ANHYDROUS FOOD PRODUCT WITH A BASE OF COCOA BUTTER AND DRY PLANT MATERIAL

Abstract

The present invention relates to a new anhydrous food product with a base of cocoa butter and dry plant material, designed to be hydrated to allow rapid and simple production of sweet or savoury prepared food products. The invention also relates to a method for the production thereof and to the use thereof for manufacturing prepared food products.

Claims

1. An anhydrous food product comprising: between 15% and 40% by weight of cocoa butter; between 3% and 50% by weight of dry plant material; between 10% and 38% by weight of mono-, di- and/or polysaccharides; between 10% and 40% by weight of fat having a solid fat content less than or equal to 40% at 20 C.; optionally up to 30% by weight of dry dairy material; optionally up to 20% by weight of sweetening agent; optionally up to 8% by weight of spices; optionally up to 5% by weight of emulsifier; a weight ratio between the fat having a solid fat content less than or equal to 40% at 20 C. and the cocoa butter is greater than 0.25; a water content less than 5% by weight; and the dry material of the product has a D(90) less than or equal to 50 microns in the finished product.

2. The anhydrous food product according to claim 1, wherein the dry plant material is dry non-fat cocoa powder and represents between 3% and 40% by weight, and in that the mono-, di- and/or polysaccharides represent between 15% and 38% by weight.

3. The anhydrous food product according to claim 2, wherein: the cocoa butter represents between 20% and 40% by weight; the dry non-fat cocoa powder represents between 10% and 40% by weight; the mono-, di- and/or polysaccharides represent between 20% and 38% by weight; the fat having a solid fat content less than or equal to 40% at 20 C. represents between 10% and 30% by weight; the weight of the dry dairy material, when present, represents up to 20% by weight, and the spices, when present, represent up to 5% by weight.

4. The anhydrous food product according to claim 2, wherein: the cocoa butter represents between 15% and 30% by weight; the dry non-fat cocoa powder represents between 3% and 20% by weight; the mono-, di- and/or polysaccharides represent between 20% and 38% by weight; the fat having a solid fat content less than or equal to 40% at 20 C. represents between 10% and 20% by weight; the dry dairy material represents between 10% and 30% by weight, and the spices, when present, represent up to 5% by weight.

5. The anhydrous food product according to claim 1, wherein the dry plant material is a fruit and/or a dehydrated vegetable and the mono-, di- and/or polysaccharides represent between 15% and 50% by weight.

6. The anhydrous food product according to claim 1, wherein the weight ratio between the total fat and the total non-fat dry material is greater than or equal to 0.70.

7. A method for the production of the anhydrous food product according to claim 1, this method comprising the following steps: a) grinding and homogenizing of the various ingredients of said product until a mass is obtained of which the grain size is characterized by a D(90) less than or equal to 50 microns; this mass is then homogenized by stirring by maintaining a temperature between 35 and 75 C.; b) tempering of the product, in order to control the crystallization of the coco butter and of the fat having a solid fat content less than or equal to 40% at 20 C., for an optimum implementation of the product; c) molding of the product obtained at the end of the step b) of tempering.

8. A method of manufacturing a prepared food product, comprising including the anhydrous food product according to claim 1 as an ingredient of the prepared food product.

9. A prepared food product comprising the anhydrous food product according to claim 1 and a hydrating agent formed from at least 80% by weight of water, wherein the hydrating agent/anhydrous food product weight ratio is between 0.1 and 4.

10. The prepared food product according to claim 9, wherein the hydrating agent is an aqueous liquid chosen from water, infusions, soups, teas, coffee, fruit juices, vegetable juices, plant juices, fish or meat juice and animal or plant milks and mixtures thereof

11. The prepared food product according to claim 9 wherein the prepared food product is a whipped prepared food product and in that the quantity of hydrating agent is between 20% and 50% by weight based on the total weight of said product.

12. A method for manufacturing a prepared and whipped food product according to claim 11, wherein the method comprises the steps of: mixing said hydrating agent and said anhydrous food product; and whipping said mixture with a system for incorporating gas.

13. The prepared food product according to claim 9 wherein the prepared food product is an ice cream and in that the quantity of hydrating agent is between 20% and 60% by weight based on the total weight of said product.

14. A method for manufacturing an ice cream according to claim 13, wherein the method comprises the steps of: mixing said hydrating agent and said anhydrous food product; mixing and processing said mixture between 6 and 10 C.; and storing in the freezer.

Description

FIGURES

[0147] FIGS. 1A and 1B. FIGS. 1A and B show the texture profile after 30 min and 24 h at 4 C. of three prepared food products: Ganache A, Ganache C and the Chocolate-water mixture C of which the recipes are detailed in the example III.

[0148] FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a graph that shows the maximum constraint threshold of Ganaches A and C.

[0149] FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a graph that shows the cutability threshold of Ganaches A and C.

[0150] FIG. 4. FIG. 4 shows the change in the maximum constraint as a function of time of two prepared food products: Creamy A and Creamy C, the recipes of which are detailed in the example III.

EXAMPLES

I. Preparation of an Anhydrous Food Product According to the Invention

[0151] A merchantable cocoa is transformed into ground cocoa (or nib) after the steps of roasting and crushing. The ground cocoa is then ground in order to obtain a semi-finished liquid product at 45 C. called cocoa liquor. This liquor is mixed in a kneader with various raw materials in the following proportions (expressed by weight): [0152] Cocoa liquor: 39.1% [0153] Cocoa butter: 4.8% [0154] Skimmed milk powder: 2.2% [0155] Sucre: 25.4% [0156] Milk fat: 28.3% [0157] Soy lecithin: 0.3%

[0158] The mixture is then ground until a mass having a D(90) less than or equal to 50 microns is obtained and then conched for 48 h at a temperature between 50 C. and 70 C. The mass is then tempered and moulded into beans of 3.5 g, which are packaged in bags after crystallisation.

[0159] The product obtained in designated as Product A.

II. Manufacturing a Prepared Food Product (Ganache) Using the Product A According to the Example I

[0160] The manufacturing consists of pouring 21% by weight of boiling water on 79% by weight of beans of Product A and in homogenising the preparation by stirring.

[0161] The ganache thus obtained is designated as Ganache A.

III. Comparison of the Rheological Behaviour of the Prepared Food Product of the Example II (Ganache A) with that of the Existing Food Products (Conventional Chocolate and Ganache)

[0162] In order to carry out the comparative tests, a Ganache C having a composition identical to that of the Ganache A is prepared according to a conventional method with a Chocolate C.

[0163] The Chocolate C made of: 63.2% of cocoa bean, 7.7% of cocoa butter, 28.7% of sugar, 0.4% of lecithin.

[0164] This Chocolate C is implemented according to the following ganache recipe (referred to as conventional) (proportions expressed by weight): [0165] 700 g of Chocolate C; [0166] 500 g of cream 35% fat; [0167] 90 g of sugar; [0168] 150 g of dairy butter.

[0169] The cream/sugar mixture is brought to a boil then poured little by little on the chocolate; the preparation is then homogenised by stirring. Once the mixture is completed, a check of the temperature is carried out in order to ensure that the mixture does not exceed 40 C. At 39 C., the dairy butter is added in pieces.

[0170] Comparison of Ganaches A and C

[0171] The composition of the two ganaches obtained by these two methods of preparation is detailed in the table below, these compositions are substantially identical:

TABLE-US-00002 Ganache A Ganache C Cocoa butter 20.4% 20.4% Cocoa dry material 14.3% 14.3% Milk fat 22.3% 22.3% Milk fat 1.8% 1.8% Sugar 20.1% 20.1% Water 21.1% 21.1%

[0172] The proportions of fat and of dry cocoa material FOR the cocoa liquor used are as follows:

TABLE-US-00003 Dry material Fat Cocoa liquor 46% 54%

[0173] The proportions of water, of dry material (DM) of milk and of milk fat for the 35% fat cream are as follows:

TABLE-US-00004 Water Dairy DM Milk fat 35% fat cream 60% 5% 35%

[0174] The preparation of the Ganache A with the Product A is much simpler and faster than the conventional method for preparation used to manufacture the Ganache C. [0175] a) Texture after Crystallising

[0176] It is proposed to evaluate using a vane shear test the characteristics of the Ganaches A and C as well as the product resulting from the mixture of Chocolate C with 21% water according to the method used for the implementation of Ganache A (this product is designated as Chocolate-water mixture C).

Equipment and Vane Shear Test Method

[0177] The apparatus used is a Mars III, ThermoFisher rheometer.

[0178] In order to evaluate the texture of the various products to be analysed, a vane shear testing analysis protocol was used. The protocol makes it possible to characterise the change in their texture from the moment they are manufactured.

[0179] The texture of the various food preparations is evaluated using a Mars III (Thermofisher) rheometer, provided with a metal vane with four blades with a diameter of 16 mm and a height of 10 mm. The vane descends vertically into the application at a speed of 20 mm/s, and then carries out a rotation at the imposed speed of 0.02 rad/s for 5 min. The measurement is taken at an ambient temperature of 20 C. A reading of the constraint required to maintain the imposed rotation speed is carried out.

[0180] The analysed application is packaged in a fixed-size container, in such a way that: [0181] the height of the product under the vane is 10 mm; [0182] the distance between the end of the vane and the edge of the product is 16 mm; [0183] the top of the vane is at the same height as the planar surface of the application.

Results

[0184] The texture profile after 30 min and 24 h at 4 C. is shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B respectively.

[0185] These curves show that the Ganache A and Ganache C products have texture profiles that are substantially close, contrary to the Chocolate-water mixture C.

[0186] Ganache A, prepared with a simpler and faster method than the one conventionally implemented for the manufacture of ganache, therefore has the texture of a conventional ganache. [0187] b) Kinematics of Texturizing

[0188] Ganaches A and C are followed by a vane shear test in order to determine the texturizing kinematics, (crystallisation) of the applications.

[0189] Once the measurement is complete, each one of these products is characterised by: [0190] the maximum constraint read during the measurement (or breaking stress); [0191] the angle of rotation of the vane corresponding to this maximum constraint (or breaking angle); [0192] the cutability index, defined as the difference between the breaking stress and the constraint at u/2 rad, standardised by the corresponding angular deviation as well as the breaking stress.

[0193] The characteristics mentioned hereinabove vary according to the formulation and the time between the rehydrating of the product and the carrying out of the analysis: [0194] the maximum constraint measured is between 10 Pa and 50000 Pa; [0195] the breaking angle measured varies between 0.05 rad and 2 rad; [0196] the cutability index varies between 1 and 2.

[0197] It is observed on these two graphs that the maximum constraint threshold (FIG. 2) and that for cutability (FIG. 3) for an application of the ganache type are achieved faster for Ganache A than for Ganache C.

[0198] Thus, using Product A for the manufacture of a ganache has both the advantage of a simplified method but also that of obtaining a prepared product faster.

[0199] These tests were reproduced for a Creamy A obtained with the Product A and a more substantial quantity of hydrating agent than for Ganache A, and a Creamy C.

[0200] Product A and Chocolate C are the same as hereinabove.

[0201] The conventional recipe used for the Creamy C is as follows: Bring to a boil a mixture of 500 g of cream (35% fat), 500 g of whole milk and pour on 200 g of egg yolks that were mixed beforehand with 100 g of sugar and finally cook the preparation at 82/84 C. This preparation is mixed with 540 g of Chocolate C until a homogeneous texture is obtained.

[0202] The manufacture of Creamy A is as follows: Pour 45% boiling water on the Product A and homogenise the preparation by stirring.

[0203] The profiles obtained for these two products are shown in FIG. 4.

[0204] These tests show that the preparation of a creamy with a Product A is simpler, faster and uses only one additional ingredient (in this case, water) contrary to that of a conventional cream; furthermore, the creamy obtained with the Product A has a texture equivalent to that of a conventional recipe.

[0205] All of these tests experimentally confirm that the use of said product advantageously simplifies the work of the person skilled in the art by reducing the overall implementation time and by limiting the manufacturing constraints (storage of raw materials, work space management, controlling the manufacturing parameters, etc.). The implementation of said product facilitates the division of the prepared food products into different textures for a given aromatic profile while still limiting the risk of defects that can occur during the implementation of the various ingredients.

[0206] More generally, the anhydrous food product offers the possibility of preparing prepared food products having a very large range of textures.

IV. Example of Anhydrous Product Recipes According to the Invention