Method of making native-whole-starch-based fat replacer

A method of producing a vegetarian native starch based fat replacer comprising a native starch, a plant-based fat, and water, wherein the native starch based fat replacer further comprises no more than about 1% (w/v) of one or more gelling agents, thickening agents, emulsifying agents and/or edible gums, the method comprising the steps of:

• combining the native starch, plant-based fat and water, wherein the native starch, the plant-based fat, and water are combined at ratio of about 0.75-1.5:0.25-1:1-1.5, to form a mixture of ingredients;
• forming sheets of the mixture of ingredients such that each sheet has a predetermined thickness in the range of about 1 to about 25 mm;
• steaming each sheet of the mixture to an internal temperature of at least 60 degrees Celsius to form cooked sheets of the mixture;
• optionally processing or shaping the cooked sheets into desired shapes;
• cooling the cooked sheets to about 20-about 27 degrees Celsius to form cooled sheets;
• chilling the cooled sheets to a temperature of about 1 to 4 degrees Celsius to form chilled sheets until the starch in the chilled sheets has substantially retrograded;
• and
• optionally processing the retrograded sheets into particles or portions of a vegetarian native starch based fat replacer,
• wherein the native starch based fat replacer produced by the method is solid at room temperature and has a low heat melting temperature, such that the native starch based fat replacer melts between 35-60 degrees Celsius.