Process for the production of a soft bakery product storable at room temperature
11540521 · 2023-01-03
Assignee
Inventors
Cpc classification
A21D15/00
HUMAN NECESSITIES
International classification
Abstract
A process for the production of a soft bakery product with a moisture content of at least 11%, which can be stored at room temperature for at least two months, while keeping its softness characteristics substantially unchanged is disclosed. The process includes the steps of: a) providing a semi-finished product obtained from a flour-based leavened dough; b) baking the semi-finished product in an oven, obtaining a bakery product having a moisture content of between 10% and 35% by weight; and c) injecting water or a hydroalcoholic solution into the product, in an amount such as to bring about an increase of at least 10% of the moisture content of the bakery product.
Claims
1. A process for the production of a soft bakery product with a moisture content of at least 11%, said process comprising: a) providing a semi-finished product obtained from a flour-based leavened dough; b) baking said semi-finished product in an oven, obtaining a bakery product having a moisture content of between 10% and 35% by weight of the total weight of said bakery product; and c) injecting a hydroalcoholic solution of ethyl alcohol in water into said bakery product, in an amount of ethyl alcohol being 5% by weight or higher with respect to the total weight of the solution thereby bringing about an increase of at least 10% of the moisture content of said bakery product, wherein said bakery product has a temperature of 65° to 95° C. in a central part during injection thereby facilitating immediate vaporization of the ethyl alcohol and uniform distribution within the cells of said bakery product, and whereby the injected bakery product is storable at room temperature, while keeping its softness characteristics substantially unchanged, and whereby the injected hydroalcoholic solution provides anti-microbial activity to the bakery product after baking and during storage.
2. The process according to claim 1, wherein in said step c) said ethyl alcohol is present in an amount from 5% to 35%, by weight of the total weight of the solution.
3. The process according to claim 2, wherein said hydroalcoholic solution is a solution of ethyl alcohol in water with an amount of ethyl alcohol of between 5% and 15%.
4. The process according to claim 3, wherein said hydroalcoholic solution is a solution of ethyl alcohol in water with an amount of ethyl alcohol of about 7% by weight of the total weight of the solution.
5. The process according to claim 2, wherein said hydroalcoholic solution contains a bakery product flavor.
6. The process according to claim 2, wherein the weight ratio between the hydroalcoholic solution to be injected into the bakery product in said step c) and the bakery product is between 1:5 and 1:40.
7. The process according to claim 6, wherein the weight ratio between the hydroalcoholic solution to be injected into the bakery product in said step c) and the bakery product is comprised between 1:7 and 1:20.
8. The process according to claim 1, wherein said step c) of injecting water or a hydroalcoholic solution is carried out by inserting a plurality of injectors into the bakery product, said injectors being inserted at a level of between 1/10th and 9/10ths of a height of the bakery product.
9. The process according to claim 8, wherein said injectors are inserted at a level of between 2/10ths and 7/10ths, of the height of a bakery product.
10. The process according to claim 8, wherein said injectors are inserted, in the top surface of said bakery product, vertically from the top downwards to said level.
11. The process according to claim 8, wherein said injectors are inserted horizontally into said bakery product at said level.
12. The process according to claim 8, wherein said injectors have the shape of a needle, which is laterally provided with 1-4 holes with a diameter of between 0.5 and 4 mm.
13. The process according to claim 12, wherein said side holes are at a distance of 1-50 mm from the tip of said needle.
14. The process according to claim 1, wherein in said step c) an amount of said hydroalcoholic solution is injected such as to determine an increase of 15-50% of the moisture content of said bakery product.
15. The process according to claim 1, wherein said bakery product, at the end of said step c) of injecting said hydroalcoholic solution and after optional cooling to room temperature, is packaged in a wrapper of food-grade plastic material, thus being storable at room temperature for at least two months.
16. The process according to claim 15, wherein said bakery product is packaged in a wrapper of food-grade plastic material without introducing a modified atmosphere.
17. A method for keeping the softness characteristics of soft bakery products storable at room temperature substantially unchanged during the entire storage period thereof, comprising: injecting into central portions of said soft bakery products, having a temperature of 65° to 95° C. in said central portions, a hydroalcoholic solution of ethyl alcohol and water with an amount of ethyl alcohol 5% to 35%, by weight of the total weight of the solution, into said soft bakery products thereby facilitating immediate vaporization of the ethyl alcohol and uniform distribution within the cells of said bakery product, and whereby the injected hydroalcoholic solution provides anti-microbial activity to the soft bakery products after baking and during storage while maintaining said softness characteristics of soft bakery products.
18. The method according to claim 17, wherein said amount of ethyl alcohol is between 5% and 15%, by weight of the total weight of the solution.
19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the weight ratio between the ethyl alcohol solution and the bakery product is between 1:5 and 1:40.
20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the weight ratio between the ethyl alcohol solution and the bakery product is between 1:7 and 1:20.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) In the FIGURES:
(2)
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(3) With reference to the process according to the invention, the semi-finished product for obtaining a soft dough bakery product provided in the first step of this process may be obtained by means of conventional processes known to the person skilled in the art.
(4) In a non-limiting example, this semi-finished product consists of a flour-based raw dough and natural yeast, which is divided and formed into portions which are then processed until the desired form, for example an elongated form, typical of a small French loaf or stick, is obtained. In particular, once worked into an elongated form, the aforementioned spherical portions assume a length of between 100 mm and 120 mm.
(5) Finally, the dough portions, thus formed are placed on a tray and leavened, for a time period of between 2 and 3 hours, at a temperature of between 33° C. and 37° C. and in an environment with a relative humidity of between 80% and 90% until a semi-finished product is obtained.
(6) Then, the aforementioned semi-finished product is baked at a temperature of between 180° C. and 210° C., for a time period of between 9 and 11 minutes until a bakery product having a moisture content of between 22% and 24% by weight of the total weight of the bakery product, and a water activity (Aw) with value between 0.81 and 0.85, is obtained.
(7) Thereafter, a hydroalcoholic solution is injected into said bakery product, when still hot, in an amount such as to raise the moisture content of said bakery product to a value of between 30% and 33% by weight of the total weight, with a water activity Aw of between 0.85 and 0.89.
(8) In the step where a hydroalcoholic solution is injected, the bakery product has a temperature “at its core” of between 85° C. and 95° C.
(9) In particular, the aforementioned step of injecting a hydroalcoholic solution is carried out by inserting a plurality of injectors into the bakery product, on its upper surface 6, said injectors being inserted vertically from the top downwards at a height of between 1/10th and 9/10ths, preferably between 2/10ths and 7/10ths, of the height h of the bakery product.
(10) The height of the bakery product is understood as meaning the distance between the bottom surface of the bakery product and the top surface thereof, calculated from the bottom.
(11) From
(12) For example, if the aforementioned injection step were to be carried out by inserting three injectors into the bakery product with a total amount of 3 g of hydroalcoholic solution, firstly three holes would be formed on the top surface of the bakery product, then about 1 g of hydroalcoholic solution would be dispensed by each injector.
(13) The injectors may also be inserted horizontally into the bakery product, provided that insertion is performed at a height of between 1/10th and 9/10ths, preferably between 2/10ths and 7/10ths, of the aforementioned height h of the bakery product.
(14) It is important that the injectors should be inserted at the aforementioned height, because this ensures the uniform distribution of the hydroalcoholic solution in the baked dough of the bakery product.
(15) The injectors have the form of a needle, provided laterally with 1-4 holes having a diameter of between 0.5 and 4 mm, which holes are preferably at a distance of 1-50 mm from the tip of said needle, which does not have a hole.
(16) Injection of the hydroalcoholic solution may be performed at a low pressure (pressure lower than or equal to 100 kPa) by means of electrovalves or at a high pressure (pressure higher than 100 kPa) by means of pumps.
Example 1
(17) Preparation of a bakery product using the process according to the invention.
(18) Firstly a semi-finished product for a soft dough bakery product was prepared. It was obtained from a raw dough prepared using the following ingredients:
(19) TABLE-US-00001 Ingredient Percentage (%) Soft-wheat flour 53 Wheat gluten 0.6 Whole milk powder 1 Vegetable margarine 6 Fresh eggs 8.6 Brewer's yeast 2.4 Water 15.5 Salt 0.6 Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids 1.1 Sucrose 11.2
(20) The percentages shown above are to be understood as being by weight relative to the total weight of the ingredients.
(21) Using the aforementioned dough ingredients a dough was obtained by means of mixing in a fork kneader with a variable mixing speed. In particular, a slow mixing step was carried out for a period of 3 minutes, followed by a fast mixing step for a period of 20 minutes, in turn followed by a slow mixing step for a period of 4 minutes, so as to subject the dough to mixing for a total time of 27 minutes. Then the dough was divided up and formed into semi-spherical portions with a weight of 27 g. These semi-spherical portions were then worked so as to assume the oblong form typical of a small loaf with a length of about 105 mm.
(22) Finally, the dough portions, thus formed, were placed on a tray and leavened for 155 minutes at a temperature of 35° C. in an environment with a relative humidity of 85% until a semi-finished product was obtained.
(23) Then this semi-finished product was baked at a temperature of 195° C. for a period of 11 minutes. A soft dough bakery product in the form of a small loaf with a moisture content of 22.8% by weight, a water activity (Aw) of 0.84 and a weight of 24.5 g was thus obtained. Then 2.5 g of a hydroalcoholic flavoring solution, comprising 7% by weight of ethyl alcohol relative to the total weight of the solution, was injected into said bakery product, while said product was still hot (90° C.). A bread roll with a moisture content of 31.1% by weight, a water activity (Aw) of 0.86 and a weight of 27 g was thus obtained. Then the bakery product was allowed to cool for a period of 20 minutes until it reached a temperature of 24° C.
(24) The aforementioned bakery products were packaged individually in sealed polypropylene wrappers and tested for their shelf life at room temperature.
(25) After a period of two months no microbiological alterations or significant variations in the organoleptic properties of the products, and in particular no substantial modification of the softness characteristics, were determined.
Example 2
Croissant
(26) TABLE-US-00002 Percentage (%) Dough ingredients Type ““0”” soft-wheat flour 60 Fresh eggs 19 Castor sugar 7 Water 7 Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids 0.97 Brewer's yeast 2.5 Butter 2.5 Salt 1 Bread improver 0.03 Total 100 Danish pastry ingredients Dough 75 Rolling margarine 25 Total 100
(27) The percentages shown above are to be understood as being by weight relative to the total weight of the ingredients.
(28) The aforementioned ingredients for the dough were placed inside a double-spiral kneader, obtaining a homogeneous dough, which was then placed in an extruder, obtaining at its outlet a continuous sheet-like strip, which was then fed to a multi-roll rolling machine in order to reduce the thickness thereof.
(29) 16 layers of margarine were deposited on the sheet by means of the operations and the apparatus conventionally used to produce Danish pastry. From the sheet of Danish pastry finally triangular portions with a base of about 110 mm, a height of about 140 mm and a weight of about 45 g, were obtained. Then the triangular portions were rolled up to form semi-finished products in the forms of croissants and placed on baking trays.
(30) The baking trays containing the aforementioned semi-finished products were introduced into a leavening chamber and kept inside it for 330 minutes at a temperature of 34° C. and with a relative humidity of 90%.
(31) At the end of this period, the baking trays were transferred for a baking step in an oven at 190° for about 8 minutes.
(32) The croissants thus obtained had a weight of about 38.5 g and a moisture content of about 18%.
(33) Then 1.8 g of a hydroalcoholic flavoring solution, comprising 5.5% by weight of ethyl alcohol relative to the total weight of the solution, were injected into said croissant, while said product was still hot, more precisely at the temperature of 85° C. (temperature of the inner part). A croissant with a moisture content of 22% by weight and a weight of 40 g was thus obtained. The croissant was then allowed to cool for a period of 35 minutes until a temperature of 24° C. was reached. The croissants thus obtained were individually packaged in sealed polypropylene wrappers and tested for their shelf life at room temperature.
(34) After a period 75 days no microbiological alterations or significant variations in the organoleptic characteristics of the products were noted and the softness characteristics remained substantially unvaried, as shown by the results of a panel test involving a comparison with croissants which were produced using the same ingredients and the same process and stored in the same way, but in which no hydroalcoholic solution was injected.
(35) In this test 160 trained tasters were asked to assess, on a scale from 1 to 10, different organoleptic and structural characteristics of the croissants according to the present example and the comparison croissants mentioned above, using in both cases packaged products stored for two months at room temperature.
(36) The following table shows the score obtained by the two types of croissant in question:
(37) TABLE-US-00003 Comparison croissant Croissant (without injection of Characteristics (Example 2) hydroalcoholic solution) General appearance 5.8 5.7 Form 5.8 5.7 Overall color of the product 6.1 5.8 Color of the dough inside 6.0 5.6 Flavoring, general aroma 5.9 5.4 Consistency when tasted 6.6 5.4 Flavoring, general taste 6.5 5.5
(38) Finally, each taster was asked to give an overall evaluation of the two products, again on a scale of 1 to 10, and the average overall score was 6.5 for the croissant according to Example 2 and 5.6 for the comparison croissant.
(39) It is clear that the injection of the hydroalcoholic solution resulted in an overall improvement of the organoleptic and structural properties compared to the croissants produced previously without the injection of the hydroalcoholic solution, there being a marked improvement in the softness characteristics, reflected by the higher score obtained for the parameter “consistency when tasted”.
Example 3
(40) TABLE-US-00004 Dough ingredients Percentage by weight (%) Type “0” soft-wheat flour 50 Soft-wheat gluten 0.4 Egg yoke 5.6 Castor sugar 10 Water 9 Apricot yogurt 9 Mono- and diglycerides of 2 alimentary fatty acids Brewer's yeast 1.5 Margarine 7 Butter 5 Salt 0.47 Bread improver 0.03 Total 100
(41) Using the aforementioned ingredients, a dough was prepared and then rolled, resulting in a semi-finished product with 960 layers of dough.
(42) Long strips, with a length of 900 mm, width of 28 mm, height of 12 mm and weight of 220 g were obtained from said semi-finished product.
(43) The strips were then leavened at 30° C. for 240 minutes in an environment with a relative humidity of 85% and then baked in an oven at 190° C. for 15 minutes. The strips were then allowed to cool down to room temperature (about 30 minutes). At this point the strips had a moisture content of about 20%. Then 21 g of a hydroalcoholic flavoring solution, comprising 10% by weight of ethyl alcohol relative to the total weight of the solution, were injected into each strip. Strips with a moisture content of 27% and a weight of 215 g were thus obtained.
(44) Thereafter, by means of conventional cutting operations, a longitudinal cut was performed so as to divide each strip into an upper portion and a lower portion.
(45) The cut was carried out at a height of 1.2 cm (calculated from the bottom), the height of said strip being equal to about 2 cm.
(46) Then 135 g of a milk cream with a moisture content of about 20%, a water activity Aw of 0.80 and 75° Brix was deposited onto the top surface of the bottom portion of the strip.
(47) The top portions of each strip were then joined together again with the respective bottom portions, and the strip thus reassembled was subjected to transverse cutting operations, so as to obtain a plurality of filled snacks with a length of 100 mm, width of 45 mm, height of 25 mm and weight of about 35 g.
(48) After a period of 75 days no microbiological alterations or major variations in the organoleptic properties of the products were noted and the softness characteristics remained substantially unchanged.