A chocolate-based food composition is disclosed that includes chocolate and a minor amount of a high melt palm stearin. Shelf stable food products coated with a chocolate-based food composition are also disclosed.

A chocolate-based food composition is disclosed that includes chocolate and a minor amount of a high melt palm stearin. Shelf stable food products coated with a chocolate-based food composition are also disclosed.

An edible filling formed of protein-containing solid particles in a fat-containing carrier having lecithin during wet particle size reduction to emulsify before enough starch is added to absorb excess or free fat-containing carrier when mixed together. One preferred particle size reduction method step employs wet grinding of proteins in a ball mill disposed in a fat containing oil or shortening carrier until substantially all of the proteins have been reduced in size to a particle size of less than 40 microns enabling the reduced size protein particles to remain in suspension in the resultant filling for an extended period of time increasing filling storage or shelf life while also producing a filling of more uniform appearance, texture and taste. Lecithin in excess of what is needed for emulsification is added during filling making to protect proteins and absorb excess water in the filling.

An edible filling formed of protein-containing solid particles in a fat-containing carrier having lecithin during wet particle size reduction to emulsify before enough starch is added to absorb excess or free fat-containing carrier when mixed together. One preferred particle size reduction method step employs wet grinding of proteins in a ball mill disposed in a fat containing oil or shortening carrier until substantially all of the proteins have been reduced in size to a particle size of less than 40 microns enabling the reduced size protein particles to remain in suspension in the resultant filling for an extended period of time increasing filling storage or shelf life while also producing a filling of more uniform appearance, texture and taste. Lecithin in excess of what is needed for emulsification is added during filling making to protect proteins and absorb excess water in the filling.

A nut butter composition is disclosed that includes a nut butter, a palm oil stearin fraction, and a powdered food ingredient, and methods of making same. Food products including a nut butter compositions and methods of making are also disclosed.

The present invention provides a method for preparing a filled bakery product, the method comprising: providing a filling composition comprising at least one powdered food ingredient and a fat blend comprising from 15 to 67 wt. % of a temper hard fat and from 85 to 33 wt. % of a liquid oil, tempering the filling composition to form a tempered filling composition, depositing the tempered filling composition on to at least one surface of a bakery product to form a filled bakery product, wherein the surface of the bakery product has a temperature of less than 36° C., and actively cooling the deposited filling composition, wherein in the step of depositing the tempered filling composition, the tempered filling composition is deposited at a deposition temperature of from 20 to 33° C. and, in the step of actively cooling the deposited filling composition, the deposited filling composition is cooled to a temperature of at least 4° C. below the deposition temperature, wherein the temper hard fat has a solid fat content of at least 60 wt. % at 20° C., wherein the liquid oil has a solid fat content of less than 15 wt. % at 20° C., and wherein the fat blend has a saturated fatty acid residue content of from 16 to 42 wt. % and a polyunsaturated fatty acid residue content of less than 40 wt. %, based on the total weight of fatty acid residues of the fat blend.

The present invention provides a method for preparing a filled bakery product, the method comprising: providing a filling composition comprising at least one powdered food ingredient and a fat blend comprising from 15 to 67 wt. % of a temper hard fat and from 85 to 33 wt. % of a liquid oil, tempering the filling composition to form a tempered filling composition, depositing the tempered filling composition on to at least one surface of a bakery product to form a filled bakery product, wherein the surface of the bakery product has a temperature of less than 36° C., and actively cooling the deposited filling composition, wherein in the step of depositing the tempered filling composition, the tempered filling composition is deposited at a deposition temperature of from 20 to 33° C. and, in the step of actively cooling the deposited filling composition, the deposited filling composition is cooled to a temperature of at least 4° C. below the deposition temperature, wherein the temper hard fat has a solid fat content of at least 60 wt. % at 20° C., wherein the liquid oil has a solid fat content of less than 15 wt. % at 20° C., and wherein the fat blend has a saturated fatty acid residue content of from 16 to 42 wt. % and a polyunsaturated fatty acid residue content of less than 40 wt. %, based on the total weight of fatty acid residues of the fat blend.

The invention relates to a composition for coating a frozen confectionery comprising a coating having a coating composition comprising, expressed in weight % (based on the total weight of the coating), 40-60 wt. %, preferably 43-60 wt. %, more preferably 45-50 wt. % of total fat in the coating, 30-50 wt. % of ground whole nuts having a particle size below 80 microns, preferably 10 to 73 microns, and wherein the total fat in the coating composition comprises 40-60 wt. % of liquid fat and 60-40 wt. % of hardening fat based on the total fat. The invention also relates to a method for making the coating composition.

The invention relates to a composition for coating a frozen confectionery comprising a coating having a coating composition comprising, expressed in weight % (based on the total weight of the coating), 40-60 wt. %, preferably 43-60 wt. %, more preferably 45-50 wt. % of total fat in the coating, 30-50 wt. % of ground whole nuts having a particle size below 80 microns, preferably 10 to 73 microns, and wherein the total fat in the coating composition comprises 40-60 wt. % of liquid fat and 60-40 wt. % of hardening fat based on the total fat. The invention also relates to a method for making the coating composition.

The present invention relates to the use of cocoa particles as the emulsifier system for the stabilization of a water-in-oil or oil-in-water emulsion. In another aspect there is now provided a confectionery product comprising cocoa particles as the emulsifying agent that does not contain any synthetic or artificial emulsifiers.