A system for presenting and preparing foodstuffs that include a plurality of individual foodstuff blocks provided formed into basic shapes comprises a heating device including a heatable cooking receptacle for one or more foodstuff blocks with a heatable grill surface and at least one heating mandrel projecting from the grill surface; wherein the heating mandrel is insertable into a passage opening provided in each respective foodstuff block and is adapted to the contour of the passage opening so as to avoid an air gap between the wall of the passage opening and the heating mandrel.

The present invention provides foods and beverages comprising a combination of two or more digestion-resistant components. This invention also provides an agent for producing hydrogen gas in the large intestine, the agent comprising a combination of two or more digestion-resistant components. The foods and beverages or the agent for producing H.sub.2 in the large intestine according to this invention can induce sustained production of large amounts of hydrogen gas by intestinal bacteria of more human individuals.

A spatula is disclosed that is used to implement a food preparation method having the object of forming a roll of ice-cream, in which a quantity of food product in liquid or creamy state, consisting of a basic preparation for ice-cream, is spread on a controlled cooling plane at a temperature of about 18 C., to form in a few seconds a layer of ice-cream, changed into solid or pasty state, which is subsequently scraped away by the spatula, the latter having an upper side from which a protrusion emerges that, during scraping, meets the scraped-away ice-cream and deflects the ice-cream, promoting the rolling up thereof.

A spatula is disclosed that is used to implement a food preparation method having the object of forming a roll of ice-cream, in which a quantity of food product in liquid or creamy state, consisting of a basic preparation for ice-cream, is spread on a controlled cooling plane at a temperature of about 18 C., to form in a few seconds a layer of ice-cream, changed into solid or pasty state, which is subsequently scraped away by the spatula, the latter having an upper side from which a protrusion emerges that, during scraping, meets the scraped-away ice-cream and deflects the ice-cream, promoting the rolling up thereof.

A method and apparatus for producing customized ice cream and ice cream-like confections that includes providing a liquid mixture of product, providing a bowl or wok and/or pan like freezing surface, providing a cryogenic storage vessel holding a quantity of cryogenic liquid, and directing a spray of cryogenic liquid onto the surface to provide a supercooled freezing surface. A quantity of the liquid confection mixture is the poured on the supercooled pan or bowl surface to flash freeze the mixture. The flash frozen product may then be transferred to a serving container and directly distributed to a consumer. The apparatus may also be provided with means for heating the freezing surface to facilitate transferring the flash frozen mixture of product to a serving container.

A method of making a frozen confection includes: providing a tube unit device; filling an opening of the tube unit device with a plurality of liquids and sealing the opening of the tube unit device; placing the tube unit device in a tray mold; forming a frozen confection around the tube unit device, wherein the tube unit device is separated from the frozen confection by a wall of the tube unit device; and configuring the tube unit device to initiate a light show while simultaneously being surrounded by the frozen connection.

Disclosed is a frozen confection comprising freezing point depressants in an amount of from 25 to 35% by weight of the frozen confection, wherein the number average molecular weight <M>.sub.n of the freezing point depressants is from 200 to 250 g mol.sup.1, and wherein the freezing point depressants comprise erythritol in an amount of from 0.25 to 5 7% by weight of the frozen confection.

A frosty swirl machine includes a housing, a funnel, an auger for swirling ice-cream with other additives to become a mixture, and a protective cap. The protective cap has a passage opening movably mounted at a mixture outlet of the funnel, in such a manner that the protective cap is capable of moving between a opened position and a closed position, wherein in the opened position, the protective cap is moved to align the passage opening with the mixture outlet of the funnel so as to allow the mixture to pour out of the funnel through the mixture outlet and the passage opening, wherein in the closed position, the protective cap is moved to block the mixture outlet so as to prevent the mixture from being poured out of the funnel.

A frosty swirl machine includes a housing, a funnel, an auger for swirling ice-cream with other additives to become a mixture, and a protective cap. The protective cap has a passage opening movably mounted at a mixture outlet of the funnel, in such a manner that the protective cap is capable of moving between a opened position and a closed position, wherein in the opened position, the protective cap is moved to align the passage opening with the mixture outlet of the funnel so as to allow the mixture to pour out of the funnel through the mixture outlet and the passage opening, wherein in the closed position, the protective cap is moved to block the mixture outlet so as to prevent the mixture from being poured out of the funnel.

A frozen dessert comprising a stabilizer composition comprised of non-coprocessed colloidal microcrystalline cellulose and konjac wherein the weight ratio of colloidal microcrystalline cellulose to konjac is from 4:6 to 1:9. Such frozen dessert exhibits unexpectedly desirable anti-meltdown and heatshock resistance coupled with unexpectedly desirable organoleptic properties.