, but it has a snappy and crisp texture instead of soft and chewy

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesetting timeVSAvoidcoating texture
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite fat blend combining liquid oil (45-55 wt%) with hardening fat containing anhydrous milk fat (55-45 wt%). This composite material structure enables the coating to set quickly like traditional compound coatings while achieving a soft and chewy texture through the specific composition and interaction of the fat components, resolving the contradiction between setting speed and texture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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 ganache-type coating that is soft and chewy, sets quickly, and maintains desired organoleptic properties, overcoming the issues of brittleness and long setting times, while being suitable for industrial production and storage.

Implementation Method 1

the coating is solid at frozen state and distribution but during consumption it is soft

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhase change: Phase Change

Implementation Method 2

The coating obtained with the composition according to the invention has a soft sensation and texture similar to a ganache

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCrystallization: Crystallisation

Data Source

PatentEP3790402B1Composition for coating frozen confectionery and a process for manufacturing same
Publication Date: 2023.12.20 SOCIETE DES PRODUITS NESTLE SA
  • EP3790402B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3790402B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3b

AI summary

The invention relates to a composition for coating a frozen confection, the composition comprising, expressed in weight % (based on the total weight of the coating), 50 to 60 wt% of non-fat solids, 40 to 50 wt% of fat, which comprises a fat blend of hardening fat and liquid oil, wherein the fat blend consisting of 45 to 55wt % of liquid fat and 55 to 45 wt % of hardening fat, and wherein the hardening fat comprises at least 8 % anhydrous milk fat, preferably 8 to 22% milk fat, and wherein the composition is free from water. The invention also relates to a method for making the coating composition.