Center-Filled Confection and Method

A center-filled confection comprising,

• a center comprising a center composition;
• and
• a shell comprising a shell composition comprising less than or equal to 20 weight percent total fat, based on the total weight of the shell composition;
• wherein the shell contacts and substantially surrounds the center;
• wherein the center composition comprises
• a bulk sweetener, and
• a fat having a slip melting point of 10 to 18° C., and
• wherein the center composition comprises, based on the total weight of the center composition,
• 30 to 35 weight percent sucrose, 5 to 15 weight percent lactose,
• 0.1 to 0.5 weight percent theobromine,
• 22 to 28 weight percent of a non-hydrogenated vegetable fat having a slip melting point of 10 to 18° C. and a solid fat content less than 1 weight percent at 20° C.,
• 0.2 to 0.4 weight percent of polyglycerol polyricinoleate,
• 0.3 to 0.5 weight percent lecithin,
• 0.3 to 0.8 weight percent of an emulsifier comprising polyglycerol polyricinoleate and a sucrose fatty acid ester, and
• less than or equal to 1.5 weight percent water;
• wherein the center composition has a Brookfield viscosity of 8,000 to 10,000 millipascal-seconds measured at 40° C. and 50 rotations per minute using HA/HB spindle 5;
• wherein the center composition of an individually wrapped confection exhibits a viscosity change after storage at 37° C. and 80% relative humidity for eight weeks that is less than the viscosity change of a corresponding center-filled confection comprising a fat having a slip melting point greater than 18° C.;
• wherein the shell composition is a caramel shell composition comprising milk solids, vegetable fat, glucose, and sucrose;
• wherein the shell composition comprises 7 to 9 weight percent water;
• wherein the center-filled confection exhibits
• a maximum resistance of 200 to 800 gram force as the shell is penetrated, and
• a maximum resistance of 10 to 100 gram force as the center is penetrated,
• all as measured at 32° C. using a 2 millimeter diameter cylindrical probe as described in the working examples;
• and
• wherein the center-filled confection consists of the center and the shell.

A method of making a center-filled confection, comprising:

• extruding a center-filled rope comprising
• a shell comprising a shell composition and
• a center comprising a center composition;
• and
• forming individual pieces from the center-filled rope;
• wherein, in the individual pieces, the shell contacts and substantially surrounds the center;
• wherein the center composition comprises
• a bulk sweetener, and
• a fat having a slip melting point of 10 to 18° C., and
• wherein the center composition has a Brookfield viscosity of 4,000 to 12,000 millipascal-seconds measured at 40° C. and 50 rotations per minute using HA/HB spindle 5.