Calorie-reduced chocolate product comprising hydrated dietary fiber and methods for producing same

A method for preparing a calorie-reduced chocolate product, the method comprising:

• providing an insoluble dietary fiber component, wherein individual fibers of the insoluble dietary fiber component have an average fiber length of between about 1 μm and about 400 μm;
• combining the insoluble dietary fiber component with a volume of a low-viscosity water-based liquid (LVWB liquid) at a fiber:LVWB liquid ratio of between about 1:0.5 and about 1:10 on a w/w basis to provide a hydrated fiber slurry;
• mixing the hydrated fiber slurry with a chocolate and a stabilizing additive to form the calorie-reduced chocolate product;
• heating the calorie-reduced chocolate product to a temperature of between about 30° C. and about 35° C. to provide a heated calorie-reduced chocolate product;
• seeding the heated calorie-reduced chocolate product with βvi-polymorph cocoa butter crystals;
• and
• cooling to between about 20° C. and about 25° C. to re-form the calorie-reduced chocolate product.